A COMPARISON OF CLASSIFIED POSITIONS AND SALARIES BY The accompanying table of percentages is based upon the tables of positions and salaries preceding. It shows, in a simpler form, most of the essential facts of those tables. It will be seen that the percentage of classified positions is much higher in the District of Columbia than outside. For example, over 93 per cent of all positions in the District are classified, against 39 per cent outside. If postmasters are excluded, none of whose positions are classified, the percentage of classified positions outside at once rises to 70 per cent, and the percentage classified, for the whole service, rises from 44.72 to 73.71 per cent. The difference still remaining may be largely accounted for by the great number of mere laborers employed outside, some of whom are paid per diem and not employed continuously; others of whom receive a small compensation for services which they render to the Government while still engaged in private business. It will also be noted that while the percentages of positions and salaries are about equal inside the District, the percentage of salaries outside exceeds that of positions by 14 per cent, thus indicating that the best paid positions outside are classified. The departments having the highest percentages of classified positions are the Navy Department, with 99.02 per cent; the Government Printing Office, with 98.74 per cent; while the Department of Labor, Interstate Commerce Commission, Executive Office, Civil Service Commission, State, War, and Navy building, and Fish Commission are each above 90 per cent. At the other end of the list is the PostOffice Department, with 30.10 per cent; the War Department, with 53.62 per cent; the Interior, with 54.46 per cent, and the Department of Justice, with 61.36 per cent. Table showing percentages of classified positions and salaries in the executive civil service by departments, offices, and commissions. GROWTH OF THE MERIT SYSTEM SINCE 1883. ACTION OF THE PRESIDENT. The civil-service act was approved on January 16, 1883. It took effect from its passage. One of its provisions allowed vacancies in the service to be filled according to the old methods until July 16; but after that date none within the sphere of its first application could be filled except by persons who had been duly examined. In the Departments at Washington the classification embraced all persons receiving salaries of not less than $900 nor more than $1,800 a year-altogether 5,652—of whom 135 were excepted from examination. The classification of the customs service embraced places having an annual compensation of $900 or over, at ports where 50 or more persons were employed, excluding only those whose nominations had to be confirmed by the Senate. The number of places thus classified, including eleven ports, was 2,573. The number of post offices classified-being those at which there were 50 or more employees-was 23, and the classified service at these offices included all persons above the grade of workman or laborer except the postmaster, or 5,699 in all. In the three branches of the classified service, therefore, the total number of places made subject to the provisions of the civil-service rules was 13,924. In 1884 the post-offices at Minneapolis, St. Paul, Jersey City, and New Haven, having attained the requisite number of employees, were classified, as was also the Department of Agriculture. During 1884 the classifications of several of the Departments were extended so as to embrace places not theretofore included within them. A detailed history of the changes in the classifications, by their revision, is contained in the Fourth Report of the Commission, at pages 102-114. On March 1, 1888, President Cleveland made an order classifying the United States Civil Service Commission. On June 29, 1888, the classifications of the departmental service at Washington were revised and extended so as to embrace all the officers, elerks, and other employees in the Departments, except those appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and those employed merely as messengers, watchmen, workmen, or laborers. Altogether 1,931 places were added to the classified service by this extension. The Railway Mail Service, with 5,320 employees, was classified December 31, 1888. On January 4, 1889, rules for that service were promulgated to take effect March 15, 1889. During the first administration of President Cleveland 16 post-offices, having attained the required 50 employees, were classified. The whole number of places thus added to the classified service, including those in the 16 post-offices just mentioned, was about 8,100, though this does not include the places resulting from the natural growth of the service. On March 4, 1889, the number of classified places in the departmental service was about 8,212, in the customs service about 2,298, and in the postal service about 11,500; making a total, including the Railway Mail Service, of about 27,330 places. The railway mail rules went into effect under President Harrison on May 1, 1889, instead of March 15, it being found impossible to provide eligible registers at an earlier date. The extensions of the classified service from March 4, 1889, to March 4, 1893, were as follows: On April 13, 1891, the President classified certain classes of school employees and the physicians in the Indian service, about 626 employees in all. On May 5, 1892, the Fish Commission was classified as a part of the departmental service, bringing in 140 employees. Ten post-offices, upon attaining the requisite number of employees (50), were classified, and rules for the Railway Mail Service put into effect. On the 5th of January, 1893, the President amended Postal Rule I so as to include in the classified postal service all free delivery post-offices, adding to that branch of the classified service 548 offices not heretofore classified and the 7,610 persons employed therein. On the same day he amended the