The evening times., 1899-08-24
THE EVENING TMEs WASHINGTON THURSDAY AUGUST a. ,sss
CIVIL SERVICE APPENDIX
The Commission Publishes Its Pro-
test Against Violations.
The POstOfiice Department Especially
Complained OF for ignoring the
Law-Mr. PrOcter's Letter--NO Re-
ply to n Request for Cooperation
in Abolishing Certain Practices.

The appendix of the fifteenth annual re-
port of the Civil Service Commission has
just been issued. The report comprises
over 700 pages of very interesting matter.
The Commission also makes public the
fact that their protests against the wanton
disregard of the law have in many in
stances been ignored by the heads OF the
departments The one department that has
systematically violated the Civil Service
law, it is said, is that presided over by
Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith
The practice complained of by the Civil
Service Commission was brought TO the
attention of the Postmaster General, put
the head of the Postoffice Department up
to the present moment has made no reply
10 Mr. Procter's letter. Referring to this
subject, the report says:
Early in 1895 appointments began to be made
in postofices on the eve OF their ciassliicatioh'
as the result OF the establishment OF free de-
livery therein, and the persons so appointed, al
most Immediately after the classification oil such
postoffces, transferred to other positions tusuahy
OF higher grade) in other portions oi the Tow
eminent service, sometimes IN otDer departments
Such persons were frequently not residents OF the
States in which the postoffice 10 which appoint
mcnt made was situated. Since TINS pracliee
subvoTted the intent OF the oivii service ACT, .e
Commission brought the matter to the attention
of the Pos. office Department, and requested It's
cooperation in abolishing such practice
In a letter dated February Is, 1898, the First
Assistant Postmaster General stated:
:. | have II say that, IN compliance WIN
your suggestion il is the purpose OF the depart
ment in the future to confine appointments oil
persons at postofices where the establishment OIL
free delivery is contemplated 10 period oil mol
less than six weeks prior to the establishment,
and the appointments to be residents OF the city
in which free delivery is TO be made. Unless the
emergency is great and necessity extreme, II Is
our determination to make no appointment al
these offices earlier than sixty or ninety Gays anu
unless the nonresident has expert knowledge OF
the postal service and his especial abilities are
required in the establishment, TO refuse all APP
plications for the appointment OF others than
residents of the city where the establishment IS
to be effected. F"
Instances of the abuse continuing to come under
the notice of the Commission, the matter was on
November Z, 1888, and again on April 4, ls9s
brought TO the attention of the Postmaster Cen
eral in letters, in which the Commission said:
The Commission is in receipt OF the depart
ments request, dated March %, for the transfer
OF John Mahin, clerk IN the WEBSTER tityr
Iowa, postofiice, to the position OF postofice in
spector. Mr. Mahin was appointed TO the post
Office named January 80, ls99, and the office
was classified, the result OF the establishment
of the free delivery system therein, on February
l. 1899 Transfers OF this character are fast be-
coming comnron and since in this practice lh-
heres the power TO cripple and even nullify the
intent and purpose of the civil service act-mak-
ing appointment and promotion in the public
service dependent solely upon fitness as ascer-
tanned through competitive examinations supple
mented by probationary period Of service-it Is
deemed proper TO again bring this matter to your
attention.
As stated in the Commissions first letter upon
this subject, dated February O. each of these
cases involves evasion of the spirit Of the civil
service law and rules. In each case the person has
been transferred TO position which he could not
under the rules, have entered except as the re-
suit of examination. Where employees are CLASH
fed the result OF the extension Of the opera
tion of the civil service act and rules. 1t is as
sumed that they have demonstrated their fitness
for the positions they occupy. and an cXamina-
tion would therefore be unnecessary. 1t is maui
fest. however, that this cannot be said of an ap-
poiHree whose encumbency OF an Office is of but
a few days weeks duration.
The positions occupied by these OF the
persons mentioned in the accompanying list trans
erred to tine position Of postfflce inspector should
it is believed, only be filled by the promotion
OF those already in the service who familiar
with the duties required. or with similar duties.
This las been the view OF your department, and
it has acted upon this view. In the report Of
the Postmaster General for ls1O Mr.. Wanamaker
said: The practice Of the department shows that
the inspector force. for example, Is more eff
ciont as whole if cligibles who have seen pub
lie service are selected. instead of those who have
simply been examined Since the department
the postoffice inspector register OF the Commits
sion, the entrance examination for this position
was discontinued, and it is now given only TO
those persons whom the department designates.
In a letter dated October 30 1897, concerning
the register Of carrier eligbles for Newport News
and Manchester, Va, Postmaster General Gary
stated: The policy Of this department in making
appointments to positions in local postoffces is
to appoint citizens Of the town in which the
postof1ce IL located. | therefore request that in
certifying eligibles for appointment as carriers
at Newport News and Manchester and other cit
les, where the carrier service exists only those
who are bona fde residents of the cities 10 which
the registers apply shall be certified The Com.
mission will undoubtedly admit that the inter
ests of the service will be better subscrved il
only those who residents of the cities or
towns are appointed on the carrier force of their
respective localities -
The Commission points out the fact that
1t is possible by this practice to completely
nullify the civil service law, as the trans
fers are not confined to any one Depart
ment, but vacancies occurring in any De-
partment can be filed by the transfer OF
persons who come into the service in the
manner complained of.
The report also contains the record OF
all the cases investigated in the matter
OF removals from the classified service.
and what the Commission did to protect
clerks who were removed for no other
cause than that their places were wanted
for some one else.