The Washington herald., 1912-05-22
WAYS TO- EVADE
CIVIL SERVICE
Commissioner Valentine Alleged to
Be Adept in Discovering
Them.
TWO INSTANCES ARE CITED

The bearing yesterday before the Com
mittee on Expenditures In the Interior
Departmnt. which Is Investigating the In
dian once. was devoted largely to oral
and documentary testimony showing how
Commissioner Valentine, while openly
preaching civil service reform, has SCI
cretly violated and evaded the civil sery-
ice laws and regulations,
In one case, that Of DIR. Murphy. Chief
Medical Supervisor In the Indian Service,
who was serving under a temporary APP
pointment. a plan OF beating the law
and getting Dr. Murphy permanently into
the civil service position was set out in
letter which Mr.. Valentine, at that
time Assistant Commissioner, wrote 10
Commissioner Leupp. on May s, 1903, and
which contained the following:
VaIentine's scheme.
81 have been thinking over ways and
means TO procure for DR.. Murphy q
status under the civil service rules"
what do you think OF the plan OF
asking the Civil Service Commission to
hold a special examination for "Physi-
clans, qualified as expert In the diagnosis
and treatment OF tuberculosis" in rating
which experience, would be given q large
relative weight? We could say this ex-
animation would be for filling vacancies
ranging from 800 to $3.50 per annum.
50 that II b yany chance the examination
were taken by physicians really quali-
fed. and their papers were marked
higher than those Of DR.. Murphy. we
could tender appointment at the lower
salary and procure declarations or assign
TO ordinary physicians positions until we
reached the name OF DR.. Murphy. We
could then appoint him at s, 800. and after
a reasonable intervSl-say three months
NJ
without countenactinG opposition from the
commission"
Subsequently, after the Civil Service
Commission had declined Mr. Valentines
request to permit DR.. Murphy to be APP
pointel without competition, a special ex-
animation was prepared in line with the
earlier ideas OF Mr.. Valentine. and DR..
Murphy having passed II. and being one
OF the eligfbles certified by the Civil
Service Commission, was appointed II
appeared that the Indian ONCE took part
in preparing the form Of examination and
some OF the questions. and suggested the
proportionate weights which were given
70 various subjects. and 20 experience.
which Or. Murphy had gsined under his
temporary service.
Another Evasion Of Rules.
Not. less interesting was the testimony
showing how Bascom johnson was safe
~ piloted BY Mr.. Valentine past the Scyl-
Ia Charibydts OF Civil Servira
Mr.. Johnson was first appointed tempo
rarily as special agent. az i2,5co psr an
HuNn. and the approval Of the Civil Serv-
ice Commission was secured on the plea
that his services would be required only
a few months Shortly after his tempo
Fary. appointment ~ took an examination
for land law clerk Although the first
marking showed that he had iunked this
examination. he vas given an eligible
grade on a rerntiaE, which increased his
mark on the important Enbtect OF letter
writing and Re. astape Nosbsu on the
sliEible register.
IN his apus1aafalfef ;eSA nsaaIion M
johnson stated tiiat ne would not accep,
less than S2Pa0l the statutory salary OF
the position oftisw clerk IN the Indian
once, but n view OF his low rating, IL
was not possible for him 20 be certified
for appointment at that salary. SO he
hit upon the happy ana timely expedisnt
OF notifying the Civil Service Commls-
sion that he would accept any salary Of
fered; 50, that In response 20 a call made
q few DAYS later BY the Indian once
several names were certifed for appoint
neut at 500. Mr.. johnson was promptly
appointed At that salary. the next day
he was promoted 10 S2.o01 and a few
months later promoted 10 S2.T5O and q
per diem.
Valentine Speeches Quoted.
In this scheme to get Mr.. johnson
into the service. the Indian OHice called
for certihcation for GlliuE two post
tons OF law clerk AZ $500. although
witnesses from the Indian Ofacs tssti-
fed that no such position at $500 exc
listed at that time or a. any other time
in the Indian Ohce. And when the
appointments We're made they were to
the aosltlon not OF law clerk but OF
copyl4t,
Extracts from CommissioQer Valen-
tine ; public, uttersnces in support Of
strict adherence TO the Civil Service
laws and regulations were read before