The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-20

mate knowledge &C the postal laws and
his wide personal Acquaintance with post
masters all over the country.
One or Che most experienced clerks in
the Land Omce is Major Lawrence. a CiYiI
war veteran. lie has been connected with
that branch OF the Government service in
various capacities OF Importance practi-
Cally since the close CT the war. He was
wounded in the thigh during the battle
CT Gettysburg and has never entirely re-
covered from the effects Of the bullet,
which could not be extracted. Major
Lawrence IS q member OF the Grand Army
CT the Republic. and has held many Offices
OF prominence IN that organization
Those who may happen to call up one
Ct the District engine houses between the
hours of in the morning and in the
afternoon viii hear the CHEEKY voice OF
John E. Archer responding TO their
hello M-. Archer is nov the dean Of
. the telephone operators at the headquar-
tiers of the police and fire alarm service.
He sits in a cosy corner with the sounder
( to his ear waiting for whatever calls may
+ come over MS switchboard. Though there
/ is a eood deal to tire and worry an oper-
aNOA -AD ~ bblA1NA ~ aNAlN5A tAlr AaAA5
/ on a switchboard all day, stiH Mr.. Archer
never allows his temper TO be ruGied in
/ the least. or to be turned from the even
/ tenor OF a boundless good nature. Mr..
/ Archer is popular with his fellow opera
tors. and is one OF the moving spirits in
well-knoWn social group, whose balls
and parties are regarded as among the
most enjoyable OF the town.
+ Senator Frye has received a protest
I from the W c. T. L. Of Palmyra, Me-,
. against the selection Of John W. Griggs,
( formerly Attorney General. to be an as
: sociate justice OF the United States Su-
/ preme Court. The protest is based on the
fact that as Attorney General Mr.. Griggs
4 rendered an opinion against the anti-caa-
/ teen law and as Governor OF New Jersey
vetoed an anti-tObaccO law. Senator Frye
4 is requested 10 use all his influence to pre-
! vent the confirmation Of Mr.. Griggs-
Senator lsrye's task is comparatively
I easy. as Mr.. Griggs has not been appoint
/ ed TO the Supreme bench and there is 40
/ prospect Of his appointment.
A standing committee Of the National
Board Of Trade viii appear on Tuesday
next before the Committee Of the House
1 OF Representatives, on Interstate and For
eign Commerce. 20 urge the early pas
sage OF the bill creating a new depart
ment. TO be known as the Department Of
Commerce and Industries. The committee
is composed as follows: Edward r. Wood.
Philadelphia: Aldon Speare, Boston; d.
Hutzler, Baltimore: c. Waldo Smith. New
York; William Waterfall. Philadelphia, J.
A. Lansing. Scranton; Blanchard Randall.
Baltimore; George H. Anderson, Pitts
burg: William P. Kennett. St. Louis, S.
/ W Woodward Washington.
Edward r Wood OF Philadelphia. viii
. act as chairman Of the committee, and
4 viii be accompanied by William r. Tack
er, secretary OF the National Board.
It is understood the President has called
for all the correspondence on file at the
I War Department pertaining 20 General
Miles plan for the pacifcation OF the
1 Philippines. with a view to Determining
whether to make the whole matter public.
that there may be no further misunda=-
standing
Just how the news Of Miles proposition
reached the newspapers is not publicly
known.
The great number OF complaints which
have recently been fled with the Civil
Service Commission have brought that
. branch Of the Government service promi-
neatly before the eyes Of the public. which
as whole has heretofore Known very
little OF the civil service work.
The purpose Of the civil service act. as
declared in its title. is Ito regulate and
improve the civil service Of the United
States" It provides for the appointment
Of three commissioners chief examiner.
secretary. and other employees. and
makes IL the duty Of the Commission TO
aid the President. as he may request. in
preparing suitable rules for carrying the
act into effect. such rules 20 provide.
among other things for competitive ex-
aminations for testing the fitness of ap-
plicants for the public service the filling
Of the classified positions by selections
from among those passing with the high
est grades. an appOrtioument OF appoint
ments in the departments at Washington
among the States and Territories. and the
prohibition OF the use Of the official au-
thOrity to cOerce the political action Of
any person CT body
The act also provides for invest igations
touching the enforcement OF the rules pro
mulgated. and forbids, under penalty or
fine or Imprisonment. or both. the solicit
f tation by any person 10 the service Of
+ the United States Of contributions to be
used for political purposes from persons
in service. or the collection Of such con-
tributions by any such person IL a Gov
. eminent building
This Is summary Of the act Of Con-
. gress regarding the purposes and uses Of
. the Civil Service Commission. and IL is
by this act that the workings Of the de-
] partment are carried on.