Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-25
CIVIL SERVICE RULES
Recent Revision Approved by
the President.
OFFICIALS. ENDORSE IT
FEWER POSITIONS ARE EXEMPT
ED FROM EXAMINATION.
Restriction in the Matter Of Temporary
Appointments - Commissioner
Foulke's Statement


The President has approved a revision
Of the civil service rules to take effect on
April 15 next.
The revised rules are only about haff as
long as the present rules, its provisions
more systematically arranged and the Ian
guage simpler and more concise. This short
en1ng OF the rules and simplification OF
style would alone have justified the re-
vision.
Fewer Exceptions From Examination.
The number Of places excepted from ex-
animation has been reduced, emitting d
large number Of private secretaries and
confidential clerks, shipping commissioners,
various superintendents, engineers, examin-
ers. and miscellaneous positions which ex-
perience has shown can be better filled by
promotion or transfer within the c.assifieS
service. In the new Department of Com
merce there are no exceptions at all ex-
cept Of two private secretaries, which are
allowed to all heads of executive depart
ments The changes made by the revision
are all In the line Of the natural growth Of
the competitive system, having been made
conservatively, and their probable effects
considered with great care
The revision has the effect Of extending
the classified service to all positions which
are subject to classification under the civil
service act. The first rules adopted in 1883
time to time extensions Of classification
have been made, until just prior to the re-
vision about 1880 positions were subject
to competitive examination. The revision
extends the classified service still further,
to all positions not excluded by the law
itself. The new limits Of the CLASSIFIED
service will embrace all positions which, on
the one hand, are not mere laborers or
workmen. and on the other, are subject to
confirmation by the Senate.
The Positions Exempted.
The only large groups Of positions which
will not hereafter be subject to the COM
petitive' system of examinations are the
diplomatic and consular services, the gov
eminent Of the District Of Columbia, en-
ployes Of post offices not having free de-
livery and fourth-class postmasters.
The examinations for entrance to the
Naval Academy are being conducted by
the civil service commission.
Exemption Made Optional.
The number of places which may be filled
without examination is not only reduced,
but even those places which are in the ex-
copied list may only be- filled without ex-
animation when the conditions Of good ad-
ministration at the time require competi-
ton to be waived. Under the existing
rules exceptions were absolute; but under
the new rules while certain positions are
specified in the schedule of excepted places,
the appointing officer Ia to decide in each
case, on the occurrence OF a vacancy in an
excepted position, whether it shall then be
filed by competitive or. noncompetitive ex-
animation. or without ,examipation. In
other words the treatment of the position
as excepted is to be decided by the appoint
ing officer according to the circumstances
existing at the time.
The age limits are no longer fixed by
rule, but are to be fixed by agreement with
the appointing officers. The term Of ELI
gibility of one year formerly might be ex-
tended to a, second year. The new rules
allow extension of eligibility in the discre-
ton Of the commission. In the case Of ex-
perts, for instance 1t Is sometimes inexpe-
dent to hold a new examination.
Temporary Appointments Restricted.
Temporary appointments will be restricted
both in number and duration. Persons
in competitive positions in the Philippine
service who have served three years may
be transferred to the service in this coun-
try. Persons dropped by reduction Of
force specifically required by law could
formerly be reinstated without regard to
the time limit of one year. This is no
longer permitted, and such persons will
for one year following their separation
from the service, as in the case Of all other
persons. This Is because persons so drop
ped are usually the least efficient and
there seemed to be no good reason for con-
tinuing special exception in their favor.
A number of minor changes have been
made which are all In the direction of
the back doors to the competitive service.
The revision was submitted to the heads OF