The Civil Service

The followingisa synopsis of thenew bill for reforming tlie civil service, prepared by Mr. Harrison, of Illinois, Chairman of the House Committee on Civil Service : Section 1 provides for the creation of a Department of Civil Service, with five Commissioners, to be appointed by the President and conflrmed by the Senate, no more than three of which shall belong to any one political party. Their terms are arranged so that no appointments can be made exeept at the middle oí' a Presidential term, the Commissioner having the shortest term to be at the head of the department. Section 2 provides that the President may fill vacancies caused by death 01 resignation. Section 3 fixcs the salary of the head Commissioner at $5,000, and the others at $4,000. Section 4 provides that the Commissioners may be removed by the President for cause with the consent of the Senate in open session. Section 5, that the Commissioners shall make rules for regulating the civil service; shall constantly watch tho different branches of the Government service, and see that they are running at a minimum as to numbers and expense; shall examine, or cause to be examined, all applicants, and shall not be guided by politioal services or influence. Section 6 provides that the Commissioners shall divide the United States into districts, and provide for examinations in each at stated times after public notice; that the power may be delegated in remote parta of the country to examiners, in which oase applicants shall pay $5 for examination. Members of both houses of Congress shall be notified of the examinations within their own district. Section 7 provides that the act shall apply to all offlcers except Ambassadors, Ministers, Consuls, heads of departments and Postmasters. Section 8, which is perhaps the most significant section of the bilí, provides that Bepresentatives in Congress may make nominations for appointments to office irom among persons resident in their respective districts, who shall have resided there a year, and possess the requisite moral and other qualities. Provisión is made that they may recommend persons whom they don't know upon the testimony of persons for whom they can vouch. All recommendations must be in writing, signed by the persons recommending all applications, must be written in the handwriting of the applicant, setting forth age, past vocation, physical condition, and mental capacity. In the event that less than twenty nominations shall be made for each office to be filled by a member of Congress, then the Commissioners may receive application in writing from any persons in the district. The remainicg sections of the bill provide for competitive examination for promotion in all departments, and prescribe that vacancies in the departments are only to be filled by promotion, save where the need of experts or peculiar conditions may make a contrary course necessary. The Civil Service Department is to supply all the other departments with lists of clerks from which appointments can only be made, and is to assume the responsibility for remováis for cause. Original appointments are to be made on not more than six months' probation, when the probationers are to be placed on a permanent roll from which they never can be removed except for cause. This roll is to constitute the permanent civil service of the Government. No appointments are to be made for political purposes, and no political assessments are to be paid or demanded, on the penalty of dismissal.