Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-08

railroad employees and the travelling
public. Al the greater part OF com
merce is interstate and exclusively IN
der the control OF the congress the
needed safety and uniformity must be
secured by national legislation
No other class of our citizens de-
serves so well of the nation as those
to whom the nation owes IL very being
the veterans Of the civil war. Special
attention is asked to the excellent work
of the pension bureau in expediting and
disposing Of pension claims. During
the fiscal year ending July /, 1908, the
bureau settled 2b1,9S2 claims, an aver
age of S25 claims for each working day
Of tho year. The aumber of settlements
since July /, 1908, has been in exceas
of last years average, approaching
1000 claims for each working day, ana
1t is believed that the work of the bu-
reau will be current at the close Of the
present fiscal year.
Extension Of Civil Service Rules.
During the year ended June so last
25,566 persons We're appointed through
|
civil service rules. This was 12,872
more than during the preceding year
and 40 per cent Of those wha passed
| the examinations. This abnormal
| growth was largely occasioned by the
extension of classification to the rural
| free delivery service and the appoint
ment last year of over 5000 rural car
| riers. A revision of the civil service
rules took effect on April is last which
has greatly improved their operation.
The completion of the reform Of the
civil service is recognized by good citi-
zens everywhere as a matter of the
highest public Importance. and the cue
cess Of the merit system largely de-
Ponds upon the effectiveness Of the
rules and the machinery provided for
their enforcement. A very gratifying
| spirit of friendly corporation exists ia
all the departments of the government
in the enforcement and uniform OBJ
servance of both the letter and spirit
of the civil service act. Executive or
ders Of July 8, 1902: March 26, 1908,
and July 8, 1903, require that appoint
| ments of all unclassifad laborers, both
In the departments at Washington ana
IN the field service, shall be made with
the assistance of the United States
civil service commission under a sys-
tenn of registration to test the relative
fitness of applicants for, appointment
| or employment. This system is COM
| petitiye and is open to ali citizens Of
the United States qualified in respect
to age, physical ability, moral char
acter, industry and adaptability for
manual labor, except that in case of
veterans of the civil war the element OF
age is omitted This system of APP
pointment is distinct from the classified
| service and does not classify positions
of mere laborer under the civil service
act and rules. Regulations in aid there
Of have been put in operation in sew
era1 of the departments and are being
gradually extended in other parts Of
the service. The resuts have been very
| satisfactory, as extravaganza has been
| checked by decreasing the number of
! unnecessary positions and by increas-
ing the efficiency of the employees re-
naming.
District of Columbia Charities.
The congress- as the result of asthor-
ongh investigation of the charities and
reformatory institutions in the District
OF Columbia, by joint select commit
tee Of the two houses which inside its
report in March, 1898. created in the
act approved June 8, 1900, aboard OF
charities for the District, Of Columbia,
to consist of FIVE residents of the Dis.
trict appointed by the president Of the
United States, by and with the advice
| and consent of the senate, each Tor 4
term OF three years, TO serve without
compensation. President Mckinley ap-
pointed five men who had been active
and prominent in the public charities
Of Washington, all Of whom upon fax,
ing Office July ]. 1900. resigned from
the different charities with which they
had been connected The members OF
the board have been reappointed in sue
| cessive years. The board serves under
the commissioners Of the District OF
Columbia. The board gave its first
year to careful and impartial study
| of the special problems before 1t and
has continued that study every year
in the light of the best practice In pub
lie charities elsewhere. Its reeom-
| mendations in its annual reports to the
congress through the commissioners Of
the District of Columbia "for the eco.
| nomical and efficient administration Of
the charities and reformatories Of the
District of Columbia" as required by
the act creating it, have been based
upon the principles commended by the
joint select committee of the congress
in its report OF March, 1898, and APP
proved by the best administrators OF
public charities and make for the de.
sired standardization and improve.
ment of the affairs under its super
vision. They are worthy of favorable
consideration by the congress.
The Army.
The effect of the laws providing
general staff for the army and for the
| more effective use OF the national guard
has been excellent. Great improve
ment has been made in the efficiency