classification of the Department of Agriculture so as to include therein the employees of the Weather Bureau at work elsewhere than at Washington, 314 in number. The whole number of places covered by extensions of classifications during the administration of President Harrison, including those which came under the rules by their automatic operation in the 10 post-offices above mentioned, was about 9,190, besides those resulting from the growth of the service. At the close of the administration of President Harrison there were in the classified service about 42,928 places. To recapitulate: The original classification of the civil service embraced 13,924 places. On March 4, 1885, the total number of places in the classified service was about 15,573, being an increase of 1,619, including the new post-offices and about 550 places added by Executive order in the revision and extension of the classifications. On March 4, 1889, the total number of places in the classified service was about 27,330, an increase during four years of 11,757, including the new post-offices and 8,100 places added by Executive order. On January 18, 1893, the total was about 42,928, an increase from March 4, 1889, of 15,598 places, including the new postoffices and some 9,190 places added by Executive orders. During President Cleveland's second term and prior to May 6, 1896, the rules were extended to the Government Printing Office; the Internal-Revenue Service; the pension agencies; messengers, watchmen, and firemen in the Departments at Washington, and other positions; 10,396 in all. On May 6, 1896, a revision of the rules was made, extending the classifications to 31,586 additional positions. At the close of the term the whole number of positions classified was 86,932. During the term 4,283 excepted positions and 310 noncompetitive positions were transferred to the competitive list. On July 27, 1897, President McKinley completed the classification of the customs service by extending the rules so as to include customs ports having less than five employees. A table showing the growth of the classified service under successive Presidents since 1883 appears at pages 139-141. A history of the exception of positions from examination and the placing of excepted positions in the competitive class appears at pages 146-153, Fourteenth Report. TRANSFER OF PLACES FROM THE EXCEPTED TO THE COMPETITIVE CLASS, MARCH 1, 1888, TO JULY, 1, 1899. The progressive extension of the classified service by legislative and executive act and by natural growth will be seen in the table at page —, which shows the number of positions embraced within the service classified under the civil-service rules, 1883 to 1898: To the competitive class: March 20, 1894, appointment clerk, Department of Agriculture November 2, 1894, certain superintendents and custodians, etc., at post-offices. 1 2,267 3 July 9, November 2, 1894, chiefs and assistant chiefs, Department of Agriculture 142 78 July 15, 1895, scientific positions in Geological Survey... 135 213 November 17, 1894, steamboat and transfer clerks, Railway Mail Service...... 164 128 11 26 99 December 2, 1895, temporary and statistical experts, Department of Labor Departmental service... (In the Departments at Washington, including 142 chiefs of division, 70 assistant (All Indians employed in the Indian service at large (about 2,100) are excepted 1,038 July 27, 1897, all positions excepted in the customs and internal revenue services... 533 By growth of the service to March 3, 1885-4 post offices, each attaining 50 employees 200 15,573 Railway Mail Service, December 31, 1888, to take effect May 1, 1889 *. 5,320 * Of the 5,320 employees classified by order of President Cleveland on December 31, 1888, 2,300 were removed between March 4, 1889, and May 1, 1889, under the Administration of President Harrison and their places filled without examination, presumably by Republicans. Several hundred of the clerks and carriers at these post-offices were removed under the succeeding Administration; but nevertheless the Commission enforced the classification by all the means in its power, and succeeded in securing the reinstatement of some of the removed employees. NOTE.-Although not formally classified under the civil-service act, the navy-yard service, with about 5,000 employees, was put under a merit system by Secretary Tracy, with the approval of President Harrison. March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1897. PRESIDENT CLEVELAND (SECOND TERM). Extensions of classification: In the Department of Agriculture (Bureau of Animal Industry and Weather Bureau) May 24. 1895... In the Department of the Interior, July 25, 1894... In the Post Office Department, November 2 and December 3, 1894 Firemen in all departments, June 15, 1895 Census employees (act of Congress of March 4, 1895) Internal Revenue Service, December 12, 1894.... Government Printing Office, June 13, 1895... Pension agencies, July 15, 1895.... Indian service at large, May 11. 1894 Custom-house service, November 2, 1834.. Indian agency and school employees, March 20, 1896. Revision of rules of May 6, 1896 Executive Office Civil Service Commission Laborers performing classified duty State Department Laborers performing classified duty. Allotment force under superintendent State, War, and Navy Department building. Laborers performing classified duty Mints and assay offices Revenue-Cutter Service Life Saving Service.. Light-House Service. Marine Hospital Service.. Steamboat Inspection Service Subtreasuries..... Immigration service Special Treasury agents. Special customs inspectors. Internal revenue agents. Custodian and janitor service.... Construction of public buildings.. Internal Revenue Service, deputy collectors. Miscellaneous positions.. War Department— Laborers performing classified duty, and miscellaneous Engineer Department at large Ordnance Department at large... 1.389 Laborers performing classified duty, and miscellaneous (including 98 assistant |