the United States to the rebellious Senators from New Yorkthe new Governor would aid a traitorous attempt of the spoils system factions of both parties to defeat a constitutional provision-adopted by the people-by means of rebellion and hostile action in the legislature-a rebellion in no wise less dangerous and flagitious than would exist if the spoilsmen, in that body, should with arms in their hands prevent the competitive examinations which the Constitution of New York requires. Well may it be asked, What is the use of constitutional requirements if Governors and partisan majorities may, by conspiring together, defeat their policy and the will of the people? Tens of thousands of Democrats-with a patriotic sense of duty of which our assailants seem to have little conceptionswelled the majority of the new Governor and helped save the country from peril and disgrace. It would be strange ingratitude and meanness to connive at a change in our system of examination-a retrogression to partisan barbarism -which is intended to, and would, probably, cause the removal of every democrat who, upon his superior merits, has won an appointment, and which would certainly prevent any more democrats being appointed through the examinations. These are primary objects of our assailants. Under such conditions it is the imperative duty of the friends of reform and of every one who cares for the honor and political civilization of New York to make his influence felt to the utmost against the assault now threatened. If the conspiring spoilsmen, now led by the bosses of both parties, shall be defeated at Albany this winter, the spoils system will be crushed, and the noble principle of the constitution of New York, and the will of her people, will be permanently established. It does not come within the scope of this paper to deal with the constitutional question which its subject involves But, in conclusion, I wish to say that I think the new examinations proposed would not provide for the competitive examinations which the constitution of New York requires, and that the old spoils system is not likely to be re-established by law, for the very purpose of defeating its provisions, until they have been interpreted by the highest court of the State, which has given significant evidenceof its purpose to uphold them. Efficiency and Economy Under the Merit System. REMARKS OF HON. JOHN R. PROCTER, President of the United States Civil Service Commission. IT was held by Senators and Representatives in Congress, when the civil service law was under debate, that the federal service under the patronage system was inefficient, more or less corrupt, and extravagant; that unnecessary positions were created and unnecessary salaries paid on account of pressure for office under that system. It was also promised that the merit system would, if adopted, result in a more economical administration of the Government. The two systems have been working side by side in Washington for more than thirteen years, and it is practicable to make comparisons of their relative advantages and disadvantages. There are thousands of positions included under the merit system, subject to competitive examinations provided by the Commission. There are also thousands of positions which were not classified until recently, and other thousands over which the Civil Service Commission still has no jurisdiction. It may easily be demonstrated whether the one system is extravagant and the other economical. I will give you figures showing the increases and decreases in numbers and salaries in the legislative, executive and judicial branches in the City of Washington since the organization of the Commission. It has not been practicable as yet to prepare statistics for those branches of the service outside of Washington, but it is believed that they would not differ materially in the results they would show : Increase in number of employees.. Per cent. of increase... Number of subordinate officers and em ployees in the House of Representa tives...... 172 112 197 591 $624,022.91 394 Total amount appropriated for salaries. $364,028.20 (Unclassified portion.) Number of positions requiring appoint ment by the President and confirmation by the Senate (Departmental)... Total amount appropriated for salaries for $456,590.00 19 22 Presidential positions in Washington... $345,200.00 Increase in number of Presidential appointees... Per cent. of increase. Number of unclassified and other posi tions (not subject to competitive examination)... Total amount appropriated for unclassified positions... Increase in number of unclassified positions..... Per cent. of number in unclassified positions... 7,847 10,760 .$6,792,377.00 $9,764,252.00 2,913 37 Per cent of decrease in number of original competitive positions.... Decrease in appropriations for salaries for original competitive positions. . . . . . Percent of decrease in appropriations for salaries for original competive positions 2 $75,218 1 The statement of unclassified Executive positions includes the positions which have from time to time been added to the competitive list by extensions of the classified service. More than 4,000 (?) of these were added to the competitive list by the recent extensions, which have reduced the positions at Washington not subject to competitive examination approximately to 4,821 (?). It will be seen, therefore, that every branch of the Federal service at the Capital has increased largely since the organization of the Commission, except those positions which are subject to competitive examinations, where the increases have occurred not by extra appropriations but by extensions of the competitive list to cover existing unclassified and other positions not open to competition, until at present there are over 11,000 (?) positions in Washington subject to competitive examination. The statistics show that the number of classified clerkships and copyist positions in Washington have decreased 3.9 per cent. in number since 1883, effecting a saving of $228,200, while the unclassified positions of messengers, the employees of the Government Printing Office, and others recently added to the competitive list, together with the positions which remain unclassified by law, increased 37 per cent. in number, involving an extra yearly expenditure for salaries of $2,971,875, an increase of 43 per cent. If the patronage system had continued unchecked, and the positions originally made competitive had increased in the same proportion as the unclassified positions, as a result of additional appropriations, it would require an extra yearly expenditure of $3,100,620 for salaries in Washington alone. There are numerous specific instances in which the saving in the cost of administration effected by the merit system has been demonstrated. A few of these I will cite by way of illustration. The last report of the Superintendent of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing shows that while the work performed has increased more than 77 per cent. since the application of the rules, the force has increased during the same period not more than 11 per cent. The Government Printing Office is another instructive exhibit. A year ago, before the rules were applied, the number of employees was 3,500. At the present time, with 35 per cent. more work, the total is 2,600. The Secretary of Agriculture in his recent report shows that as a result of the operation of the rules in his Department, while the work has been increased and extended in many new directions, there has been a reduction in the force of 280 employees, and that during the period since March 7, 1893, more than $2,000,000 out of a total of $11,000,000 of appropriations has been covered back into the Treasury. Another striking instance is found in the comparative records of efficiency in the Railway Mail Service. The latest obtainable figures show that while the number of pieces of mail matter distributed per clerk has increased from 1,222,762 in 1885 to 1,779,759 in 1896, the ratio of errors to the number of pieces distributed correctly has decreased from one error to each 5,575 distributed correctly in 1885 to one for each 9,843 pieces distributed correctly in 1896. It is to be noted, too, that the year 1885 was, up to that time, one of exceptional efficiency in distribution. The ratio of errors in 1887 dropped to 3,364, and in 1890, following the numerous removals made just prior to the application of the civil service rules, to one in 2,834. The increase in efficiency since the adoption of the rules, as indicated by the ratio of errors, has been, therefore, about 400 per cent. Another evidence of the superior results secured under the merit system is found in the comparative record of removals. In the classified departmental service at Washington the removals from competitive positions for all causes have been less than 2 per cent. a year, while in the unclassified and excepted branches the changes have aggregated, in the four years past, probably 50 per cent. From these figures the conclusion must be drawn that either the persons brought in through the examinations are far more efficient than the others, or that the removals from the unclassified positions have been made for causes other than the good of the service. |