The evening times., 1900-09-15

'sThe record of the Administration of
President Mckinley is no fairer upon the
subject of civil service reform than upon
the issues of trusts, bimetallism, the Mon
roe Doctrine, isthmian canals, the govern
ment OF colonies, national bank deposits
army beef, Cuban postal affairs war taxes,
etc. said a veteran in public affairs to
a reporter for The Times at the headquar-
ters of the Democratic Congressional Com
mittee last night.
The letter of acceptance OF President
Mckinley contained no more hypocritical
paragraphs than those in which he treated
OF civil service reform. He said:
Practical civil service reform has al
wavs had the support and encouragement
OF the Republican party The future OF the
merit system is safe in its hands.
'' During the present Administration, as
occasions have arisen for modification or
amendment in the existing CiYh Service
law and rules they have been made I'M
portant amendments were promulgated by
executive order under date of May ~, 1883,
having for their principal purpose the ex-
ceptiOn from competitive examination OF
certain places involving hduclary Tespon-
sibiHties or duties of strictly confidential,
scientific, or executive character, when II
was thought might better be hlied elthef
by non-competitive examination or by
other tests of fitness in the discretion OF
The appointing officer II is gratifying taat
the experience of more than a year mas
Vfndfcated these changes, in the marked
improvement of public service.
The merit system, as far as pracu-
cable, is made the basis for appointments
TO Office III our new territory.
The reference 10 civil service reform III
10 fnFa, faF ha
adopted at the National Convention at
Philadelphia is really humorous. Here 1t
is:
- We commend the policy Of the Repub-
Iican party in maintaining the efficiency OF
the civil service. The Administration has
acted wisely in its effort to secure Tor PUB
lie service in Cuba, Porto Rico. Hawaii,
and the Philippine Islands only those
whose fitness has been determined by
training and experience. We believe that
employment in the public service in these
territories should he confined as far as pos
sibla TO their Inhabitants
Under the predecessors of Mr. Mekln-
ley the Civil Service act, appIsyed January
3, 1888. had been strengthened and broad
ened by rules amendatory of the act bat
on May %, 1889, President Mckinley. by
executive order. removed from within the
classified service d vast number OF Offices
There were excepted fTCm examination or
registration private secretaries to the
heads of the executive departments and
bureaus within them, and private secre-
taries TO the Commissioner of Labor, the
Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, the
secretary of the Smithsonian institution.
and to each of the Interstate Commerce
Commissioners.
In tie Treasury Department there were
excepted from the operations OF the Civil
Service law all shipping commissioners
cashiers in all the customs districts, prin-
cipaI deputies and assistant collectors a
each customs port and SUPPORT, deputy
surveyors of customs a customs ports
counsel before the Board of United States
General Appraisers. all positions in Alas
ka in the Customs and Internal Revenue
services. ali deputy collectors of interna
revenue, all stOrekeepers and gau5er
whose compensation does not exceed s:
per day, the officer in charge of the Bu
Teau of Statistics, the chief clerk in each
mint or assay office. private secretaries Il
The suDerintendents Of mints and assay
offices. cashiers, deposits weigh clerks, as
sistant cOiners, assistant meters and re
fners, and assistant 2ssayers in each min
or assay Office
In the Interior Department there wer,
exempted for the Civil Service act ani
rules. TIE superintendent of the Ho
Springs Egzervation; enc special land in
apecter- ilspectors Of coal mines in IN
TerrJoTie=, special agents employed, q
necessity f5r their employment may aris
for the purpose OF protecting public lands
the fCSFec- ors OF surveyors general an
district lame Offices; superintendent of If
rigatou I'm the Indian Service: superin
tendents of logging IN the Indian Service
five sreciEf Indian agents, as authorize
by law; special agents for the aiIotmen
of land in seYeTalty to the Indians aa tn
necessity for their employment may arise
special commissioners to negotiate witt
Indians, as the necessity for their employ
ment may arise; engineers to make sur
Veys of reservation boundary lines ant
surveys at Indian agencies, as the neces
sity for their employment may arise: eX
aminerS of Indian timber lands, as tn
necessity for their employment may arise
one financial clerk at each Indian agenc
TO act as agent during the absence OF de
STABILITY of the agent; all positions in tn
Alaska school service; not exceeding fiv
special pension examiners to investigat
fraudulent and other pension claims of
criminal nature; one clerk at each pen
sion agency to act for the agent during hi
absence or desirabuity; not exceeding on
clerk, who shall act as private secretar
or confidential clerk to the superintendent
of the Government Hospital for the In
sane.
The exemptions were equally nu