Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-16

countries have suffered from this evil, and
those countries in which thorough sys-
tenn of civil service is selected are the first
to minimize that danger 1t is the
hope of the commission to make it posi-
BILE for entering the lowest ranks to
reach the highest, under a tenure based
solely upon merit
The act provides for civil service board
of three persons, each of whom must be a
Filipino or citizen of the United States.
The act applies to all appointments of civil
ians to executive positions under the mill
tary governor, the United States Philippine
commission, the treasurer, auditor, col
lector Of customs collector of inland reve-
nue., director of posts, civil service board,
bureau of forestry, bureau of mines public
instruction, penitentiaries and prison, pro-
vost marshal general of Manila and cap
tain of the port of Manila.
The Rules.
The rules are to provide, among other
things, for the selection of members of the
police force and the fire department in the
city of Manila, and guards in prisons and
penitentiaries by competitive or non-com-
petitive examination; for the selection of
laborers, skilled and unskilled, according
to the priority of their applications, by
such non-competitive examinations as may
be practicable; for the promotion of mem
bers of one rank to the next higher rank
by competitive examination; for period
OF probation; for competitive examinations
at Manila, Iloilo and Cebu for original ap-
pointment and promotion, and for the same
examinations in the United States, under
the auspices of the United States civil SER
vice commission for original appointment;
for selection according to average percent
age among those certified to the boards
as rated highest in such competition; for
transfers from one branch to another or
from the federal classified civil service of
the United States to the classified service
of the Philippine Islands; for reinstate-
ments; for the examination in the Spanish
language of all applicants who are citizens
of the United States and in the English Ian
guage of all applicants who are natives of
the Philippine Islands whenever in the
opinion of the board knowledge of both
languages is essential to efficient dis
charge of the duties of the positions sought
and for non-competitive examinations when
applicants fail to compete after due notice
has been given of an open competitive ex-
animation to fill an existing vacancy.
Where Preference is Given.
Where other qualifications are equal
preference is given, first, to natives of the
Philippine Islands, and. second, to all hon
orably discharged soldiers sailors and ma
rines of the United States Exceptions to
examination for entrance into the service
or for promotion upon competitive eXami-
nations are made for the heads of the diff
ferent departments and for the deputy COL
lector of customs, members of the civil
service bOard and one private secretary to
the military governor and each member of
the Philippine commission. But even as to
these heads of departments provision is
made that after eighteen months from the
creation of sufficient list of eligibles va
cancies shall be filled without examination
from class to be composed of the first
second and third assistants, the intention
being that the appointing officer may
transfer from one office to another a per-
son deemed competent to fill the vacancy.
Exceptions from examination are also
made of the cashier of the collector of GUS
toms, captain of the port of Manila collec-.
tor Of customs at noilo, and also at Cebu,
until one year after sufficient list of eli
gibles is obtained, after which vacancies
shall be filled by promotion by competi-
tive examination as in other cases. The
act does not apply to the selection of
school teachers, for which special legisla-
ton will be provided.
A check is placed upon illegal appoint
ments or promotions by providing that the
civil service board shall certify informa-
ton of the fact to the disbursing and aud
itng officers, forbidding such officers to
receive credit for payment for salary in
such cases.