Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-01
IRE CIVIL SERVICE
The Fifteenth Annual Report Of the
Commissioners.
TT SHOWS A LARGER NUMBER OF
APPOINTMENTS THROUGH EX-
AMINATIONS THAN EVER BE-
FORE-THE GOVERNMENT OF
OUR NEW COLONIES DISCUSSED.

fifteenth annual report of the civil Ser
vice Commission. under date OF NO
vember 1, 1898, has been presented to
the President. The report is an unus-
ually interesting one. especially as II
shows a larger number of appoint
ments through examinations than ever
before in the history of the Commits
sion. The remarks of the Commls-
sion ON the subjects of efficiency and
economy in the service, temporary ap-
pointments, and check upon illegal APP
pointments are especially timely, and
will no doubt excite general public in
terest and discussion. Considerable
space is devoted to a review of the ac-
ton of the Department OF Justice IN
regard to appointments to the positions
of office deputy marshals and clerks
to United States attorneys, and to the
Treasury Departments attitude in the
matter of the appointment of deputy
collectors of internal revenue. There
is also
VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION
of the general principles which should
govern appointments to the civil po-
sitions in our newly acquired territory.
The Commission calls special attention
to matter which it has compiled show
ing the ideas Of the trainers of the
Constitution regarding the proper ex-
ercise of the power of appointment
and removal and the action taken by
each Of the Presidents.
The total number of persons exam
lned during the year was 45,712, of
whom $4,000 passed. This was de-
crease of 1859 in the number examin-
ed and decrease of 1886 in the num-
Der who did not pass, as compared with
the previous year. In the department
tai branch of the service 2,100 persons
were appointed through educational ex-
animation and 1886 through the nom
educational or registration examina-
lions. Two hundred and two persons
were appointed in the custom houses,
2,75S in the postoffices, 229 in the in
ternal revenue offices, and 225 in the
Government Printing Office. The Com
mission also issued certificates for the
reinstatement of 1.133 persons during
the year.
In speaking of the rule requiring that
removals must be
FOR JUST CAUSE.
the statement is made that this rule
after full years operation has met the
hearty approval of the public and of
most of the executive officers of the
government.
In referring to the authority for tenn
porary appointments, the report states
that the purpose of this provision seems
clearly to be to facilitate the execution
of public business by enabling the De-
partments, with as little delay as pos
sible, to fill existing vacancies tempo
rarily for which there are no eligibles,
pending the execution of the details
necessary to securing eligibles. 1t also
pointments without examination to
cases where the public interest requires
them. In some cases, however. ap-
pointing and nominating officers have
apparently failed to fully understand
the intent and purpose of this provis-
ion of the rules and thus placed them
in 10 Of nISn
ing it. While the provision as to tenn
rorary appointments is believed to be
In the interest of good administration
when confined to cases where the con-
ditions prescribed in the provisions
actually exist, yet it is equally manifest
that both from the standpoint of the
appointing officers and of the Commits
sion temporary appointment should
never be made except when the public
interest demands it.
The question of the
APPORTIONMENT OF APPOINT
MENTS
at Washington among the several
States and Territories according to
population is carefully discussed, and
attention called to the fact that rein
statements and transfers are equally
chargable, under the law, as appoint
ments to the States in which the per-
sons who are transferred or reinstated
claim legal residence.
The report states that the positions
Of Office deputy marshals and of clerks
in the Offices of United States attor-
neys were classified by the Depart
ment of Justice under the order of the
President of May 6, 1896.
In discussing appointments in our
recently acquired territory, the follow
ing language is used:
1t will not be satisfactory discharge
of our duties to give simply
A BETTER GOVERNMENT
to those islands than the government
which we replaced, but We must give
government equal to the best. The
Commission thinks it proper to publish