Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1889 — THE CIVIL SERVICE. [ARTICLE]

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

BE PORT OF THE COMMISSION FOB THE PAST TEAR. The Merit System of Appointment and Promotion Landed Sundry Recommendations—The Public-Debt Statement Shows a Decrease of Nearly *5,000,000 In Our Obligations. The annual report of the Civil Service Commission is a rigorously written document, considerable of it being devoted to the laudation of the “merit” system, and, by implication a denunciation of the patronage system. The Commissioners claim that the advantages of the former have now been demonstrated beyond any dispute. Tney declare that the criticism of the politicians that the examinations are not practical are very far from the truth, and show that the questions are invariably framed with due regard to the particular class of work upon which the applicants for position are to enter. It is further claimed that the examinations are conducted with strict impartiality and that every effort has been made by the commissioners to prevent violations and evasions of the law. The commission recommends that they be given power to administer oaths, as they are now directed by law to make examinations touching the enforcement and effect of civil service rules; that local boards of examiners be made up of persons not in the government employ, so that they may be independent of the appointing officers, or, better still, that a central board of twenty examiners be established at Washington, who shall mark all papers, and, finally, that the appropriations for the support of the commission be increased. In this connection it is stated that the clerical force employed during the year has been overworked, and that, notwithstanding this fact, the marking of examination papers was fully two months in arrears at the end of the year. The present force in the employ of the commission numbers fourteen, and an increase of eight is asked. The estimate ot the expenditures for the coming year is $53,000, provided there be no extension of the system, but this the commission think is ad visable. The following is a statement of the in-terest-bearing debt of the United States: Bonds at 4% per cent *124,413,000 Bonds at 4 per cent 039,531,100 Refunding certificates at 4 per Navy pension fund at 3 per cent. 14,000,000 Pacific railroad bonds at 6 per cent: 64.623.512 Principal *842.079,262 Interest 8,624,798 Total *851,304,000 DEBT OF WHICH INTEREST HAS CEASED SINCE MATURITY. * Principal *1,847,225 Interest 152,037 Total *1,999,203 DEBT BEARING NO INTEREST. Old demand and legal tender „ notes *340.737,458 Certificates of deposit 13,140,000 Gold certificates 123,483,119 Silver certificates 276,794,380 Fractional currency, loss *8,375,934, estimated as lost or destroyed 6.914,132 Principal *7(4,069,095 TOTAL DEBT. Principal *1,608,595,583 Interest 8,778,830 Total *1,017,372,419

Less cash Items available for reduction of debt *421,042,227 Less reserve held for redemption of U. S. notes 100,000, 000 Total debt less available cash items *1,096,330,192 Net cash in the treasury 40,249,187 Debt less cash In the treasury Dec. 1, 1889 *1,056,081,005 Debt less cash In the treasury Nov. 1, 1889 1,000,950,677 Decrease of debt during month....* 4.809,672 Decrease of debt since June 30.1889 20,565,616 CASH IN THE TREASURY AVAILABLE FOR REDUCTION OF THE PUBLIC DEBT. Gold held for gold securities actually outstanding * 123,483,119 Silver held for silver certificates actually outstanding 270,904,380 United States notes held for certificates of deposit actually outstanding 10,140;(j09 Cash held for matured debt and Interest unpaid 10,624,061 Fractional currency.. 661 Total available for reduction of the debt * 421,042,227 RESERVE FUND. Held for redemption of I'nlted States notes, acts Jan. 14, 1875. and July 12 1882 .* 100,000,000 UNAVAILABLE FOR REDUCTION t OF THE DEBT Fractional silver coin * 22,133,430 Minor coin 102,396 Total $ 22,235,826 Certificates held as cash 33,697,264 Net cash balance on hand 40,249,187 Total cash in the treasury as shown by treasurer’s general account * 617,224,504