Evening star., 1902-02-05
CONSIDERED UNJUST
Section Five of House Permanent
Census Bill.
BLOW TO TEE COMPETITIVE SYSTEM
Commissioner G FeuIke Before the
Senate Committee.
PROPOSES A SUBSTITUTE

The census committee of the Senate to-
day took up the House bill making the
census bureau a permanent institution
were given attention, and the committee ad-
Journed while the fifth section, relating to
the civil service classification of census en-
ployes. was under consideration. The COM
mittee decided to recommend that the
salary of the director should be continued
at H,500. instead Of placing 1t at IS, ,O0O as
is done by the House bill A recommended
ton that the chief clerks salary should be
increased to 5000 was also adopted
The committee heard arguments by Civil
Service Commissioners Proctor and Foulke.
concerning section 5 Of the bill. They op-
posed the House provision placing all the
present employees Of the census Office in the
ciassihed service, on the ground that such
course would be unfair to other persons
who had passed the civil service examina-
tion.
Injury to Competitive System.
Commissioner Foulke, addressing the COM
mtttee, said:
Section Of the bill passed by the
House provides that all employees of the
census ofhce at the date Of the passage
OF the act above the grade Of skilled
laborer shall be placed under the provisions
OF the civil service act.
There would be no objection whatever
70 providing that all employees who are to
pe renamed In the permanent census Office
snali be placed under the provisions OF the
act, but the section referred to provides
tnat all those employed at the date of the
passage or the act shall be included. This
included for the purpose of transfer to
other branches Of the service.
grave injury to the competitive sys-
tenn Will result from the passage of this pro-
vision The civil service law provides for
open competitive examinations. Every citi-
zen OF proper age and character can COM
pete in these examinations. They mean, in
the language Of the President, a fair field
and no favor
Unjust to the Eligibles.
Those who have taken the competitive
examinations rely upon the implied promise
of the government that ii they pass highest
on the list they will be considered for the
first appointments when vacancies occur.
These people went into the examinations in
good faith. and for them now to find the
places to which they are fairly entitled
about to be filled by others who have not
submitted to open competition, but have
been appointed upon the nomination of
members OF Congress Is a grave act of in
justice.
''The employees Of the census office, on
the other hand. know that their appoint
ments were temporary. They took their
places with the understanding that they
were to go out when the work Of the census
was completed. To give them additional
favors now, at the expense Of those who
have the right to the places on their own
merits Is violating the most essential prin-
ciple Of fair play.
Will Encourage SycOphancy.
"But more than that, it is inf1icting a
grave blow upon the competitive system
everywhere. If the young men and women
Of the country see that those who compete
do not get the places, but that these places
go by favor, what is the inevitable result?
Will they take the examinations hereafter
or will they not rather seek the advantages
of influence and patronage?
1.-The result will inevitably be that the
competitive system will be greatly discred-
tied, that fewer persons will be induced to
compete and the results of competition Will
be less satisfactory. This will naturally
lead not only to the deterioration of the
service. but also to the substitution of hab-
its Of sycophancy and patronage seeking on
the part Of applicants. In place Of the hon
est American manhood and Independence
which leads men to compete for these
places and ask no favors from those in
power.
Early Examinations.
at is claimed that the present clerks OF
the census office are peculiarly capable
and Industrious body of employees. Now,
the spring examinations Of the civil service
will be held In March and April.
nearly as soon as this proposed law is likely
to go into operation. II the census clerks
are really more meritorious than others
they can make their merit appear very
clearly in these examinations, for the ex-
aminations will be very strictly confined to
the things required in performing the duties
Of the places they seek. Surely members
OF Congress will not be unwilling to have
it shown by this competition whether or not
their appointees are really better or worse
than those who come In from the outside.
Supported by influence.
''The clerks in the census Office are sure
to be supported by the strongest kind OF
pressure for appointments In the classified
service. Whenever the head Of a depart
ment will be called upon to select new en-
ployes he will have his choice between
those on the classified lists, who stand on
their own merits and who generally have
no influence behind them. and the census
clerks. who will be supported by the
strongest influence. whatever may be their
qualifications or disQualiications for the
place. In such competition the census
clerks will inevitably have an advantage.
1t might almost as well be proposed by the
bill that they should be entitled to pref
erence in appointments over all those who
come in through competitive examinations
Advantage Over Soldiers.
'Under this bill the census clerks will
have an advantage practically even over |
the soldiers, who are now entitled to pref
erence by law. since the appointing officer
may select. and will generally be induced |
to select. a census clerk in preference to a |
soldier who Is regularly certified but has !,
no backing.
From the passage OF the civil service /
law down to the present time the discre-
tionary power to classify different branches |
Of the service has always resided In the |
President. Why should this bill constitute |
the first exception to that uniform rule, |
and while providing for the classification
Of the census Office direct what is to be |
done2 Is not the sound discretion Of the |
chief executive as safe guide in this |
case as in relation to the classification Of |
other places?
Substitute Proposed.
"In place of section 8 I would suggest |
the substitution of the following:
Section t.-That the director of the |
census La authorized to employ such en- |
ployes Of the temporary census as may be |
continued in office and actually employed /
upon the date Of the establishment OF the |
census provided In this act as |
ne may desire to retain permanently by /
-eason Of their efficiency, and the President |