Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-02-20
Washington Letter.
CFrom Il Regular Correspondent

~ @
mately, the retention of competent
employees and the promotion of those
who by the faithful and conscientious
performance of their duties have
earned recognition. Space will not
permit a detailed outline of the sys-
tenn here but anyone interested can
secure, tree of charge. a pamphlet
giving all the details, by addressing
the Civil Service Commission, Wash
ington, d. G.
The purpose of this article is main
~ to correct some popular fallacies IN
regard to the workings of the reform.
Great stress has been laid on the
statement that it works serious hard-
ships to old employees who, having
performed their duties faithfully for
years, are in order to retain their
positions are compelled to take exami-
nations which are a hardship to any
but pupils fresh from school. This
statement has no truth in it. The
practice which has been invariably
followed has been ''to cover into the
classified service" as the expression
is, certain positions. No examina-
tions have been required of the in
c%umbents; in fact their tenure was
made doubly secure because the loss
of congressional friends and lin
41uence'' was no longer likely to re-
suit in their losing their position s
which could not be filled by the pro-
teges of politicians but must be
awarded to the successful candidates
certified by the Civil Service Commits
sion.
A popular magazine of wide circu-
lation published a story some time
ago in which was depicted an old lady
who was thrown out of a situation
because her position had been placed
under civil service classification and
the pathetic details of the hardship
were drawn with narrowing realism.
The EDITORS attention was called to
the fact that such a thing could never
have occurred but he simply ignored
all communications on the subject.
The story purported to have been
written by the wife of "a Cabinet
Minister" and for that reason gained
considerable credence.
The enemies of Civil Service reform
have circulated numerous stories cal
culated to bring the movement into
ridicule, most of them having a basis
i'm fact, but so distorted as to convey
entirely Impressions. One
of these was to the effect that appli-
cants for certain positions were re-
quired to hop 20 feet on one foot,
which, it was alleged, was a most
eonseless requirement. The fact is,
that for certain positions requiring
considerable physical exertion a GER
titicate of good health, signed by a
reputable physician, is required. In
6heir examinations some physicians
have instructed the candidate to hop
as above in order to test the heart &C
tion, the test being a common n
with the medical fraternity.
It has also been stated that this test
was required Of women applicants,
which is practically untrue. After
the rules governing the applicants for
certain positions filled by men had
been formulated the postmaster gen
eral determined to fill some of them
with m Female candidates
were handed the rules and naturally
objected to such physical examination
but as soon as the attention
of the Civil Service Commits
sion was called to the facts they abro-
gated the rule in so far as women
were concerned. The enemies of the
system had, however, already sen
broadcast the report that these rules
applied to women as well as to men.
It has been further stated that en-
tirely e~xtraneous questions bad been
asked of applicants for positions,
such, for instance, as the distance
from the sun to the moon. In some
instances, no doubt, ill-advised ques-
lions have been put, but the instances
are few. In formulating a system
the Commissioners had only the rules
followed by some foreign countries as
a guide. In those countries where
the civil service reform is carried to
its highest perfection it has been the
desire to secure young men and wo-
men, just from school, and to subject
them to an examination that would
prove that they had been industrious
aud intelligent pupils and were reas-
onably we'll educated. Once admit