Evening star., 1902-01-27
Bill Relating to District Offices Sub
mitted to Congress.
COMMISSIONERS URGE ENACTMENT
Measure in Accord With President
Roosevelt's Suggestion.
THE ARGUMENTS ADVANCED

The District Commissioners today trans
mitted to the chairmen of the Senate and
| House District committees the draft of a
| bill ITO regulate appointments and promo
| tions In the municipal government of the
! District of Columbia and are hopeful that
| at the present session of Congress the
| bill will become a law and the rules of the
| civil service be applied to the municipality.
The Commissioners of the District for a
long time past have been in favor of an ap-
plication of the civil service rules to the
employees in the local departments. They
claim that the District business is often
Zines greatly interfered with by hearing
applicants for office There is hardly day
passes without the Commissioners receiving
callers who seek appointments in the Dis
triet service.
President Roosevelt, in his message to
Congress last December. embodied a recon-
mendation that legislation be had to make
the civil service rules applicable to the Dis
tr1ct departments. He did this after he had
been consulted by the Commissioners on the
subject. The Commissioners who consti-
tuted the District board when President
Cleveland was serving his second term ap-
peaied to him to place the District gov
srnment within the provisions of the civil
service act. The matter was referred to
the Attorney General, Mr.. Olney, who, in
an exhaustive opinion, held that the Dis
trict was not department of the national
government and therefore the law was not
applicable. The matter was again taken up
9y the Commissioners during President Nc
kfnley's first term. Attorney General
jriggs held practically the same opinion as
that expressed by his predecessor.
A bill establishing a civil service system
tor the District was submitted to Congress
several years ago; but no final action was
.aken upon it. The Commissioners hope
aow that Congress will take up the matter.
Comment of COmmissioners.
In their letter today transmitting the bill
the Commissioners say:
"A substantially similar measure was SUBJ
mtted by the Commissioners during the
first session Of the F'ffty-fourth Congress
1t had the approval of the United States
civil service commission. The District
commissioners are deeply impressed with
the necessity for the legislation proposed
tnerein. Ihey have in mind some instances
in which the business of the munfcipalitv
mas suffered in consequence of the inca
pacfty of the employees who had been an
pointed without having had their qualifica-
tlohs previously determined by examina-
ton under civil service rules In their
Judgment the offices of the District govern
ment should be conducted on the principles
and in the manner applicable to those gov
ern1ng the successful conduct of other
large business interests, and these reasons
apply in higher degree to this municipal
ity because Its government Is non-partisan
In character
'The Commissioners have introduced a
system of competitive examination in GER
tain cases, the results OF which have been
OF such satisfactory character as to con-
firm them in their belief in the efficiencv
Of that system.
'They are satisfied that the enactment
of the bill would result in the betterment
OF every branch of the local government to
which 1t Is intended to apply
Draft of the Bill.
The draft Of the bill is as follows:
Po
Of Representatives Of America in Congress
assembled, that after the expiration of
three months from the passage Of this act
no person shall be employed to enter or be
promoted in the service of the municipal
government Of the District Of Columbia,
except upon competitive examination as
provided for and required for entrance to
the service Of the United States classified
under the provisions of the act Of Congress
approved January 16, 1885, entitled AN act
to regulate and improve the civil service of
the United States. But the President of
the United States may provide for and
make such exemptions from said compet1-
tive examinations as in his judgment may
be necessary and proper
Section 2. That the provisions Of said
act OF Congress approved January 49, 1888,
entitled An act to regulate and improve the
civil service Of the United States and the
provisions of any acts in addition to said
act or in amendment thereof, are hereby
government of the District Of Columbia so
far as may be necessary to carry into full
effect the true intent and meaning Of this
act'