The Washington times., 1913-10-27
REFORM LEAGUERS
SCORE DEMOCRATS
President Still Has Power to
NeutraIize Wrongs to Civil
Service System.

Declaring that Congress has shown
its intention to get some places from
the classified civil service and has
given its answer to the Presidents 8
early determination that there shall
be no backward step in rider legisla-
tion to force it from him, the Nation
al Civil Service Reform League urges
that the way is still open for the
President to obviate the evil results
of the proviso in the urgent deficiency
bill taking subordinates of internal
revenue collectors from the civil
service. The league in a statement
made public today declares;
1T is cause for real regret to the
friends of civil service reform that the
President did not veto the urgent de-
ficiency appropriation bill because of
the vicious rider affecting the status OF
subordinateS of collectors of internal
Congress has shown its intention to get
some places from the classified service.
and its answer to the Presidents early
determination that there shall be no
backward step is rider legislation to
force it from him. Condemnation OF this
cowardly method of breaking down the
bars TO the classified service Is universal
and was strong in the House itself
where fifty-six Democrats voted against
this proposal. A veto of the bill would
thus have had the support of these
members of the Presidents party in
Congress and would have gone long
way toward stopping this practice of
practically repeating the civil service
law little by little through riders on ap-
, preparation and revenue bills.
The Presidents renewed declaration
of his own warm advocacy and support
of the principle and of the bona fide
! practice of civil service REFORM in his
memorandum with which he accom-
| panied his signature to the bill, may
| have some wholesome effect on the
| spoils members of his party. II is Wig
orously expressed and is in line with
his past action, particularly In the con-
sular service. His statement, however,
l that he is convinced after careful ex-
animation of the facts, that the offices
| of deputy collector and deputy marshal
were never intended TO be included un-
der the ordinary provisions of the civil
| service law is unfortunate. On this
! point the league takes issue squarely
| with the President.
In spite Of the Presidents approval of
| the bill. the way is still open to avoid
| the evil results that will follow if the
| proviso is adhered to- AS the President
! states. the control of the whole method
and spirit of the Administration of the
J provisO in this bill is no less en-
| tirely in my hands now than 1t was be-
! fore the bill became law. There is
no doubt, in fact, but that the President
! might now issue an Executive order
/ requiring collectors and United States
marshals to continue to appoint their
subordinates from the civil service
! registers. The language of the pro-
! viso. as this league has repeatedly
| pointed out. affects not only the depu-
| ties. but also all subOrdinates of col
| lectors and marshals. The league sin
! cerely hopes that the President may
! change his minC as to the praCticability
| of including the deputies under the ordi-
| nary provisions of the civil service Law,
! and that he will at once issue an EXecu-
| tive order requiring that they. as we'll
| as all the other subordinates of col
| lectors and marshals. shall be appointed
| only from eligible lists secured through
| competitive examinations"