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The state commission since the adjournment of the Assembly has come into conflict with the governor over the appointment of the warden at the Colorado state reformatory. The commission, having decided that this position was one, for which competition was not desirable, on account of the exceptional qualifications involved, authorized the governor to select a suitable person of the necessary attainments for a non-competitive examination. This was done with the result that the person designated by the governor, and who received the approval of the state Senate, failed to qualify for the position! The governor has persistently refused to make another selection, although he was notified in May that the person designated did not qualify for permanent appointment, and the commission has since declined to certify any of his salary warrants for payment!

All sorts of pressure have been brought to bear upon the commission to secure a reconsideration and reversal of its action in regard to this appointment, including promises from influential quarters that the state auditor, in such event, would allow the payment of all its expenses, but the commission has stood firmly by its original position.

It may be of interest here to state that Governor Shafroth had prior to all this given general satisfaction by appointing Mrs. Sarah Platt-Decker, a Democrat and for many years a member of the executive committee of this Association, and recently president of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs to succeed James H. Pershing, a Republican, as one of the state civil service commission. This changed the political complexion of the commission from Republican to Democratic. The commission has, however, resisted all political considerations in the discharge of its duties, and stands an absolute unit for a non-partisan enforcement of the law,

In contrast with the difficulties of the state commission the enforcement of the civil service provisions of the Denver charter by the municipal commission has been unmarked during the past year by opposition from the city administration.

From the Michigan Civil Service League:

The Michigan Civil Service League was organized in

January, 1909, after the convening of the state legislature. The League confined its labors to the preparation of a civil service bill which was introduced in and defeated by both branches of the legislature. The bill was modeled closely upon the Wisconsin civil service law but contained some distinctive features. For instance, instead of proposing to cover all employees in the service at the time the law should take effect, under the protection of the law as is commonly done, the civil service commission was authorized to require all employees to pass an examination as a condition of remaining in the service, and at the same time to provide for a probationary period during which the manner in which they performed their duties should be taken into account in judging as to their efficiency.

The movement for civil service reform in Michigan owes much to the Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs. Mrs. L. W. Keil, chairman of the civil service reform committee of the federation, has organized more than two hundred committees in various parts of the State and a vigorous campaign of education is being carried on.

The Michigan Civil Service League will seek to influence the nomination of candidates for the legislature who are in sympathy with its work and will take up the fight for the enactment of adequate legislation for civil service reform upon the opening of the next legislature. From the Buffalo Women's Civil Service Reform Associa

tion:

The work for the year has been most encouraging. The number of reading members has increased to about 700 and the essays presented were of a high order of merit. The Association made an attempt to have "The Public Duty of Educated Men," by George William Curtis, placed on the list of supplementary reading for the high schools as authorized by the regents. Though unsuccessful in this, Miss Karnes interested many of the officials and we are hoping that her efforts will bear fruit

soon.

During the year, for the first time, the board took definite steps toward extending the work to the grammar schools and the results show a wide field open before us.

It was deemed best to begin the work in a very simple way we therefore with the co-operation of the Men's Association, purchased 1,000 copies of the "Primer of the Merit System," by Miss Cary, and placed them in the eighth grade of ten public and three private schools, our idea being to supply one copy for each pupil, to be the subject of a lesson in class and then to be taken home. We found the teachers grateful and enthusiastic, one of them declaring that the children often asked questions on the subject which she could not answer. We hope to extend the work to all the schools the coming year.

So great has been the demand for copies of Charles J. Bonaparte's "Civil Service Reform as a Moral Question" that we were forced to reprint, and now have on hand a large number of copies.

Our annual celebration in honor of George William Curtis took place on February 27th. Eighty-five persons were present and a delightful program was presented. These celebrations seem an essential part of our work. They bring together members of all ages and most varied. types and give a live personal touch to the efforts of the Association.

The board has lost by death during the year one of its most valued members-the late Elizabeth Hirschfield. Her belief in the purposes and ideals of the Association was deep and sincere and she placed those ideals and purposes before her pupils with enthusiasm and force. Her place will be a difficult one to fill and all who knew her must mourn the untimely end of a most useful life. The members of the board have been faithful in their attendance at the meetings and have endeavored to obtain the greatest possible results with the very limited funds. at their disposal.

Mr. Robert Catherwood, President of the Chicago Civil Service Reform Association, presented a special report from that Association in regard to the work in that city for securing efficiency in the public service.'

Upon motion, the following resolution was then adopted:

Resolved, that the League has listened with great in'Printed in full at page 107.

terest to the report presented by the President of the Chicago Civil Service Reform Association upon the methods now under consideration to secure a high grade of efficiency in the civil service of that city, and hopes that they may be given a fair and full trial.

Upon motion, the report of Mr. Catherwood was referred to the Council, with the suggestion that the subject matter of that report be given very full consideration during the year.

Mr. Horace E. Deming presented the report of the special committee on superannuation.' A discussion followed. President Eliot stated that under American conditions he believed in a straight pension rather than in a retiring allowance derived from accumulated deductions from salaries. Dr. Llewellyn Jordan, Secretary of the United States Civil Service Retirement Association, stated that there was in preparation by the Department of Commerce and Labor a report which would show that the system of civil pensions in England had worked out very unsatisfactorily. Others taking part in the discussion were Messrs. Sutton, Bonaparte, Deming and M. F. O'Donoghue, President of the United States Civil Service Retirement Association.

Upon motion of Mr. Bonaparte, the report was accepted and referred to the newly elected Council.

Professor Henry W. Farnam presented the report of the special committee on resolutions. Upon motion, the

report was accepted and the resolutions presented adopted as the resolutions of the League.

FOURTH SESSION.

City Club,

Friday Afternoon, December 10th.

AT 3 p.m. the League reconvened. President Charles

W. Eliot in the chair.

Mr. Ansley Wilcox reported for the special committee on consular reform.3

The chairman of the committee on dependencies being absent, upon motion, the committee was given leave to

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Printed in full at page 91; at page 59; at page 99.

print its report in the published proceedings of the League.1

Hon. William S. Washburn, of the United States Civil Service Commission, presented a paper-the Administration of the Civil Service Law in the Philippines."

Hon. Harry C. Coles, Secretary of the United States Civil Service Board for the Second District, and formerly Chairman of the Civil Service Commission of Porto Rico, presented a paper-The Administration of the Civil Service Law in Porto Rico.3

Mr. Deming moved that the question of urging the passage by Congress of an effective civil service law to be applied to Porto Rico be recommended to the Council for their action. The motion was carried.

Mr. A. K. Hoag, President of the National League of Postmasters of the Fourth Class, presented a paperThe Practical Results of the Competitive Classification of Fourth Class Postmasters.*

Hon. E. Dana Durand, Director of the Census, presented a paper-The Merit System and the Census."

A presentation of the subject of promotion through the merit system was made by President Charles W. Eliot, President of the League; Hon. Frank L. Polk, President of the New York City Civil Service Commission; F. E. Doty, Secretary of the Wisconsin Civil Service Commission; and Joseph C. Mason, Secretary of the Illinois Civil Service Commission."

Mr. Wilcox moved that a vote of sincere thanks be extended to the members of the New York Civil Service Reform Association and to the City Club for their hospitality. The vote was unanimously adopted.

The meeting then adjourned.
Attest:

ELLIOT H. GOODWIN,

Secretary.

A banquet to the visiting delegates was tendered by the New York Association at the Hotel Knickerbocker at 8 o'clock on Friday, December 10th. Hon. Joseph H.

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Printed in full at page 102; 2 at page 119; at page 144; at page 149; at page 155; at page 166.

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