It has been questioned by certain journals whether "the active politicians in this country," and "those in Washington upon whose shoulders the responsibilities of the government rest, realize the depth of feeling that has been stirred in the hearts of the people of this country on the subject of civilservice reform." It is certainly to be hoped that they do. Indeed the testimony collected here, as well as in another part of this discussion, shows that some of them at least appreciate it; and if they do not, certainly the people are to be blamed for not expressing their convictions in unmistakable form. It must be remembered that in a representative government, the legislative body expresses in the long run the popular voice; and, to quote once more from a journal not committed by any means to the support of this bill (the Providence Journal): —

"When it is really thought better to limit or regulate this power, the voice of the people will be heard. Congress will pass just such laws as the constituencies of the members by a large majority agree upon. There is no man upon the face of the earth more amenable to reason than a congressman, when that reason is backed by a sufficient number of votes."

Among the duties justly considered imperative in this matter, not the least imperative is that of the people themselves, to manifest their convictions.

APPENDIX.

THE PENDLETON BILL.

A BILL TO REGULATE AND IMPROVE THE CIVIL SERVICE OF the UNITED STATES.

Whereas common justice requires that, so far as practicable, all citizens duly qualified shall be allowed equal opportunities, on grounds of personal fitness, for securing appointments, employment, and promotion in the subordinate civil service of the United States; and whereas justice to the public likewise requires that the government shall have the largest choice among those likely to answer the requirements of the public service; and whereas justice, as well as economy, efficiency, and integrity in the public service, will be promoted by substituting open and uniform competitive examinations for the examinations heretofore held in pursuance of the statutes of 1853 and 1855: therefore,

Be it enacted, etc.: That the president is authorized to designate and employ five persons, not more than three of whom shall be adherents of the same party, as Civil-Service Commissioners, and said five commissioners shall constitute the United States Civil-Service Commission. Three of said commissioners shall hold no other official place under the United States, and the other two shall be experienced officers in the public service in Washington, but not in the same department, and shall remain commissioners no longer than they shall remain in the public service in some department, and reside in the District of Columbia.

The president may remove any commissioner for good cause, after allowing him an opportunity for making an explanation in answer to any charges against him, such cause to be stated in writing in the order of removal, which shall be filed with the secretary of state; but no removal shall be made by reason of opinions or party affiliations; and any vacancy in the position of commissioner shall be so filled by the president as to conform to said conditions for the first selection of commissioners.

The three commissioners required not to hold any other official place shall each receive a salary of $3,500 a year, and the two members holding some other public office shall each receive a salary of $500 a year in addition to their respective salaries in said office. And each of said commissioners shall be paid his necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of his duty as a commissioner.

67

SECT. 2. That it shall be the duty of said commission:

First. To devise and submit to the president for his approval and promulgation, from time to time, suitable rules, and to suggest appropriate action for making this act effective; and when so approved and promulgated it shall be the duty of all officers of the United States in the departments and offices to which any such rules may relate, to aid, in all proper ways, in carrying said rules, and any modifications thereof, into effect.

Second. And, among other things, said rules shall provide and declare, as nearly as the conditions of good administration shall warrant, as follows:

:

First, for open, competitive examinations for testing the capacity of applicants for the public service now classified or to be classified hereunder;

Second, that all the offices, places, and employments so arranged or to be arranged in classes shall be filled by selections from among those graded highest as the results of such competitive examinations.

Third, that original entrance to the public service aforesaid shall be at the lowest grade;

Fourth, that there shall be a period of probation before any absolute appointment or employment aforesaid;

Fifth, that promotions shall be from the lower grades to the higher on the basis of merit and competition;

Sixth, that no person in the public service is for that reason under any obligation to contribute to any political fund, or to render any political service, and that he will not be removed or otherwise prejudiced for refusing to do so;

Seventh, that no person in said service has any right to use his official authority or influence to coerce the political action of any person or body;

Eighth, there shall be non-competitive examinations in all proper cases before the commission, when competition may not be found practicable;

Ninth, that notice shall be given in writing to said commission of the persons selected for appointment or employment from among those who have been examined, of the rejection of any such persons after probation, and of the date thereof, and a record of the same shall be kept by said commission.

And any necessary exceptions from said nine fundamental provisions of the rules shall be set forth in connection with such rules, and the reasons therefor shall be stated in the annual reports of the commission.

Third. Said commission shall make regulations for, and have control of, such examinations, and, through its members or the examiners, it shall supervise and preserve the records of the same; and said commission shall keep minutes of its own proceedings.

