proportion of the city employees, are business men who know the value of the merit system and who believe in the necessity of its application to city affairs and the conscientious execution of this law.

It will appear in the annual report of the Civil Service Commissioners next month that seven thousand two hundred and seventy persons have been examined and certified for appointment, under the law, during the past year; and something over ten thousand since this administration came in. It will also appear that three hundred and seventy-five examinations have been held so far in this administration, and that only fifty-nine remain to be held. These fifty-nine examinations are required in order to cover the positions of that number of “sixty day men," and will be held before April first, after which, as the report will show, there will be no sixty day men (men holding temporary appointments) in the city service.

The Supreme Court of Illinois has sustained the civil service law in all its important features. This court is composed of eminent lawyers, some of them from sections of the State where the doctrine of Civil Service Reform is as unfamiliar as the Hebrew language. Every objection that a sleepless hostility could frame has been hurled at this court in the last two years, and. without regard to previous condition of political servitude or present considerations of political policy these judges have unanimously confirmed the constitutionality of the law, both State and National, and approved its principle and its scope. So comprehensive and so well-reasoned are these decisions that I predict their adoption by the Supreme Court of the United States whenever a civil service law reaches that tribunal.

The latest decision of the Illinois Supreme Court (rendered within the last few weeks) puts the employees in the four important offices of the City Clerk, City Collector, City Comptroller and City Treasurer, under the provisions of the act. To the surprise of the friends of the law a decision appeared in the morning papers one day, rendered by two Judges (of the Circuit and Superior Courts) holding that these four offices are not covered by the law. This decision appeared to have been made in a submission" case between the incumbents of two of those offices. The Civil Service Commissioners, notwithstanding this decision, immediately instituted proceedings in the Supreme Court to test the question, and that Court has decided that the offices in question are covered by the law, and has issued a writ of mandamus commanding these officers to follow the provisions thereof in the appointment of their employees. Since that decision examinations have been held, and the vacancies in those offices have been filled, under the law.

There will be, probably, a decision soon in the case brought by the Civil Service Commissioners, and now pending in the Supreme Court, to compel the Board of Education to come under the provisions of the law.

For St. Louis, Mr. Albert L. Berry:

I come from a city which was settled by the French, is inhabited by Americans, guarded by the Irish, and ruled to-day by the Germans.

You see how difficult, yet how necessary that such a city should have Civil Service Reform. The organic laws which form the frame work of our city government, emanated from a party of freeholders, about a quarter of a century ago, and are known as the Scheme and Charter of the City of St. Louis, which placed our city in the hands of its own people, free from the interference of State Legislature or State officials. All amendments to our City Charter must be recommended by its legislative bodies, and receive the approval of the people at a special election.

As there were to be submitted last Spring a number of amendments to our City Charter, a movement was inaugurated by the Civic Federation, early in the Winter, to have an amendment known as the Merit System Amendment, submitted with other amendments, then in the hands of the Council, to a vote of the people.

A Citizens' Committee was formed, composed of such representative bodies as the Merchants' Exchange, the Business Men's League, the Central Trades and Labor Union, the Commercial Club, the Civil Service Reform League, and some twenty other bodies, representing every commercial, industrial, civic and social organization of prominence in the city. An amendment was drafted under the supervision of Mr. Henry Hitchcock, whom you all know rocked the cradle of Civil Service Reform in this country, has been godfather to its principles and godmother to its needs.

The amendment was submitted to the City Council, and while we waited for the decision, as to whether that body would allow the people to vote upon a question, which by voice, petitions and resolutions, they had so strongly appealed, a good deal of work was done, especially among the trades and labor unions, who saw at once its need and benefit, and rendered us valuable and efficient aid. By their assistance and the assistance rendered us by the business men, in allowing our literature to be circulated through the medium of their pay envelopes, and by the aid of the press and the mail, we were able to make known to almost our entire reading population, what was meant by the Merit System, and the needs and benefits to be derived by its adoption into our City Charter.

Both bodies of our Municipal Assembly had recently been elected by quite large majorities, and thought themselves so strong that they could defy public opinion, and carry any measure they desired. Both of these bodies refused to allow the Merit System Amendment to be submitted to a vote of the people; but the amendments which they did submit were so dangerous and oppressive, that we would have been placed in the awkward position of having to defeat our own measure if it had been submitted, as we could not have supported our own amendment in company with those submitted, for fear of passing both. When the amendments the Council did submit came before the people for adoption, the Citizens' Committee opposed them, and made a vigorous fight against their adoption, and they were defeated by a vote of three The Merit System has now become so well known and endorsed that I am confident that at next Spring's election, when six new members are elected to the Council and a new House of Delegates is chosen, that new amendments will be submitted to the people which all

to one.

citizens can endorse, and you can rest assured that any amendments to our Charter, which will receive sufficient support from our people to be adopted, will embrace the amendment known as the Merit System.

For Harvard University, Mr. F. C. Sutro.

The Civil Service Reform Club of Harvard University differs from those organizations from which we have just heard such gratifying reports, in that, unlike these, it has no immediate field for action; but must devote its efforts solely and purely in the line of education. This object, however, may not be overlooked. Harvard University, ever first in accomplishing the immediate purposes for which men visit her, tries also to be first in keeping them in close aud continuous touch with the things that are going on in the world about her. In line with this policy, the Civil Service Reform Club was founded about five years ago, remained for a year or two in a flourishing condition, and then, partly through lack of sufficiently large membership, partly through the adoption of an inefficient and unprogressive policy, gradually, I regret to say, fell into insignificance. This year, however, several members of the class of Ninty-nine have taken up the cause energetically, and the presence of a delegate in this impressive assembly is the best evidence of their success that I can offer. We hope in the course of the year to restore the organization to its original vigor.

