Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-11-11
FEAR OF CLERKS
IS UNJUS1|F|ED
Uneasiness Over Stability Of
Government Positions Re.
garded BaseIess
Well Informed Officials Al
Washington See No Cause
For Alarm

WASHINGTON, NOV. ll.-l1le eel
ing of uneasiness prevailing among
classified employees of the government
as to what may happen under the new
democratic administration has not
been allayed by any official statement
from President-to-be Wilson, but the
belief among well informed officials
and citizens is that ever ii Gov. Will
son has nothing to say on the subject,
his course, when he assumes office,
will be just as favorable to govern
ment employees in the classified serv-
ice as that of Presidents Taft and
Roosevelt. ..u... w
Hundreds of employees fear there is
to be an o%verturning under the next
administration which will lose many
of them their positions, and that the
demand from hungry democrats for
office will be so strong that 1t will re-
puire more than the presidential Of
fees to satisfy.
Wilson Silent on Question.
During the entire campaign Gov
Wilson hardly touched upon the ques'
ton of the civil service and the demo.
cratic attitude toward 1t, but there is
said to be little ground for fear that
the democratic rush for Office will be
allowed to extend into any part of the
classified service. 1t is pointed out
that the country is too fully commit
ted to this law to permit any return
to the old spoils system, and that ali
the parties have at various times
agreed in their platforms to keep the
civil service in operation and even eX'
tend it's scope wheneer possible. No
president in many ears has allowed a
backward step to be taken in the civil
service, and President Taft has gone
far toward strengthening the civil
! service laws by extending their bene'
fits to the bulk Of postmasters in the
| country.
There naturally will be a huge over
turning so far as presidential offices
| go. In the department life of Wash
| ington the changes will affect all DIS
sistant heads of departments and theil
private secretaries, heads of independ
ent bureaus and establishments, some
of the prominent officials at the White
House, and, Of course, collectors Of
internal revenues, customs, United
States attorneys and marshals ambas
sailors and others in the diplomatic
service.
For a number of years appointments
, to the consular service have been un
der the merit system, although exam
! nations have not been held by the
| civil service commission. 1t will be
within the power. but not it is thought
| the disposition, of the new democratic
administration to change all this ant
| shake up the consular service by the
naming of some of the hungry demo
| Gratis who will want rewards for thell
| services TO the party.
The Efficiency Rating Law.
Regarded as OF great Importance t.
| classified employees in Washington ant
| elsewhere IS the carrying out OF Wha'
IS known as the efficiency rating law
put through the last session Of Con
gress in the closing days. 1t is con
tanned in the legislative appropriation
bill and lis section 4 under the heading
! or Judicial" This section the en-
forcement Of which will begin under
the present administration, but will be
be Interpreted under the new admin
istration, Is as follows:
Section 4. The ciril service com
mission shall, subject to the approval
+; Of the president, establish a system
of efficiency ratings for the classified
service in the several executive depart
ments in the District Of Columbia, bas
! ed upon records kent in each depart
ment and independent establishment
with such frequency rs to make then
as nearly as possible records OF fact
! Such system shall provide a minimum
rating of efficiency, which must be at
tanned by an employee before lie ma!
be promoted; it shall also provide {
q rating below which no employe ma.
fall without being dismissed for in
efficiency. All promotions, demotion.
or dismfssals shah be governed b.
provisions Of the civil service rules.
Copies of all records Of etflcienc.
shall be furnished by the department.
and independent establishments to thu
Iciyil service commission for record Il
accordance with the provisions OF thii
section; Provided, the. in the event o
reductions being made in the force II
any of the executive departments N