The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-22
NEW RULING BARS
DISTRICT CITIZENS
ContInued srOm Page one.

Applicants for position in the govern
ment service" and holds that the Ian
guage IS specific and aplies to all appli-
cants to positions subject to examination.
Inasmuch as the census bill requires all
positions connected with the thirteenth
decennial census 20 be filed through ex-
animation. the opinion means. in short,
that no one can take the necessary ex-
animation who has not lived in the State
where he takes the examination for
year previous 70 making application. This
does not mean that residents OF the Dis
trict OF Columbia cannot take the exam
nation, but Il does mean that they VIII
stand practically no show for appoint
ment. for the double reason that the
District has already received thousands
more OF appointments than II is entitled
70, and 1t has no representative in Con-
gress 10 urge upon the Director Of the
Census the especial qualifications OF any
OF It's citizens who pass the examination.
Jobs theoretically Provided.
Ever since 1859. when the original civil
service act was passed. appointments in
Washington have been theoretically pro-
portioned among various States and Ter
ritories. and the District OF Columbia. IN
the ratio of population. each State being
entitled 10 one appointment TO each 10000
inhabitants.
When the census bill was before Con-
gress. Senator MoCumber called attention
to the fact thai a practice had grown
up among the sons and daughters Of
government clerks, OF acquiring a con-
structive legal residence based upon that
OF their parents. so they may never
have seen the home county from which
their father or mother was appointed.
He introduced an amendment 10 CORE Il
this evil so far as the Census Bureau
was concerned. and the debates IN both
Houses would indicate that this was the
evil which Il was Intended to correct by
the McCumber amendment
The opinion of Attorney General Wick
ersham was IN response TO a reference
from the Acting Secretary OF the In
terror He asked whether the proviso
requiring a years actual local residence
in a State before an application for an
examination could be received by the
| CivIl Service Commission. and forbid
! ding the employment os more than one
member OF a family In the government
service applied 10 the Federal service as
whole or only 20 the Census Bureau.
The Attorney General rules that while
the restriction as 70 members OF the fam
ily does not alter the old law which per-
mitted two members OF a family in the
service for the government service as a
whole yet for all positions filled through
examination the census act specifically
requires @ years residence In some State
before any examination can be taken.
and forbids the appointment in the Cen
sus Bureau Of any person who has an
other member OF the family in the serv-
ice.
Family Ruling Il Vital.
For the other departments and bureaus
this ruling regarding the family" Is vi
tai. Cor it means that the old law stnl
applies. which permits two members OF
the same family in the service.
In the work OF the census, however.
only one member Of the same family
may be certified FOR appointment But
the general government service shares in
the strict condition imposed IN the CEN
sUs act as 10 actual residence in the state