Evening star., 1901-07-29

this employment to those on the eligible
lists of the commission, who had qualified
for it and who were entitled to it. The
commission informed the first assistant,
Mr.. Perry Heath, that his appointments
were illegal and should be discontinued. No
reply was made to this letter. and Mr..
Heath's appointees remained undisturbed." !"
other Alleged Violations.
The appointment of farmers and stock
men provided for in the act, making ap-
propriations for the year ending June 30,
1902, has been made without civil service
examinations, so that in the Indian agen-
cies there are two sets of men doing the
same work, appointed in two different
ways.
Fourteen copyists employed to reproduce
certain records of the general land office,
destroyed at Bismarck. n. D., by fire. were
appointed without reference to the civil
service law because the language Of the
act indicated that the work was for an
emergency" Yet their employment was
continued beyond the year first appropri-
ated for
"VI In establishing the new reference
library in the government printing office
Congress provided that the librarian, or as
the act reads, the person or persons who
be selected and appointed by the public
printer. This the public printer construed
as exemption and examinations for APP
pointmeM were not held.
.,
made for twenty-four additional employees
for the division of loans and currency In
the Treasury Department for the counting
of paper money sheets This is clerical
work of a sort for which the commission
is always prepared to furnish eligibles. But
the act was made to refer to 'twenty-fo
paper counters and laborers.' and the
Treasury Department claimed an exemption
under the second designation.
I'm a letter of the civil service commits
sion to the Attorney General. dated March
| g. 1901. 1t is pointed out that all clerks Of
United States district attorneys have been
appointed without examination, although
| the rules except not to exceed one pri-
vate secretary or confidential clerk to each
of these officers. There are at least five
who have two clerks and one who has five,
| all Of which were appointed without COM
pliance with the law The Attorney Cen
| era1, in reply. refers to an act Of May,
| 1887, authorizing District attorneys to en-
play . the necessary clerical assist
ants. etc. Under construction followed
by the Office, he states the persons so
employed are not considered as appoint
ed within the meaning of the civil service
rules. The commission did not feel that
| it could do otherwise than accept the de-
partment's decision, and the exemption
stands.
The Attorney Generals View.
.In the act of July 1, 1893, $1,000 was
! appropriated for temporary typewriters
| and stenographers in the Department Of
State to be selected by the Secretary
! These appointments were made without ex-
| animation, though it does not appear that
| they were treated at the outset as positive
| ly excepted. One of the appOintees, Mrs.
] Caroline Galbreath, sought to obtain
permanent appointment by taking the type
| writing examinations of the commission In
/ September, 1899, but she failed to pass.
| - When the question was referred to
| Attorney General Griggs he gave an opin-
ion to the effect that certificate should
| not be issued under the circumstances. but
! that as the act authorized the Secretary OF
| State to select and not to appoint none
| of the rules applied, and the personal ap-
| pointment might be continued"