The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-21
LabOrers and Consular
 Officials Thought Of.
air. Roosevelt Desires the ExtensiOn Of the Merit system as Far as POs- alble--Interest in the Resig- nation of Commissioner
 Ware.

President Roosevelt marking back to the days when as Civil Service Com missioner. he sought to convert the world of civilized government to civil service reform, 1t is said Is giving sa11 the time he can spare to considera- ton of how he may bring about an extension of the classified service in the interest of its greater efficiency.
 There are now but two fields in which any great extension may be made and they are in the class set down as s'laborers" and in the consular service.
 Application of the principle among the laborers would have especially to do with the Treasury and the Post sof1oa Departments. They employ lNeveraI thousand laborers not protected by the civil service regulations Ere quently ambitious and capable young persons obtain these places as laborers and contact with clerical business gives them an insight which proves valuable in the event they wish to take a civil Bervice examination for appointment to tho classified service. On the other Aand there are some who get places and hang on trusting to the pull" of political Influence to keep them in, and who are without particular ambition 10 perform useful duty. This is recog- nixed as making against efficiency, and officers of the administration who de- sire to make creditable records for xheinsslves are urging reform in this respect.
 Registrati0n System.
 # is believed that the best way to effect this reform would be by a regis fration system. Applicants would be examined as to their physical condition and fitness, recommendations of em- pIoyers and knowledge of the work in hand, or general intelligence. The average would be made out from a re- auction to figures and placed opposite the name of the worker on the list, and appointments would be made from the highest as they are now made under the classified service. An exceptional modification will be that laborers may be dismissed without charges having been made against them; in other words, that they may be dismissed for the good of the particular ofice in which they work for cause not neces- sary to specify.
 It is not the intention through this system to disturb government laborers now on the rolls except where they have proved ineficient. Officers of the government generally say that there is no necessity for protecting the places of employees, especially when the elec- tion brings no change of administra- tion. The tendency of collectors and
 
 men rather than to dismiss them with out cause. For this reason it is deem- ed unnecessary for superior officers to bring charges against 1aborers whom they wish to dismiss.
 Classifying the Consular Service.
 It is not unlikely that some sort of action will be taken toward placing the consular service under civil service classthcation. The Idea is to make the service more efficient. better paid and more ambitious to excell It is well known that notwithstanding the great T3lmber of efficient men in the consular service in subordinate places there is no inconsiderable proportion of in- efhcients who have been placed by political pull' where they are rather hlndrance than help. It is we'll recognized that the consular officers of the government are essentially com mercial agents, and should therefore have business training.
 It ts well known that the average consul Is undsrpaid and that his ten- nre or oface is too uncertain to obtain the best possible results. If President Roosevelt takes up this moOted reform the Idea would to make appointments hold during competence and good con- duct, so graded that efficient men could be promoted from place to place, with salaries attractive to men of talents
 NANn tuS pAdcinB or consular service under civil service rules, the last re- sort of the old spells system would be gone. It is now about the onlv braneh of the government service fin which the political pull" has any ap- preciabIe exercise.
 C0nuaissiOner Wares Retiremeut.
 The resignation of Pensions Conn missioner Ware has nowhere been re- loeived with more manifest approba- ltion than in the big red brick build ing whfeh~is the quarters of. the pen- sion offce itself. Ever since ne has fbeeh in ohice the commissioner has made life a burden to not a few of his clerks.
 Ware came into the position known chiefly as a writer of verse He un- dsrtook. to reform things about inc old place, which, largely filled. as if was, with some of the most favored pets of the civil serviec and most long time beneficiaries of the political in- 1lusnce attributable to the puissance of the soldier vote, almost indignantIv resented interference with their habit of doing things.
 Ware has insulted the clerks gem eraliy and particularly the veteran sol