applications from 55 superintendents of schools in our own State for 11,500 primers to place in 460 grammar schools. A total of nearly 200,000 pamphlets have now been distributed in our school work. Surely we are fast approaching the realization of our early ideal that every boy and girl in the country should be grounded in the principles of the merit system.

Our bronze school medal has again been offered as a reward for the best essay on some subject connected with civil service reform. Seven medals were awarded in the Brookline grammar schools, and one each in the Framingham, the Hyde Park, and the Braintree high school, and in a joint competition for the three high schools of Worcester. The winner there not only receives a medal, but also secures a large cast of the medal, to be held by his or her school for the coming year. Preliminary talks are often given before the competition takes place, and also talks to teachers are sometimes arranged. Moreover, the presentation of the medal is made a notable feature in the school programme. It is interesting to learn that the civil service law was recently extended to the police force in Framingham, where competitions have been held for five consecutive years under the auspices of the Framingham Woman's Club.

Three out of our nine branches have held study classes for members. A study class was likewise held in one Boston settlement, and talks were given in several other social settlements in Boston and elsewhere. The Cambridge branch, as heretofore, offered money prizes for the best essay on civil service reform, to the Young Men's Christian Association, to the Prospect Union, and to the Young Women's Christian Association. We are especially indebted to Messrs. Dana, Waldo and Brooks for their kindness in giving addresses for schools and settlements. Mr. Waldo spoke at six places within three days. Besides holding or making arrangements for 20 meetings, the Auxiliary and its branches have supplied speakers on several occasions for schools, women's clubs, churches and other organizations.

As the Auxiliary feels its need of support from the Women's clubs, it raised a special subscription of $280 to contribute towards the entertainment of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, at its biennial convention held in Boston last June. We were fortunate in being able to arrange for Mr. Dana to give an address at one of the meetings, and also to speak and answer questions at the civil service reform conference.

Our legislative efforts were concentrated on the Spanish War Veterans' Preference Bill and the Census Bill. The Spanish War Veterans' Preference Bill again called for active opposition. As in previous years, we circulated widely a petition, urged constituents to write or speak on the subject to their Senators and Representatives, and supplied material to the newspapers. At the hearing before the Public Service Committee in February the Auxiliary was represented and presented the names of 2,553 remonstrants. About one-third of the signatures were those of men, including the names of a number of Spanish War Veterans. On the re-appearance of the bill in modified form last June, it passed the House too rapidly for us to bring any influence to bear. But it was interesting to watch the results of our work in the Senate, on the afternoon of the final passage of the bill. One Senator stated that he had received more letters in opposition to the Preference Bill than in regard to any other measure. Another read a letter from a Spanish War Veteran on our side (written at our suggestion). A third Senator read aloud our circular of remonstrance which gave the total signatures on our protest as 5,060, representing 130 cities and towns. Moreover, eight of ten of the Senators gathered around the petition and eagerly scanned the names. As the question often arises whether the names on petitions are ever looked at, we can now have the satisfaction of answering, "Sometimes, certainly."

When the League called our attention to the need of opposing the non-competitive provision in the Crumpacker Census Bill, we notified our branches and

citizens in the different congressional districts in the State, wrote to friends outside of Massachusetts, spoke on the subject at the winter meeting of the Maine Federation of Women's Clubs, distributed several hundred circulars at a meeting of the Massachusetts Federation, sent out letters and circulars to the 800 clubs belonging to the General Federation of Women's Clubs, as well as publishing a notice in their official organ, "The Federation Bulletin." Several of our branches and many of the clubs passed resolutions urging the adoption of a competitive provision, and wrote letters to their Senators and Congressmen. One energetic western club arranged for each member to send a postal card to her Congressman. We felt that this work among club branches and the women's clubs throughout the country was especially valuable as making their members realize the present need of a strong public opinion in favor of appointments under the merit system.

The following reports were received to be printed in the Proceedings:

From the Cambridge Civil Service Reform Association: The Cambridge Association has been watchful of all antagonisms, and active concerning bills of each. legislature.

One of the worst attacks of the merit system, the yearly recurring Spanish so called "War Veteran" preference bill, this year passed the legislature by a narrow margin but failed to become a law by the veto of Acting Governor Draper. This bill is so dangerous that special attention should be directed to it, as it is likely to appear each year. With equal propriety could the members of the militia who encamp a week each summer on the muster field call themselves "War Veterans" and ask for political preference on account of the dangers and horrors of war.

The Masssachusetts State Board of Trade representing 48 commercial organizations throughout the state, unanimously adopted at its recent meeting this resolution, viz. :—

The matter of giving the soldiers of the late Spanish War a

preference of fifteen per cent in civil service examinations, as embodied in a bill introduced in the Legislature, and referred to the committee on state legislation, has received our attention and opposition. The percentage of preference has been reduced to five per cent. It is hoped that the bill will be defeated, as it is unnecessary and is vicious in its character, and tends to lower the efficiency of our civil service. The larger portion of these "veterans" did not leave the confines of the United States, and never even reached a point where the smell of burnt gunpowder reached their olfactories. To place such men on a level with the veterans of our five years War of the Rebellion, would not only be a farce, but an injustice of the rankest sort, therefore it is

Resolved, That the Massachuetts State Board of Trade is unalterably opposed to giving the soldiers of the late Spanish War any preference in civil service examinations; and

Resolved, That the Massachusetts State Board of Trade affirms its adherence to civil service reform and in our public service demands the best to be had regardless of party politics, creed, color or nationality.

From the Chicago Civil Service Reform Association:

The work of the two associations is practically consolidated; their executive committees hold joint sessions, and both take up state and locai matters.

During the past year the executive committee has held several hearings, notably in the matter of a city real estate agent who was discharged by the comptroller and presented charges of favoritism, which were found not sustained by the evidence.

The officers of the Association also filed a petition for leave to file a brief and argument as amici curiae in mandamus proceedings brought to test the validity of that portion of the ordinance creating the department of smoke inspection which exempted the head of that department from the operation of the civil service law. The Appellate Court upheld the ordinance, and the matter is now pending in the Supreme Court.

The question of exemption by ordinance is one which is attracting considerable attention in Chicago. An ordinance offered in the council before the summer adjournment attempted to exempt not only the head of a newly created department but his chief assistant also, and upon a hearing before the council

sub-committee the Association appeared and raised the question of the legality of this exemption. The matter was referred to the corporation counsel, who sustained the contention of the Association, and the ordinance was accordingly modified in this particular. The Association has also conducted a number of investigations into various alleged violations of the law in individual cases and has held conferences with the city commission on modifications of the rules, the regrading of the service, and other topics of civil service interest.

The chief work in the legislative field has been in connection with plans for the securing from the next legislature the passage of a bill extending the merit system to all offices in Cook County not covered by it, and, if possible, the extension of the state service to all state employes. Before the primaries the matter of the county extension bill was taken up with all candidates for the legislature from Cook County, and the pledges of 84 secured. Of these 15 survived the primaries and the regular election, and will have seats in the next legislature. It is hoped that with this excellent beginning enough votes can be secured to pass the county bill, and perhaps secure the state extension also.

The interest of other civic organizations is being enlisted, and the extension of the merit system will undoubtedly be one of the chief questions at the coming session.

From the Cincinnati Civil Service Reform Association:

For many years our report has been a monotonous one, for we have had to tell you, year after year, that we had tried to get our legislature to pass some sort of a bill providing for a classified service, and always in vain. But at last we are able to report some substantial progress, for we have succeeded in getting a little of what we have wanted so long. Like the rest of mankind here below, we have wanted that little long.

In the bill amending certain sections of our mu