West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-11-21
WASHING LETTER.
President Roosevelt Standing By
His Civil Service Record.
Senator Tom Plat, The Big Boss
Losing Ills Grip In New York
Politics.
From our regular correspondent.

" AShiNSioN, NOV. 10, 1901 -
II is well recognized fact that the
Presidents civil service reform re-
cord alone would have been quite
sufficient 10 have prevented his re-
ceiving the vice presidential nomi.
nation, could the party leaders
have foreseen that the time would
come when he would succeed to
the presidency. 1t is now reported
that he proposes to Guido Mr..
Cleveland in his promotion of the
reform, and that, not only has he
signiied his desire for designations
from some of the party's fayorites,
because of their violation of the
civil service rules, but he proposes
TO extend the classified list to in
clude the laborers in the depart
ments and is even thinking of
including the entire consular
services.
/ / /
When Mr.. Cleveland covered
in" as it is called, the bulk of the
department employees, it was rep
resented to him that it would
appear ridiculous to require civil
service examinations from the
laborers and charwoman and &C
cordingly he excluded these grades
of labor from his general order.
AS soon, however, as Congressman
discovered that these were the
only positions which their innuene
could secure for their constituents
they insisted upon naming all the
laborers and then exerted their
further influence to have their
nominees assigned to clerical work.
This custom is now general through
out the government service and
accounts for Maclay, of the Schley-
Sampson controversy fame, being
carried on the roles Of the NAVY
Department as laborer. Robbed
OF the prerogative OF securing ap
pointments for their constituents
the members Of Congress will be
compelled to suffer the hardship
of appealing to their constituents
for reelection on the ground of
their records in Congress.
/ / /
1t is also anticipated that, as
soon as the required appropriation
OF so, 900, 900 which the Postmaster
General has asked for, to extend
the rural free delivery service, that
branch of the service will also be
covered inn. The regular attempt
which is made every time a census
bureau is organized, is now being
made to secure the transfer of
census clerks to the classified list
of the Civil Service Commission.
1t the past, this effort has usually
resulted in the transfer of a few
whose influence was particularly
powerful. The claim is made this
year that the clerks were appointed
in the Census Bureau only after
having taken competitive exami-
nation, which is perfectly true, but
nothing is said about the fact that
no one who did not present the
endorsement of his representative
or senator was eligible to take the
examination. With Mr.. Roosevelt
in the White House is it doubtful If
any of the census clerks will be
placed on the classified lists.
I / /
Almost coincldent with the un-
official announcement that Secre-
tary Gage and a number of the
Treasury officials are opposed to
the reenactment of the Geary law,
because of its detrimental effect on
American commerce with the
Orient, comes the report of Gov
ernor Taft, recommending the
restriction Of Chinese immigration
into the Philippines. General Nc.
Arthur, writing on the subject, SAYS
of the Chinese, "Such a people.
largely endowed as they are with
inexhaustible fortilute and determi-
nation, if admitted to the archipeI.
ago in any considerable numbers
during the formative period which
is now IN process Of evolution.
would soon have control Of pretty
nearly every productive interest, to
the absolute exclusion alike of
Philippines and Americans" lust
what action will be taken in the
matter has not been decided.
I'll
The situation in New York is
st'll the cause Of considerable
worry both 90 the President and to
some Of the Republican leaders.
While the President would like 20
see complete harmony in the state
machine, be is so opposed to PlatPs
methods and is so adverse to
compromise in a case where he be-
lives that he is entfrc1y 4, H. III