Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-14
CIVIL SERVICE DlSRECARDED
Appointments Made in Warrington Post
Ohi,s for Poitcal Pu:possh
HAcRRM PROCTOR SUBMITS REPORT
says Postmaster Has No Authority
and hat Omce IL Little More
Than Bureau Of POST
ME Department..

omce Department.
WASHINGTON, June 1S.-Chairman
Proctor Of the Civil Service commission to-
day submitted TO General
Payne the report made by the commission
at the request Of the postmaster general
with reference to the charge OF violation Oh
the civil service regulations in the WASH
inston postoflce.
In addition to the report proper ana q
transcript Of the testimony taken MT
Proctor presented a summary Of the hnd-
lnRs. This summary concludes as follows:
Adeparture from the Observance ofthe clVh
service rules appears In the pTomotIons y
certain employees In the washington post
ONCE which have been directed by the de-
partment. although reports OF ef1ciency are
neither requested nor received by the oe-
pRTtment.
For Political
The orma disclosed by the investi.
cation seems to warrant the statement tnat
appointments TO CLASSIFIED posltlons IN the
Washington postoffice without examlna.ioni
by the devious method of appointment IN
small unclassiied offices, or in oh1ces ABOUT
to be consolidated, and subsequent transfer
who were APPOINTED and separated during
the administration OF the present p0sI,
master, show a wide divergence OF policy
AFFORD indications hat the department.
used the Washington postofice for political
i saf P pse aSth pqrpo'e Of the :" postmaster in
transfers and appointments OF this sorI
but little more than nominal and placed
ton Of a bureau to the department.
The investigation seems to show clearly
that most of the Irregularities herein set
forth were directed by the department, or
requested or suggested by high depart
mental officials, and in either case came TO
the postmaster with all the force OF a d.
~rectfon.
The investigation indicates that the m
ployes who entered the service by transfer,
and without examination, are in general in
ferior to those appointed through competi-
ton.
Appointments Not Necessary.
There was no necessity of anticipating
the needs Of the service by an excessive
number of appointments Just before classi-
~1cation, for the commission had registers
of eligibles at that time, which were ample
and also appropriate, as is shown by the
fact that all but four of the thirty-seven
appointments have been made to the rural
free delivery service in the District Of Co
lumbia outside since November q, 1901.
were from registers then in existence.
cumstances above set forth resulted in q
congestion Of the service, and when a re-
duction is to be made the employees APP
pointed for political or personal considera-
lions are cared for sometimes at the ex-
pense OF persons appointed upon merit and
The passage Of the war emergency, the
amendment on December 81, 1901, of the
rule referring to transfers and new pro-
visions OF the revised rules which became
effective on April is, 1903, VIII, II lie be-
lieved, prevent the continuance Of these
abuses In the classified service, and the
adoption, at the earliest practicable date,
ot Leguiatons 'Ior the employment Of
accordance with the esecatiHe ' ordes' o y
March Is. 100. will. there IL reason 10 hope,
put. the employment OF laborers on the
nasis OF illness and the needs of the serv-
Payne Asks for investigation.
The Investigation was made in response
to the following letter. dated May 4. from
the postmaster general to the commission:
should be pleased Y you. would have
Investigation Of the Washington city post
ONCE with a view of ascertaining whether
Or not the civil service law and regula-
tons have been and are being legally COM
ONCE.
Mr., Proctor was In conference with POST
master General Payne for an hour today
regarding the report. Later Mr.. Proctor.
in a verbal statement to newspaper men,
said that in all his experience with the
postofnce ne had had less trouble since Mr..
Payne's incumbency than at any other
time.
The postmaster general made the fol-
owing statement regarding the report:
Attention is called to the fact that since
my incumbency OF the position OF post
MASTER general the civil service commission
reports that there have been but ten per-
sons transferred to the washington most
once by appointment from smaller ofices,
ana that these ten were appointed to their
respective places six months or more prior
70 their transfer, which is in compliance
MN the law. rules and regulations Of the
civil service as they now exist.
BY Right Of Certificate.
II will be noted that the commission re-
POTTS that every person occupying com
ton postof1ce H. there by right Of a certih-
commission.
ReEardlng unskllled laborers, which have
not been subject to classification, 1t ia
proper to say that there has been much
consideration OF the question on the part
OF the civil Service commission and the
department. and many conferences have
oeen had on this subject. On July 2, 1902
an agreement was reached and regulations
ADOPTED which were agreed to by the Civil
service commission and the department
wnicn VIII DO away with all cause for com
plants as to irregularities in the appoint.
mkpt Of this class of employees.
The point raised by the report regarding
tne promotion OF certain employees In the
once which have been directed by the de.
partment occurred previous to JANUARY /
1907. No such directions for promotIon a,
ste reIerred 10 have been authorized by me
since ! have been postmaster general "
Mr.. Payne stated today that he expeoted
to make public by Tuesday or wednesda,
abstracts Of the reports Of the postofnc,
inspectors who recently investigated IN,
Washington ONCE; a similar report mad,
by the inspectors during former Postmaste,
General Charles Emory Smiths admins
tration and the reply Of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow to the Tul
loch charses