The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-19
THE CIVIL SERVICE REPORT.
COMMISSION MAKES SEVENTEENTH
ANNUAL RETURNS.

Report Shows Large Increase of APP
pointments During Last Three
Years, the Number Being 27,316.
Number of Removal for All Causes
Less Than One Per Cent. Per An
npm-No Removal Shall BE Made
From the Competitive Classified
Service Except for Just Cause and
for Reasons Given in Writing.
Washington, Aug. 1S.-The United
States Civil Service Commission has
sent its seventeenth annual report to
the President. The report gives sum-
mary of the work done during the re-
port year. Conspicuous space is given
TO discussion of the operation and eff
feet of the presidential rules now in
force and to their administration, in
vestigations made of irregularities and
violations, and to the difficulties eXpe-
rienced and the suggested changes
which experience shows to be neces-
sary. An interesting feature of the re-
port is a brief history of the benefits
derived by the operation of the civil
service law since its enactment, and
the commissions attitude and policy is
set forth as to the greatest practicable
publicity concerning all matters con-
nected with it's work. A brief review
of the recently enacted civil service law
in the Philippine Islands is given, and
the commission repeats it's recommend
alton for extensions of the classifled
a
a material increase of appropriation for
a more adequate force of clerks and
examiners and concludes with appro-
pirate expressions upon the death of
former Commissioners Dorman B, Eat
on and Mark S. Brewer.
During the year 46,763 persons We're
examined, of whom S5,025 passed or
the number who passed 34,437 were for
original appointment to the service, of
which 9,SS9 were appointed, the largest
number ever appointed to the classi-
| fled service through examination in any
single year.
| The report says:
| In this connection the commission
| desires to call attention to the fact that
for the past three years, beginning
July 80 1898, 1886 persons have OBJ
tanned their appointments through the
examinations provided for by the civil
| service rules, while for the period be-
| ginning July 16, 1883, the date when the
| civil service act became operative, and
terminating June 80, 1898, a total of
! 1871 persons have been thus appoint
ed. 1t is especially gratifying to note
this large increase in the number of
appointments through examination,
particularly when considered in con-
nection with the fact, as shown in the
| commissions last report, that such an
| exceedingly small number of removals
| for all causes has been made of per-
sons who were appointed to the service
| through the examination system, aver
aging, for the departmental branch of
| the classified service, exclusive of the
railway mail and Indian services, but
sixty eight one-hundreths of per cent.
| per annum. While the number of posi-
| tions filled through civil service ap-
| pointments has so rapidly increased,
| the commissions records show that the
persons appointed in this manner APP
| pear to be thoroughly competent for
the work to which they have been as
| signed and to have rendered efficient
and satisfactory service, as over 9S
| per cent of them have received abso-
| lutte appointment at the end of their
probationary or trial period of service
| 1t must, therefore, be assumed that
this method of obtaining government
employees fully meets the needs of the
service.
Mention is again made of the excel
lent results of the operation of the
amendment to the rules under date of
July o. 1897, requiring that no re-
moval shall be made from the competi-
| tive classified service except for just
cause and for reasons given in writing.
and only after the person sought to be
removed has had notice and been fur
nished a copy of such reasons and been
allowed a reasonable time for person
ally answering the same In writing,
the report stating that ut is believed
that whatever honest opposition there
may have been to this provision up
on the part of the appointing officers
is being dispelled by experience under
it's operation. When properly admin
istered, II offers no bar to the exercise
Of the power of discipline or to removals
which are Justly required by the in
terests of the service"
|