Evening star., 1902-08-04
FEW POLITICAL PLUMS
Only $4,000 Positions Not
Filled by Civil Service.
EXCEPTIONS FROM LAW
IMPORTANT FIGURES PUBLISHED
BY SECRETARY DOYLE.
Regards Aim of Civil Service Act as
Realized-Statistics Given by
Departments.

Doyle of the civil service commission has
prepared for Good Government" the Off
cial journal of the Civil Service Reform
League, an article on exemptions In the
federal service which should be of great
interest to Washingtonians and friends of
civil service reform everywhere. Its con-
clusion-that the small number of positions
now exempted has no considerable effect
competition doubt surprise
many who have been Informed that the
number of places excepted from the do
main of the civil service commission is
large. But the article will no doubt at
tract most attention and cause most dis
cusson because of the figures quoted, now
given out practically for the first time.
The first half of the article is devoted to a
general argument that our federal civil
service act did not contemplate Standing
body of excepted positions and that the
effect of such standing body would be to
prevent "the appointing officer from filling
such positions by the promotion of trained
men, or even of choosing the best men from
the outside OF the second half, the para
graphs which follow are probably of most
general interest
700 Exceptions in Washington; 12, 900
Elsewhere.
''The total number of positions at pres
236, 1896" writes Mr.. Doyle. "Of this num-
Der, III 40 are classified competitive, II ,7G6
classified excepted and 113420 unclassfied
In the departments proper and the inde-
pendent offices in Washington there are
about 20,07S positions, of which 16,423 are
classified competitive positions, 2S6 classi-
fed excepted, 391 unclassiied presidential
and 2,9IS below classification. About 216,-
24S positions are in branches of the service
n " a
classified competitive, IL 4SO classified ex-
cepted, ILL unclassiied presidential and
10S.940 below classification.
The 765 officials Of the consular service
are not included in the above figures. The
eS positions excepted in the Navy Depart
ment in Washington are craftsmen; of the
e6 excepted in the Interior Department. II
are private secretaries, 20 are attorneys and
assistant attorneys 80 are special agents,
inspectors. etc, in the land office, and are
special pension examiners; of the 20 posi-
ttons excepted in the Department of JUS
tice, are private secretaries. are exam
iners and 18 are attorneys; of the "a ex-
cepted positions in the Department Of Agri-
culture are private secretaries, are stu
dent assistants and the remaining % are
special agents, experts, investigators, etc.
The excepted positions in the other depart
ments and offices In Washington are ALL
or nearly all. private secretaries or conf
Dental clerks.
of the 1854 excepted positions outside
ment. $50 are cashiers, deputy collectors
deputy naval officers, deputy surveyors of
customs, private secretaries and positions in
Alaska. etc, in the customs service; 4s are
interpreters, etc, in the immigra ton sery-
Ice; 40 are chief clerks or private secreta-
ries in the mint and assay service: 20 are
shipping commissioners; and 1885 are depu-
" collectors and storekeepers and gaugers
In the internal revenue service; and are
In the force engaged upon the construction
Of public buildings.
Details as to Separate Departments,
Paymasters' clerks and certain employes
in military parks occupy the greater num-
Der OF the 30 excepted positions under the
War Department outside of Washington. OF
the 42O excepted positions under the Navy
Department outside of Washington nearly
all are those of craftsmen and special me-
chanics and civilian assistant inspectors of
work and material
In the post office service assistant post
masters, finance clerks, cashiers and clerks
qualified as physicians. constitute almost
Lhe entlre rorce OF $40 excepted employees
W this number 300 are assistant postmas-
tiers or assistants to postmasters
Under the Interior Department outside
or washington in excepted positions are
4,4Il pension examining surgeons 81 en-
proves at $3oO or less in the Indian service
l,S1Z Indians, 80 temporary clerks in snr.
Veyors general and land offices SO finance
clerks at Indian agencies and is clerks to
act t0r oo pension agents at pension agencies,
ana " positions In the Alaskan school serv
Ice, the remaining 6S positions being widely
scattered. "toei'
I'm the Department Of Justice tbe nv
Gepted force of 4sS employees outside of
washington Is composed mainly of assist
ant attorneys, clerks to attorneys and denn-
~ United States marshals. In the Denart
ment OF Agriculture outside of Washinoton
.ne IL excepted positions are principally
Iot
pnclassifed positions In the post Office ssr,,'
lve' over 10000 are those of postmasters
Only e1s Per Cent Excepted.
1T appears from the foregoing figures that
more than VA per cent Of all classified posi-
tlons are excepted; that of classified positions
In Washington, D. c., less than tx Der cent
arc excepted; but that Of classified positions
outside Of Washington about II ner can.
are excepted.
Tho excepted positions in tn. exeo,+;,,,
civil service may be grouped "a Fdno,a.'
positions, confidential positions nositions
whose occupants are at times rennirad ~
act as the head Of an office Cfor examnIe
assistant postmasters), isolated positions
whose occupants are compelled 70 toLa T.,
dependent action (for example denutv oni
lectors), positions whose occupants are am
ployed In professional capacity las assist-
ant attorneys, pension examining surgeons
commissioners
and Indians employed in the Indian service
The reason assigned for exceptinp nost
tons from the operation of the rules 10 that
the duties pertaining to them are of sncb a
character that the qualifications of nersnns
Tor appointment cannot be adeuuataIv
tested in the manner and by the examina,
tions provided by the civil service rules In
view Of this contention it may be of inter
est to note that In the State Department
where the business transacted is seneraIlv
regarded as highly confidential in charac,
ter, there are only four excepted positions
and IN one of these advantage has not heen
taken Of the provision of the rules nermit-
ting an appointment without examination
from outside the service
Arguments for Special Posts.
1T is argued that f1duciary positions ,,ke
those of cashiers, should be excent.d tor
the reason that the employees occupv nos,-
tions of great trust and financial resnons,-
bility, and that the head of the of1,c. be-
ing under bond and accountable for tho
faithful performance Of their duties sbonId
be unhampered in his selection. In the c.so
of confidential positions, like those Of mr..
vate secretary, the fitness of appointees 10
supposed to depend largely upon the ner1
tow