New-York tribune., 1904-10-18


mental principles laid down in the Civil Service
@ @acI nave neen uniformly applied Under the
~, =. Lutss @ provision was made for dispensing
WIN W eAALIllst ions for positions requiring such
peculiar qualifications professional or scfe1
-, os are NOT ordinarily acquired In the Civil
ceLslCT; ms enabled appointing officers to
Tdlse Ine pea tnat certain favorites should be
selected on account Of alleged special duaItfca-
uohs- mere nave. for example been instances
without examination, under This clause in the
rules. Under no former administration has the
CIVH service commission had such vigorous SUD-
49, II the enforcement OF the law and rules
both from the President and his Cabinet
spirit or cooperation toward the Civil Service
Commission exists to-day throughout the ser
wee winch had been largely lacking under pre-
vlous administrations. M Dovle who has been
secretary OF The commission eighteen wears re-
80, celuy mace a somewhat extended trip on off,
Ca business. on his return he reported that
the most noticeable and gratifying evidence OF
IRE present situation was the changed attitude
u q Ihe postnasters and collectors toward the
Civil Service act and rules. That in !tself we
count no small achievement
NO CRITICISMS were made Of our work or the
attlruoe OF the President toward 1t, until the
exlgencies Of the campaign seemed 10 demand
II, The Civil Service Reform League, in the
report OF the council made at Philadelphia on
December u, 1902. declared that:
The leagues standard Of duty for the dis
charge OF public trusts is high that its atti-
tude should be, and will be- while it continues
animated by the spirit which caused its forrna-
ucn. always rather critical than laudatory
toward those actually fulfilling trusts"
It may well be the proud Doast Of the league
that II has not abandoned that standard. In
spite Of this fact up to the present time no
criticism has been made in the resolutions
adopted al the annual meeting Of the league,
either OF President Roosevelt or Of his com
n1issioners, Tor alleged failure TO properly en-
force the law or the rules, 10 properly repre-
sent the Civil Service reform sentiment of the
country. I quote from the resolutions adopted
a. the annual meeting OF the league. held in
Philadelphia on the 1lth and 18th days Of De-
cember, 1902, as follows:
.-s-s-
se-n6led IN Philadelphia IN this. its twenty-second
!. Congratulates the high character and ability Of
the National Civil Service Commission:
fe9era depatepts N yasbn1 SGgife b % oe sas me
zion OF the registration system.
the classified service by wise amendments to the
on the successful extension of classification 70 the
rITal tree delivery service now including 1880
on the adoption Of the policy OF retaining fourth
c4sSs PostIIassters during GOOD behavior:
ton through separation from the service Of on
cials violating Its provisions:
On the extension Of the connective system 10 a
Part q the municipal service of the District OF
on the adoption and successful operation OF the
merit system II the federal service Of Porto Rico
on The Illustration OF the attempt TO saddle upon
ne cassined service al those clerks in the Census
ONCE who were originally appointed under the
.9stronage OF congress. and on the classification OF
on the promotions in the Diplomatic and consular
service
The resolutions id not contain one word Of
criticism Of the President or Of the commission.
and the proceedings show that On motion they
were unanimously adopted.
The twenty-third annual meeting Of the league
vas held in Baltimore on December 10 and Il.
1903. Once more the committee on resolutions
congratulated the country the results that
OF criticism either OF The President or Of the
commission
MORE COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENTS
Doubtless the best test Of actual fidelity to
the law snd rules Is furnished by the number
q competitive appointments. The first year Of
President RooseveIt's administration witnessed
007 more appointments through competitive
examination than IN the year Before. In the
second year. excluding the rural carriers, there
was a further increase OF 6Ss such appoint
nents and last year OF 2.124 The whole num-
Der of appointments last year was SO 800 in
Guiding lAS0T rural carriers against 1928
IN the first year Of the Roosevelt administration
The administration of President Roosevelt dif-
fers from that OF any Of his predecessors in that
the great extensions Of the classified service
were made near the beginning of his term This
rendered Il Impossible for him 70 secure any
personal advantage from the appointment and
eubseduerf classification OF his slppor-ers The
Rural Frse Delivery Service. for example vas
classified before It's great expansion. Under
his administration somewhat more that 10000
places have been added 70 the classified service.
The extension OF the service and the enforce
rneut Of the law and rules are the aspects Of the
commissions work which appeal most strongly
70 the public. But 10 provide proper machinery
for carrying on the work. and adopt suit
able rules ara quite as important. When Presi-
dent Roosevelt assumed Office the work Of the
commission was performed in large part by
clerks borrowed from the Departments. Largely
through the efforts Of Commissioner Garfield an
increased appropriation was secured by which
ths commission was enabled 20 drop seventy
seven OF these detailed clerks replacing them
By siXty-two employees, selected as a result Of
open competitive examination. In consequence
the work of handling applications. rating papers
and Issuing certificates never IN the his
tory OF the commission done so expeditlously
as now. We are just completing q reorgarlza-
ton of the field service which will stiu further
expedite the business OF the commission. giving
Us an intelligent supervision Of our own work
which we had heretofore lacked besides fresng
Us from the necessity Of begging assistance
from the departments for the conduct Of ex-
aminations and Issuing OF certificates roT the
postof1ce. customs and custodian services.
This Is the work done By the commission dur
ing the last three years Every right minded
citizen IS interested in seeing IL properly done
We are quite Indifferent 70 the opinion Of soma
critics who represent all that is basest and
most sordid IN American politics. To have
gained the approval OF such men would be
badge Of dishonor- We do, however, covet the
good opinion OF those who. like yourself. mat
Ter TO what party they belong, see the iniquity
and degradation Of a system whicE would fill
the government service with Incompetent hang
ers-On rather than with a body Of self-respect-
ing men and women who feel that they have
who are under obligations TO no one except 10
the government they have sworn 10 serve. I
trust that may have gained not only that
approval but that we may also have your
70 DO for the cause Of public decency and civic
Oe''s- --'''''' AFFORD COOLEY.
Commissioner.