New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-19
FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE.
REPORT OF THE REFORM LEAGUE COM
MITTEE.
SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW AL
LEGED-THE AREA OF THE MERIT SIS
TEN SAID To BE REDUCED.

TIN SAID BE hED1NEA"
~, ,or,r,i,,ss ~ the National Civil Service Re-
,orn TeaF,e sppoinfed to investigate the oondi-
ton Of the Federal civil Service has mace his re-
port Of which the substance is AS follows;
Tn enacung the Civil Service law IN ISIS the
committee shows. Congress intended that the sys-
TEN should ultimately embrace the entire suooroho
provision Tor a gradual extension Of the system;
6epsrSments until this end might he effected -
From the date OF the passage OF the &c, rhfil
out interruption. each President making important
& o to h sssnsG .T s1 Sne The q
these additions had been IN effect for about yesT
Sur nv Ter me greater part Of the work necessary
e the completion OF nc Tei tb mRepnbcsn party
an its convention in 1895 had renewed its repeated
S9sRy sna honestly hon eE en n fut that should
he extended wherever practical pie. -, Ar. bs.,
Ionrest cIsssihed the system has been unm5sire.e,
and has continued to produce excellent results u
cannot ne said that the law has been thoroughly
and honestly enforced while. Win m - sr,,Ies
on the start mace in the establishment OF Iules
FOR the Philippine service covered in a separate
spportunities FOR s extension. where clearly prac-
ticabe." have deliberately been sci ASIDE t., sre
n the classified service while s20ee lneluglns ~ ~
Fresloentla officers several il9USahG st army Of
fourth class postsnssters rffaained unclassllleG.
compIsaos with The Ian snd Tecosnition Of its
principles on The part Of both tonsfess anu 49,, ~
heads % departments would a. ms sage sage 9ane
secured tho appointment through conpetilloh on a. a.,
al Inc great number required LOT
The committee however from The data il mas at
These figures show that the 'eXceptons1 from
The requirements Of The civil Service law wheiher
ton have been. during the year they cover alrn9st
manner me LAW intended certain proportion OF
the appointments so made Were no doubt unayold-
materially aaoc, The totals given.
CHANGES IN .ENCEPTED" PLACES.
Places in tho classified service excepted from
competitive eNaminstons are virtually unelsssihea
for removals may be MADE from them without re-
stralnt and appointments are absolutely az ne
No. 81 me Ppm arestI, ibcressed On March 3
1897. al the close of the preceding Administration.
We're ~ assistant postmaster on July y. 1897
President Mckinley added 5S3 deputies and others
I'm me customs and internal revenue services. preV
Nh, % $50 sprroxirls telv sa0 more i'm addition
20 lie number removed absolutely from the cIas-
sifed service al that time.
As The classified service has grown, it has been
observed that violations of the Civil Service law,
BON nov ane peTeIoiore have occurred most most
Tho civil Service Commission addressed repeated
violations. hut in hardly an instance with salts
factory results. on September u. 1897, the league
viting attention to the growing number OF offences
and asking lha5 measures a. taken TO stop them
on March Is. 1925. IN presented 10 the President
general report violations throughout the
tending officers he dismissed,
In the great majority of cases, however there
ments were nominally validated by the order OF
May 81 1888 II = also true that no single officer
though the rules themselves. in cearest terms, pro-
Although the Presidents order of July 81 1897.
seemed 10 furnish the first substantial check upon
law or rules-an advance for which Mr. Mckinley
leseueIt Was feared tbaf tbrourb inherited en-
toroement The value OF tins rule also would be
that Il has been.
EVASION oF-THE RULES"
While direct violations Of the rules have been
more or less common. indirect evasions have been
in point Under the rules persons may be
temporary service IN the absence sei of an eigiSe
hsi, for emergency work 1t is required that these
1omm,ssion has given its certificate that there is
~ S sseuaSe hs, In practice the vast majority
We ana without inquiry TO the state of the lists
ward the appointing ofioeT chose This prsc-
s,y,e @ofeooe, has grown aiarmingly During the
s inIlesh months following the amended rules OF
May g. lSS. 7@ temporary appointments were au-
1877 to MAY 81 ISIS ee os Ri hSnths from June
We're authorized by the Commission in any
ment appointments in either case
no5 nIeeF common method Of evasion is the APP
~ IN which class examination IS not required
higher class The growth Of 5s 10 oues %
MISSION frankly discusses IN its fifteenth report
TAoepteo places are also used bring persons
~ s PT'SSnsy INTO the competitive service, in
on. uSt pp1itg was made chief clerk and the
u me collector appointed without examination TO
when Il came 10 the assgnRent of antes 0epu's
f ne d9sloise DEPARTMENT has adopted device
be given frs Mhen small postotiee Is about %
once force into the classified service persons are
SStought from other cities. and from other
fore they the free delivery class to be trans
S inineolately afterward 10 the office for which
10, Ion aItogether Nearly a hundred appointments Of
protest OF the civil service co@isso Te fTe 81
lgse SO appointed pIes maby without the least
Sna hlgh salaried ofhce Of postofRce inspector,
5eceffaing which has been made easily possible by
Presidents order Of Mav 1879 - ''''
RESTRAINTS REMOVED
one OF the most serious features of the situation
appointments may be made IN violation of me law
s t ~, , Service Commission is power,ess 10 pre-
rsIiinent Involved OF appeal from fits decision to
either q these authorizes II is obliged 10 permit
s09ses 20 60 unchecked In the cities OF New-York
Civil Service system has been established. fiscal
whose appolnment pot made in the manner the
~, Pthescrl6es. TIE Federal Commission assumed
; Slst me same rule applied Of necessity at Wash
~ fSs enc three yesrs ago asked the Secretary
system Of audit. Failing 20 secure that offeer's
4, ors Won ara hs1s OF persons known TO be illegally
WIN me request that their claims for salary be
fsre but on April ] following gave a remarkable
Sp s , sddTesFed TO United states Marshal
atelsres that no officer or clerk shall be ap-
Is MOI Illegal bs ise T aIc othe ,ir made
torce except such the Executive or head Of do.
partment chooses 20 give them and that an per
sons whose names the payrolls presented
&C him VIII be assumed 70 be regularly appointed
ne CIVIL Service COMMISSIONS denial notWithsta nd
rulings Of the Supreme Court Is nevertheless hind
ing long Ny. T-aceWell himself remains nm.
disturbed It's eject Is disastrous. for though az
me statistics OF the Commission show. many ap
pontments continue TO be made IN compliance Wit
the law. the fun number that are not SO made AM
that may never be reported remains quite unknown
and undetermina BILE