The record-union., 1899-07-14
Replies to Letter Of McAneny Of the
National Reform League
ClitlclsIng the Formers Defense Of the
Presidents Recent Order.
Asserts That He is a Sincere Adj
vocate of the Merit System and
Has Done Nothing During His
Term of Office in Violation Of
the Civil Service Rules.

NEW YORK, July 13.-Secretary of
the Treasury Gage, replying to the let
ter of Secretary McAneny of the Ma
tional Civil Service Reform League,
ciriticising Mr. Cages defense of the
Presidents recent civil service order,
said:
There is no more sincere advocate
of the merit system than l am, and
soon after reaching this office I insisted
that the Collectors be urged to comply
strictly with the law in making APP
pointments. In most cases they haze
accepted that instruction, but out or
some twenty Collectors there are per-
haps four or five who have maintained
that the law confers upon them the
right to appoint their deputies. and the
courts have upheld them. l am assured
that quite 80 per cent of the Collectors
have complied with the law. When the
matter brought on litigation the Presi-
dent withdrew some of the offices in
dispute from the operation of the law
1t is not correct or just to say that
the advice of the Treasury proouceo 'io
apparent effect"
AS to the intimations that many ap-
pointments have been made in the
with Spain," without regard to the civil
service law. Mr. Gage said that he was
informed by Mr. Deland, who repre-
sents the Civil Service Commission in
the department, that perhaps 100, IN
stead of many hundred men, had been
appointed in the time. mentioned, and
that all were appointed with the ap-
proval of the commission, and We're
fo, ivfr M1nV of the
clerks employed to get out the bonds
authorized by Congress We're taken
from the eligible registers, but all We're
dispensed with after the work was
closed, according to law.
None of these clerks or any others
were transferred into the classified SER
vice and no others had been trans
ferred without the approval of the COM
mission.
Mr. Gage said that it was not fair, in
criticising the action of the depart
ment in making appointments from the
competitive list, to exclude the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing, which en-
ploys the largest number of persons in
anv one division of the Treasury SER
vice in Washington.
AT the head of that bureau, said
Mr.. Gage, lis a Democrat, kept there
by the strict regard of the head of the
department for the civil service law and
the merit of the incumbent.
..Worthington c. Ford was not re-
moved When / took office he came to
me and said that, whenever his place
was wanted, hint to that effect would
be all that would be necessary to get
him out. He was a good officer. but
there were reasons, not affecting his in
tegrity, that led me to inform him, aftec
a while. that his resignation would be
accepted I think there was some pub
lie benefit from the change made in that
office. But if Mr.. Ford had desired to
stay. he would never have been re-
moved
AS for the complaint by Mr.. McAneny
that the Secretary has wrongfully per-
mitted the payment of salaries to per-
sons appointed irregularly, Mr.. Gage
said:
THE interpreter of the law for me is
the Controller of the Treasury When
the vouchers for the pay of an employe
have been approved by the subordinate
officers who know of their employment,
and the Auditor has found the account
correct. it goes to the Controller If there
is any further question. If he says thai,
under the law. they shall be paid, I
would be impeachabie if l refused to
pay the clerks. If he should decide that
the clerks should not be paid and
should pay them, 1 would also be inn
peachable."