Mr. Murray Nelson, Jr., of the Chicago Citizens Association, reported as follows with regard to legislation in the matter of civil service reform, successfully conducted by that organization and other relevant matters:

Illinois may well be proud that she is among the very few States having a merit system in municipal government. The Illinois Civil Service Law has this year survived the combined attack of its whole souled enemies and its half hearted friends. The law has been sustained by the Supreme Court of Illinois in an opinion of the greatest scope and completeness, which, upon review, the Court at Washington did not disturb. An interpretation has been given of value to all students of the subject.

The Citizens' Association of Chicago, which I have the honor to represent, through the able and efficient Attorney-General of Illinois, Mr. Edward C. Akin, is entitled to all credit for its expenditure of time, money and energy in this cause. They succeeded in Chicago where the present municipal authorities are either the avowed opponents of the Merit System or its timid friends.

The present Mayor at the earliest opportunity removed without cause the very excellent Civil Service Commission selected by his predecessor and appointed a new commission, who proceeded to "interpret" the law in accordance with the opinion of the Mayor's Corporation Counsel, a zealous and sincere advocate of the Spoils System, to the end that the unclassified list of the City of Chicago might take in as many active spoilsmen as possible. This interpretation the Illinois Supreme Court has swept away.

No ideal situation has been realized; the Merit System is young and the spoils system is very old, but it has been fairly demonstrated in Chicago, at least, that vigorous action, strict and just interpretation of the law are not damaging to the cause of Civil Service Reform.

A rightful law however unpopular at the outset, if properly and strictly enforced makes hearty friends. Lax enforcement and loose interpretation may avoid the antagonism of enemies, but active friendship in a cause like this far outweighs the advantage got by concessions to the enemy. This statement may seem inconsistent with practical politics. We are advised not to seek enforcement of the Civil Service Law lest it be repealed. I for one believe that the advocacy of the Merit System is part of the most practical politics. The result of the November election in Chicago tends to sustain this belief.

In that election the democratic platform contained the following language: "We pronounce the present civil service law inefficient, mischievous and hostile to the regnant principles of popular government. The enforcement that this law has had in Cook County has abundantly proved to us that it greatly adds to the burdens of the taxpayers, destroys the sense of responsibility in the heads of governmental departments, tends to create an official class to the exclusion of other equally deserving and capable citizens and utterly fails to secure the best men for public service. We believe that the people should be allowed through the ballot to select officers who shall be wholly and unqualifiedly responsible to the electors for success or failure in their several offices; and believing that this law, an exotic imported from monarchic governments beyond the seas, prevents such responsibility, we demand its repeal."

The Republican platform condemned the City administration for its "palpable attempts to evade the provisions of the Civil Service Law."

After the election, Mayor Harrison, one of the party leaders in Illinois, in an interview published in several Chicago papers, ascribed the defeat of the democrats to the Civil Service Law, which, he said, had prevented the rank and file, who were too ignorant to pass examinations, and so were without hope of holding office, from taking an interest in the election. This from an opponent of the Merit System is perhaps as good an argument for it as the most ardent advocate could wish.

The people are for the Merit System and whenever the people vote they vote for it. The people in Chicago voted for its adoption by a majority of two to one. The small politicians are hostile, but it has been demonstrated often enough that the people outvote the small politicians. The small politicians in their caucuses and ward clubs may declare the Merit System unAmerican, monarchical or hypocritical, but to take their declaration as expressive of the popular will is the narrowest and stupidest politics.

I believe in practical politics, and I believe also that the most practical politics consults rather the many who do not seek public office than the few who do.

Mr. William E. Cushing, representing the Cleveland Chamber of Coinmerce, reported respecting the recent activity

of that body in the movement for the reform of the Consular Service as follows:

Last year the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce passed resolutions expressing its desire that the Consular service of the United States should be put on a merit basis, and requesting Congress to take action in that regard by passing either the Lodge bill or the Morgan bill, or some other equally effective measure.

About two weeks ago the directors of the Chamber reaffirmed these resolutions and sent delegates to Washington to urge affirmative action on the part of Congress and of the administration. The delegates were courteously received by the President, and are now taking steps to obtain an opportunity for a hearing before the House Committee on Foreign Relations.

Our action has attracted public attention to a degree that we did not anticipate. A good deal of mention has been made of it in the press despatches and in the editorial columns of newspapers, and letters are beginning to come to us from other chambers of commerce saying that they have heard of our action, and that they approve of it and propose to imitate it. If the business organizations of the country will seriously undertake to impress upon the authorities their wish that this reform, so important to the business interests of the country, be instituted, it may be that something will be accomplished sooner than we expect.

Hon. John R. Procter, President of the United States Civil Service Commission, responding to the invitation of the president, then made an informal address, in the course of which he read to the League certain highly interesting extracts from advance sheets of the annual reports of bureau officers, testifying to the value of the merit system in technical branches of the service. Mr. Procter stated that the commission has met with difficulties in conducting its examinations only in those branches where the officers in control have shown their hostility to the system, and failed properly to co-operate in the preparation of the necessary tests.

At the conclusion of the regular order, Mr. Potts, of New York, moved that the cordial and grateful thanks of the League be extended to the Civil Service Reform Association of Mary land, and to the ladies of the Arundel and Arundel Good Government Clubs, for the courteous and generous hospitality extended by them to the visiting delegates during the period of these meetings.

Mr. Wilby moved that the same acknowledgment be made of the hospitality received from Mr. William Keyser, of the Maryland Association.