The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-28
CIVIL SERVICE METHODS
The Practice Not in Keeping With
Legal Intent.
Political Influence Sece.sary No Mat
ter How High n Percentage AppIi-
nntiOns-Experience of n Seeker
for Letter Carriers Place.

There is ample testimony available"
said a Democrat of this city yesterday,
that the valuable institution known as
the civil service as now controlled, is
merely cloak for exercise of political
influence which exerts itself "a nine cases
| out OF ten in securing Government ap-
! pointments. The record made by an ap-
| plicant at examination is the last CUES
| ticn which civil service authorities con-
sitter in filling vacant place.
''Of course, all this is an old story.
Everyone who has had dealings with the
civil service institution and has had an
opportunity of becoming acquainted with
/ the peculiar excellencies of its methods
mast. if he is willing to deliver an i'm
partial and unbiased judgment acknowl-
| edge the truth of these oft repeated ard
never contradicted statements.
"A case which occurred recently, and
which concerns an applicant for the hum
| bic position of letter carrier in the city
postoffce. deserves mention. The appli-
cant, after passing the examination with
percentage of Sc. had his name written
very near the top on the list of eligibles
which list, by the way, is required by law
| to be placed in a conspicuous part OF the
postofiice building, but which. as a matter
of fact, is kept by the postmaster in his
own private desk. The rules governing
| the selection and appointment of appli-
cants from this list are, it is trusted, well
known, and their justice and simplicity
appreciated by all. The first three names,
with the percentage of each attached are
semitic the head of the Office in which the
vacancy exists by the Civil Service CO M
mission. 1t Is not necessary to enq%-re
whether any special recommendations are
added TO the names and percentages of
certain applicants in order TO ensure ap-
| pointment upon merit alone. One OF the
| three names sent to the head of the office
is selected by him to fill the vacancy and
| the two remaining oles are sent back to
decorate the list of eligibles. BY this sim
pie and beautiful means 1t will readily be
seen that the person who has made the
| highest percentage at his examination may
| be gradually dropped until the expiration
OF the time allotted to those particular ell
| gibles, and the one making the lowest rec
ord rapidly raised and installed in the
position denied those who have shown
| themselves more capable and worthy
In the case in question the applicant
| was treated to a specimen of the methods
of the civil service. and saw appointed
| over his head those who had been far
below him upon the eligible list Such
|
If 1t were not criminal. But when one
considers the intense and earnest striy-
ing, the hope. the disappointment. almost
! despair, when the unfortunate applicant
for Government position without pOIiti-
| cal influence recognizes that he has been
dHped-the honest and interrupted heart
| rather inclines to sympathy on the one
| hand, and righteous Indignation on the
! other. Thousands of men and -omen
! without political influence have baen en-
ticed by the plausible pretences of the
| civil service institution into the honor
| able ambition Of obtaining a Government
! position. They first file their applica-
lions and are furnished with blanks, in
| which they are requested to state among
a host of equally fattering queries.
| whether or not they have ever been in
dicted for or convicted OF any crime,
| and in the latter case, the length of their
term served In Jail. and when discharged.
But this is nothing. The honest appli-
| cant can afford to laugh at or disdain
| such trivial matters. With ambitious
fervor he starts in with his studies, and
when the time for examination comes. he
Is thoroughly prepared. He passes at
high rate. and eagerly awaits the result,
certain now of success. He does not cal
culate upon official knavery and trickery
he does not understand the term pull
he does not know what my Congress-
man means; he does not know the civil
service. And so he is surprised when he
finds, upon enquiry. that persons who
have passed with much lower percentage
at the examination get the place, and he
gets left Then at length he realizes
what the civil service is under present
administration, and, like CULVER. he
may, henceforth. weep tears OF pride and
Joy when he thinks OF the institutions of
| his own beloved country"