Fourth. Said commission may make investigations concerning the facts, and may report upon all matters touching the enforcement and effects of said rules and regulations, and concerning the action

of any examiner or board of examiners, and its own subordinates, and those in the public service, in respect to the execution of this

act.

Fifth. Said commission shall make an annual report to the president, for transmission to congress, showing its own action, the rules and regulations, and the exception thereto in force, the practical effects thereof, and any suggestion it may approve for the more effectual accomplishment of the purposes of this act.

SECT. 3. That said commission is authorized to employ a chief examiner, who may also be the secretary of the commission, a part of whose duty it shall be, under its direction, to act with the examining boards, so far as practicable, whether at Washington or elsewhere, and to secure accuracy, uniformity, and justice in all their proceedings, which shall be at all times open to him.

After an opportunity of being heard in explanation of any charge against him, he may be removed by the commission for cause to be entered on its minutes, and a successor appointed. The chief examiner shall be entitled to receive a salary at the rate of $4,000 a year, and he shall be paid his necessary travelling expenses incurred in the discharge of his duty.

The commission is also authorized to employ a stenographer and copyist, who shall be entitled to receive a salary of $1,60ɔ a year, and he may be removed and a successor appointed as is provided as to the chief examiner. The commission may also engage the services of a messenger, at a salary of $6ɔɔ a year, and may dismiss the same at pleasure.

The commission may, at Washington, and in any other part of the country where examinations are to take place, designate and select a suitable number of persons in the official service of the United States, after consulting the head of the department or office in which such person serves, to be members of boards of examiners, and may at any time substitute any other person in such service in the place of any one so selected.

And any person so selected shall be entitled, during the period he shall serve on any such board, to receive a compensation for such service at a rate not exceeding $500 a year in addition to his regular salary in the public service; the amount of such additional compensation to be approved by the president, but the whole of such additional compensation which shall be authorized to be paid in any one year to all the examiners shall not exceed $10,000. It shall be the duty of the collector, postmaster, and other officers of the United States, at any place outside the District of Columbia where examinations are directed by the president or by said board to be held, to allow the reasonable use of the public buildings for holding such examinations, and in all proper ways to facilitate the same.

SECT. 4. That it shall be the duty of the secretary of the interior to cause suitable and convenient rooms and accommodations to be assigned or provided, and to be furnished, heated, and lighted, at

the city of Washington, for carrying on the work of said commission and said examinations, and to cause the necessary stationery and other articles to be supplied, and the necessary printing to be done for said commission. And the cost and expense thereof, and the several salaries, compensations, and necessary expenses herein before mentioned, upon the same being stated in detail and verified by affidavit, shall be paid from any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

SECT. 5.

That any said commissioner, examiner, copyist, or any person in the public service, who shall wilfully and corruptly, by himself or in coöperation with one or more other persons, defeat, deceive, or obstruct any person, in respect of his or her right of examination according to any such rules or regulations, or who shall wilfully, corruptly, and falsely mark, grade, estimate, or report upon the examination or proper standing of any person examined hereunder, or aid in so doing, or who shall wilfully and corruptly make any false representations concerning the same, or concerning the person examined, or who shall wilfully and corruptly furnish to any person any special or secret information for the purpose of either improving or injuring the prospect or chances of any person so examined, or to be examined, being appointed, employed, or promoted, shall for each such offence be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, or by imprisonment not less than ten days nor more than one year, or by both such fine and impris

onment.

SECT. 6. Within sixty days after the passage of this act it shall be the duty of the secretary of the treasury, in as near conformity as may be to the classification of certain clerks now existing under the 163d section of the Revised Statutes, to arrange in classes the several clerks and persons employed by the collector, naval officer, surveyor, and appraisers, or either of them, or being in the public service, at their respective offices in each customs district where the whole number of said clerks and persons shall be all together as many as fifty. And thereafter, from time to time, on the request of the president, said secretary shall make the like classification or arrangement of clerks and persons so employed, in connection with any said office or offices, in any other customs district. And upon like request, and for the purposes of this act, said secretary shall arrange in one or more of said classes or of existing classes, any other clerks, agents, or persons employed under his department in any said district not now classified; and every such arrangement and classification, upon being made, shall be reported to the president.

Second. Within said sixty days it shall be the duty of the postmaster-general, in general conformity to said 163d section, to separately arrange in classes the several clerks and persons employed, or in the public service, at each post-office or under any postmaster of the United States where the whole number of said clerks and