These rules shall take effect October 1, 1891.

BENJ.  HARRISON.

AMENDMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE RULES.

OCTOBER 9, 1891.

General Rule III, clause 6, is hereby amended by striking out the words “under such regulations as the Commission may make” and substituting therefor the following:  “under regulations to be approved by the President;” so that as amended the clause will read as follows: 

  So far as practicable and useful competitive examinations shall be
  established in the classified civil service to test fitness for
  promotion under regulations to be approved by the President.

BENJ.  HARRISON.

Whereas civil-service rules for the Indian service were approved to take effect October 1, 1891; and

Whereas it is represented to me by the Civil Service Commission in a communication of this date that no persons have as yet been examined for appointment to that service, and that it seems probable that complete arrangements for putting said rules into full effect will not be made sooner than March 1, 1892: 

It is therefore ordered, That said Indian rules shall take effect March 1, 1892, instead of October 1, 1891:  Provided, That said rules shall become operative and take effect in any district of the Indian service as soon as an eligible register for such district shall be provided, if it shall be prior to the date above fixed.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, October 13, 1891.

Upon the recommendation of the Commission the foregoing order is approved.

BENJ.  HARRISON.

AMENDMENT OF CIVIL-SERVICE RULES.

NOVEMBER 24, 1891.

Special Departmental Rule No. 1 is hereby amended so as to include among the places excepted from examination the following: 

  In the Department of the Treasury, in the Bureau of Statistics:  One
  confidential clerk to the Chief of the Bureau.

BENJ.  HARRISON.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, December 4, 1891.

SIR:[21] In my message to the first session of the Fifty-first Congress I said: 

I have suggested to the heads of the Executive Departments that they consider whether a record might not be kept in each bureau of all those elements that are covered by the terms “faithfulness” and “efficiency,” and a rating made showing the relative merits of the clerks of each class, this rating to be regarded as a test of merit in making promotions.

In some of the Departments this suggestion has been acted upon in part at least, and I now direct that in your Department a plan be at once devised and put in operation for keeping an efficiency record of all persons within the classified service, with a view to placing promotions wholly upon the basis of merit.