New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-18
PRESIDENT AND PLACES.
FouLke Says Civil Service Has Made
Great AdUance Under Roosevelt.

Washington, April 17.-Chairman Gilett. Of
the House Committee on Civil Service Reform
recently wrote TO w. D. Foulke. former Civil
Service Commissioner. calling his attention to
recent Congress and other criticisms of Pres!-
dent Roosevelt. ION the ground that he has made
a larger number of irregular appointments to
the classified service than any of his predeces-
sors" and. as the period covered was while Mr..
Foulke was commissioner, asking his opinion as
to the charges. In reply. Mr.. FouIke, under date
Of April 10 wrote:
The fact Is exactly the other way. There have
been fewer appointments without competitive eX-
any other President. and there has been no adms-
which the competitive system has advanced with
greater rapdity and certainty. Il has been neces-
to he filled without examination. The number has
been reduced from time TO time, and the ranse
has gone on faster under President Roosevelt than
OF the sixty cases of suspensions of the rules
during his administration only thrty-three are or
persons who were allowed 70 enter the service
without examination. In other words. out of over
10000 appointments to the competitive service since
unnecessary in these thirty three cases to require
ments. They comprise, for instance a steward in
Two b tarIent Of the govern
yD me- 20 ao9rlta Tor tbe Insane and other cases
where; on account Of special reasons the apphGa-
wise, unjust or unnecessary.
PERSON EXCEPTED. NOT POSITION.
These cases are explained In detail in the annual
reports of the Civil Service Commission. They We're
usually made on the recommendation Of a Cabinet
officer, and with the approval of the commission.
In all Of these cases the person was excepted. and
This has been found by experience to be much
coacbman had been excepted generally, and not
the particular man. II would be found that the
S glgP m Tfs tb ot during the ad
N rat Of Cleveland Harrison
three during the administration of Mckinley while
in Roosevelt's administration there have been
sixty. leads 10 a most erroneous inference.
Under previous administrations exceptions were
not usually made by means OF suspensions Of the
rules but by means OF changes IN Inc FuIes mus
petitive examina tion. From time to time Presidents
competition hundreds Of positions which had been
competitive. On one occasion alone (Aiay 49, 1920
eePons were not IN the man In the b form GDv OF s
Roosevelt. however. made them in the form OF such
their number.
THE METHOD FORMERLY EMPLOYED.
Moreover. prior to April IS 1893, there was pro
vision allowing appointments without examination
cullar qualifications in respect to knowledge and
ability. or such scientific or special attanments
not ordinarily acquired In the executive service
dent Mckinley made twcnty-one appoiE tmeEts and
President Roosevelt only 1--WE. Instead OF making
President Roosevelt preferred TO deal with each
case separately by = SUSPENSION OF thu rules, ana
several Of the thirty-three appointments referred
TO are of this character. as for instance that OF
cable engineer in the signal service In the Philip
pines.
During the last year 4.6S more appointments
were made through competitive examination than
in the previous year. and 2of more appointments
were made In that year than In the year before;
Under President Roosevelt about thirty thousand
positions have been added TO the classified service.
Heretofore. extensions OF the classified service
have usually taken place the close OF an adj
rninistration and the exceptions made soon after
lfFsfr fgF nm
Roosevelt AZ the very beginning of his administra-
ton. began TO extend the number % competitive
positions and to strengthen the rules he also
dealt out summary justice to offenders, several
OF whom held high positions In his own party.