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In Indiana the last session of the legislature passed a law which tends to separate state institutions and politics, and may be said at least to open the way for a competitive system.

At Wheeling, West Virginia, on January 24th, a charter amendment was adopted by popular vote, applying the merit system to the fire and water works depart

ments.

For the service of the District of Columbia the National Civil Service Commission has been holding informal examinations at the request of the District Commission. Permission for this was granted by President Cleveland in 1895. Suit has recently been brought to restrain this beneficial practice on the ground that it is illegal. This suit was dismissed on demurrer, but it is understood an appeal will be taken. As already stated, both the District Commission and the Civil Service Commission have reported in favor of legislation by Congress to enable the President to extend the civil service rules to the District.

In New York the use of exempted places for political purposes has been illustrated by the action of Mayor McCiellan in the contest with Murphy for the control of Tammany, many of the officials under the Murphy influence having been removed and replaced by others. The use of these offices for such purposes illustrates the true motive of the claims that they should be exempted from the civil service rules.

During the year, Governor Hughes refused to reappoint Mr. Bender, the fiscal supervisor of state charities, so notorious on account of his reputation as collector of political assessments from state employees. All constructive civil service reform legislation at Albany has failed.

In Pennsylvania Governor Stuart, in his message to the legislature, recommended the passage of a state law, and also a law applying to second and third class cities and to the larger counties. The second-class cities bill passed, but the state and county bills were defeated.

Under the bill providing civil service systems for the cities of the second class, Mayor G. W. Guthrie of Pitts

burgh has appointed a commission, and at the same time announced that all municipal employees must refrain from political activity.

The City Council of Scranton, the other second class. city to which the provisions of the bill are applicable, has so far refused to make the necessary appropriation for the Civil Service Commission.

In Philadelphia, Mayor Weaver refused to reappoint Hon. Frank M. Riter when his term of office as Civil Service Commissioner expired, handing the appointment. over to the mayor-elect. The election of Mayor Reyburn was not looked upon as favorable to civil service reform, and the Mayor's utterances and acts, particularly his summary and unjustifiable dismissal of Commissioner Cyrus D. Foss, Jr., have borne out the suspicion of his unfriendliness. Under the new rules for Philadelphia, established by the Reyburn Commission, requests for wholesale exceptions from the rules are promised us.

In Wisconsin we have the first report of the State Commission. It is a very valuable and interesting document. It shows that the law has resulted in economy, that the employees manifest greater attentiveness and efficiency, that they have been able to get well-qualified persons to compete for high grade positions which they were urged to exempt on the ground that they would be unable to fill them satisfactorily, and lastly, they have taken the stand that very few places need be exempted on account of their confidential nature, as there is "very little public business that is so secret and confidential as to require exemption from the civil service rules." A bill introduced into the legislature providing for the merit system in counties having a population of over 150,000 failed to pass.

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Turning lastly to the League, we have to note the death of Mr. Jacob F. Miller on December 11, 1906. was elected to the Council of the League that same year to succeed the Hon. Carl Schurz. He had been an active member of the New York Association since 1883, and chairman of its Executive Committee from 1897 until his death.

It has been the policy of the administration of the

League to shorten its publication, GOOD GOVERNMENT, mainly by condensing the news. By this and other means the paper has been made self-supporting, and its readers get the news with less expenditure of time. We believe the paper has lost nothing of its interest and usefulness, but rather the contrary.

The League has aided the Pennsylvania, Denver, New Jersey and Chicago Associations in their various efforts on behalf of civil service reform, and has drafted bills and revised rules and regulations in several states. It called the attention of the President and the Civil Service Commission to a number of cases of undue political activity before referred to, and the Secretary has personally visited several places, especially in New Jersey, where the contest for civil service reform was most active, speaking at public meetings and helping in other ways.

The Committee on Superannuation examined very carefully the plan of the Sub-committee of the Keep Committee for the retirement of employees on annuities. Its report was made in draft form to the Council at New London, and is now submittel to the League.

The League sent a letter in December last to the Secretary of the Navy, urging action on suggested amendments to the Navy Yard rules. Secretary Bonaparte replied that he had decided not to act in view of his coming transfer to the office of Attorney-General; but asked to have the League state in detail the changes desired, which would be submitted by him to his successor. These changes in detail were then sent, and the League was advised later by Secretary Metcalf that he would be glad to confer with the Committee. Mr. Goodwin, the Secretary of our League, had an interview with Secretary Metcalf, the new Secretary of the Navy, on January 19th and again on May 15th. The Chairman of the Council had still another interview with Secretary Metcalf on June 21st, at which the Secretary requested that the League would suggest specific amendments to the rules, with the reasons therefor, to be submitted to him. The League was very glad of the request, and these amendments have been prepared.

The consular reform, which has been pressed so long

by this League, and on which we reported at the last annual meeting, has advanced a further step through the holding of two high grade examinations, the first held March 14th, in which 10 out of 21 men passed, and the second July 9th, at which 13 out of 28 were accepted. A third examination is already scheduled.

The League's committee on special exceptions made a suggestion to the United States Civil Service Commission for various amendments to the rules, by which it was hoped to obviate the yielding to these requests for exceptions in the future. One of the points was to allow permanent appointment on a non-competitive examination in case no eligible lists were on hand, and none could be obtained after proper advertisements. But it was found that, although there was no specific rule, the Commission construed, and we believe rightly construed, the law allowing this very thing to be done, and that the exceptions making temporary appointments permanent were granted either in the face of eligible lists or without any effort to obtain eligible lists, or because of failure to submit the candidate to a non-competitive examination.

As to the field work, neither the Secretary nor any of the members of the Council have made any long journey to distant parts of the country on civil service reform propaganda, but much work of that kind has been done, as already stated, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and a good deal by correspondence. We all feel that more of this field work should be undertaken, and just how much should be appropriated for the purpose, and just how it should be carried on, is a matter for the League to decide. There still remains much work before us, both in holding fast what we have, and extending our cause to new fields, and it will be many years yet, we fear, before the time will come when we may say that our work is done.

Respectfully submitted,

RICHARD H. DANA, Chairman of the Council.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE LEAGUE.

I

The League again expresses its earnest appreciation of the determined and effective enforcement of the civil service law and rules by President Roosevelt.

2

The League notes with satisfaction that Congress gives evidences of stronger support of the President and Civil Service Commission, and of the principles of the merit system.

3

We call attention to the fact that the competitive system has removed a great burden from Senators and Representatives. We urge Congress to take such further steps as will relieve its members entirely from the unprofitable labor of distributing patronage, thus leaving each his entire time to devote to examination of public questions and legislating thereon.

4

We urge the President and Congress to provide for competitive classification of assistant-postmasters, pension-examining surgeons, and fourth-class postmasters, and further to provide so that all other postmasters and all collectors of customs and of internal revenue shall be appointed by promotion, thereby abolishing the present practice of appointing inexperienced persons to those places.

5

We urge the President to make such amendments to the civil service rules, as will reduce to the minimum the practice of making special exceptions thereto.

6

We recognize the progress made in the introduction of the merit system into the public service of American

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