Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-16
THE GOVERNMENT AT WORK.
XIII-The Civil Service Commission.
Bv FREDERIC J. I1ASKlN.

Approximately 100000 people are EN-
Moved in the civil service of the Unlteu
States. Their salaries aggregate more
than two hundred million dollars a year.
A large proportion of these employees are
connected with the executive branch OF
the government, there being $4,000 OF
them I'm that branch. More than half of
these are employed in what is known
as the classified service. the positions
which they hold being filled under the
civil service law Last year the posi-
tons subject to competitive examination
under the civil service rules numbered
2s4,e4O an Increase of 2s.3O3 over the
previous year. OF the G32So4 persons not
subject to the rules of the commission
the President appointed approximately
10000
The civil service commission was Gre
ated by what is known as the civil serv-
ice act of 1888. Under the old spoils
system every change in the presidency
carried with it almost clean sweep of
the employees in the executive service.
This system produced SO many obnoxious
results that it was universally agreed
that subordinate positions ought no
longer be distributed as a part of the
spoils Of political warfare, but should
be distributed under appointments for
merit and held during good behavior.
Since that time each succeeding
President Of the United States has ex-
tended the number
Plenty of People of positions under
civil service rules
Seek Positions. until today nearly
| quarter of a million men and women
hold their positions In the government
service by virtue of those laws. That
| there are plenty Of aspirants for gov
| eminent positions under civil service
rules is shown by the records of ex-
aminations during the year 1903. The
commission during that year examined
| $4,000 applicants. OF these $4,000
succeeded in having their names placed
upon the list of eligibles for appoint
ment. The number of appointments
aggregated 41,000. In other words, one
applicant out Of four secured an ap-
pointment, while one eligible out OF
three was successful. The saying that
| in the government service few die
and none resign does not hold true for
nearly the entire 900 appointments
were made to fill vacancies.
| The administration of the civil serv-
ice law is being made more effective
each year Every few months sees the
issuance of an order by the President
transferring positions from the un-
classified to the classified service. Last
wear more than 10000 employees and
the positions they held were transfer,
red to the classified service. UpWard
| of $4,000 of these were the fourth
class postmasters in fourteen or tn ne
states of the Union. President TaIt
has already transferred 5000 postal
a large list of eligibles Is maintained
| nv the civil service commission at al
times. Examinations are held regularly
| in various parts of the United States eacn
year. and the applicant is expected to SCI
| forth in his application the posltion he
! desires TO fill In addition to these reg
ular examinations at stated PERIODS there
are special examinations held to NIL spe-
cial vacancies. One may easily conceive
the wide range of governmental activities
| when 1t is stated that in the course OF
wear examinations are held for nearly o Oe
different kinds of positions. In l9C9 5ol
of the positions to be filled required edu,
catiOnal tests and 1876 non-educationa
tests. In the positions requiring educa-
tional tests the ordinary examination is
about as difficult as that for school teach
ers in the common schools of the average
| CITY.