New-York tribune., 1903-07-20
HOW RULES WERE FRAMED.


When. as already indicated. it became clear
that the service to be enduring he addressed
himself to the task of preparing it for perna-
nent footing. This involved bringing it within
the classified service and of extending the civil
Service rules to II, so far they were applica-
BILE But, inasmuch as the first requirement OF
the rural carrier was to have a horse and wagon
Cnorse and wagon not being amenable to com
petitive academic eXamination) and inasmuch
other special conditions existed, the regular
rules could not be literally applied just as they
were; they had to be modified to adapt them to
these conditions. Under the direction of the
President the department was engaged for some
weeks with the Civil Service Commission In
framing system and body of rules, and IN
view of Mr. Procter's remarks, it is only fair
to say that in this work he proved so unreason-
able, so dogmatic and impractica BILE that he
had to be overruled Sboth by his own associates
and by the administration and had to be sub
stantially eliminated from all part in the con-
struction of the framework The burden Of the
work on the part of the Civil Service Commits
sion fell Mr.. William D. Foulke, who is as
strong and rational in his practical sense as he
is sincere, earnest and intelligent in his devo-
ton to Civil Service reform.
The principle governing the organization Of
the rural delivery and the attitude and spirit Of
the department were stated in my annual report
for 1901, as follows:
With its Crural deliverys) acceptance as a fixed
and enduring service the wisdom of placing IT on
mony,, with the general principles Of the postal
establishment enforces itself In authorizing rural
delivery an experiment Congress adopted no dl-
rect mandate and simply made the requisite ap-
n.
rules or methods of organization 1t gave the de-
partment full discretion to determine the means
and select agents for its trial AS the service
was experimental in its nature, as Its develop
ment depended upon the results of actual expert
ence as its progress might require changes in form
and method, Congress deemed it wise to leave the
plan flexible and capable of modification observa
tion dictated. It did not desire to restrict the
hest suggestions the ripest fruits of the prac
teal test controlling object was to determine
feasibility and utility of rural delivery, and
the yearly enlargement of the appropriation in the
same unlimited terms indicated the purpose of
Goneress to allow full latitude for the amplest trial
and the development Of the best agencies and meth
0o Win Ills discretionary authority, the existing
6sscsI year 1899 there less than two hundred
ronfes i'm operation There are now six thousand.
1Tha organization necessary for this large estab-
iiehrnenf has been made, the agents to locate ana
nT14as have been appointed, the carriers who daily
tayerse the routes and collect and deliver the man
haye heen named and these more than six thou
toTd Selections have been made without friction,
T1rn'cire of appointment has substantially been
PIrjfi3 nd no removals have been made except
9a no1iee Roth the clerical administrative force
aD5 the force in the field have been chosen with
'o 6peWe 6een named who were not believed to
na IN To a high standard of integrity and ca
ontx, ont of this method has grown a body or
employees, who, 1t IS conndent--
~ S+ficiencv with any part of the Civil Service
With this presentation leave the matter eX-
on+ for the single observation that Mr.. Proc
terH3s tnnuendoes Justify a personal statement,
,bict however will be more becoming in
80 ToorrnaI paper. Respectfully yours.
less A0i CHARLES EMORY SMITH.