The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-06
MIR. WARES REFORMS.
New System Is Working Satisfac-
torily He Says.

Washington, Dec. 6.-Thirty promo
tions have just been authorized by
Eugene Ware. the pension commissioner.
The list includes all grades of clerkships
to 81 500. The promotions have all been
made under system which the pension
commissioner has devised and mark the
most radical departure in the manner of
conducting the routine business of the
departments since the civil service reg.
ulations were imposed. In the opinion
Of the pension commissioner the system
has worked to perfection.
Il have not had a statesman plead
with me for an increase in anyone S
salary for more than month"; said
Mr.. Ware this morning. THE clerks no
longer watch the clock to see whether
O'Clock is as slow in coming as it really
seems. There is not in all the world l.,
500 persons employed under one roof
with such a small percentage failing to
pay its debts"
If the scheme is as perfect as the pen
sion commissioner believes it is. there Is
every reason to suppose it will spread
to all other departments of the govern
ment service It is to the present civil
service regulations what state univer-
sity is to the public schools. There ism
the least chance for favoritism in the
plan which received its final test yester-
day, unless one sentence from the writ
ten instructions of the pension commits
!
so construed:
when merits are equal. and only
when equal. take Republican instead
of . Democrat"
The letter which the pension commits
sioner prepared for his select commit
tee on promotions was made public some
time ago. For an understanding of the
manner in which the latest promotions
in the departments have been made, il
! is necessary to reproduce it. Commits
sicner Ware said in explaining the de-
tails of his scheme:
Il selected a special committee of
three chiefs of bureaus to pass upon re-
ports submitted to them. / told them
please pick out the best persons you
can find in the bureau. three for each
place. From those three I will select.
l wish to promote for merit and estab-
lish an incentive; therefore, you win
not overlook the quiet man who attends
Ito his duty. Remember the old soldier
and prefer him when his merits and ca
pacity are equal. Give no attention to
political pull and do not let religion or
nativity cut any figure Take into con-
sideration sick leave in the last three
years and also commercial honor. When
merits are equal. and only when equal,
take a Republican instead of a Demo-
crot Select no one except on recon-
mendation of the chief of division under
whom the person is serving. Ignore
recommendation from outside of the di-
vision. Sign your report
the pension commissioner, lis submitted
a list of the promotions to be made.
There was one $500 clerkship and several
fer promotions from $1.400 to 81 600.
Others were for promotions where the
salary was less. Each chief OF division
has a system of grading which has
been devised. The points covered are:
Industry. accuracy, punctuality, habits.
attendance and commercial honor Each
of these points is graded perfect at 100
A clerk who receives a total of sixty has
nothing gainst his promotion
For each promotion contemplated
three candidates are submitted. I then
request the committee to determine
from the record of the three highest
which has the best records and after
this recommendations is received I pass
final judgment. It sometimes occurs
that I have information obtained
through personal and private channels
that would bar a clerk from promotion.
This isn't often the case. but it has hap