United States Civil Service Commission, Washington, D. C., January 25, 1885. SIR: We have the honor to submit herewith the second annual report of the United States Civil Service Commission for the year ending January 16, 1885. DORMAN B. EATON, LEROY D. THOMAN, The PRESIDENT. CONTENTS. APPLICANTS, INSTRUCTIONS FOR. See Appendix No. 5, page 83, and............................ Examinations, number of and where held Numbers examined and appointed. Ages of those examined and appointed, Appendix No. 6 and Grades and subjects of examination, Appendix No. 1, Rule 7 .8, 21, 22 Classified service, meaning of..... Competitive examinations, meaning of Departmental examinations General examinations Page. 14 7 .7, 8, 11, 12 8 10, 11 9 10 10 10, 11 The examiners Quota of a State Limited examinations The three branches of the service defined, Appendix No. 2, Rule 5 Examinations and appointments in the postal and customs service.. Principle on which law and rules are based Meaning of a merit system and merit service.... Numbers of applications and examinations. Time and place of holding examinations Certifications and appointments Views of committee of House of Representatives as to Commission 10, 11 9 11 11, 12 12 13 .13, 45, 46, 49 .14, 45, 47, 48 18-22 .7, 8, 11, 12, 16 16 17, 18 18 19-22 22 Residence of those examined, Appendix No. 6, Tables 4 and 5.... Civil service act, Appendix No. 1.... Civil service rules, Appendix No. 2 Civil service regulations, Appendix No. 3 Boards of examiners, Appendix No. 4 Instructions to applicants, Appendix No. 5... Statistical tables, Appendix No. 6 Questions used, Appendix No. 7... Political assessment law of New York, Appendix No. 8.. 52, 53, 54 54 55,56 SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. The enforcement of the civil service act of January 16, 1883, has been found both practicable and effective for the accomplishment of its purpose. Only the continuing support of the Executive and moderate appropriations by Congress are needed for the extension of the new system which the civil service law and rules have established. Within the period covered by this report, from January 16, 1884, to January 16, 1885, applicants have been examined from every State of the Union, and from every Territory except Idaho. In all the States except Oregon and Nevada examinations have been held at one or more places, and in several of the larger and also of the more populous States they have been held at from three to six different places. The intrinsic difficulty of arranging for examinations at points over so vast a country, which should be satisfactory to all those desiring to attend them, was apparent from the first. The Commission is therefore well satisfied with that success, in this particular, which enables it to say that no complaint has reached it that the examinations have not been reasonably convenient for applicants. NUMBER EXAMINED AND APPOINTED. The whole number of persons examined under the Commission dur ing the year has been 6,347, of whom 5,525 were males and 822 were females. The whole number of examinations held has been 162, all of which have been competitive except seventeen, at which only 22 persons were examined. Of the non-competitive examinations eleven were held under Special Rule No. 1, for which see Appendix No. 2, and the residue were held under Rule No. 20, and Regulations No. 36 to 41, and for reasons therein required, except that 2 were held for examining persons for higher positions who had entered the service through limited examinations. If to those examined during the past year, the number examined during the period covered by the first annual report be added, the whole number thus far examined will appear to be 9,889. Of the 6,347 examined during the past year 4,141 attained the minimum of 65 per cent., which makes them eligible for appointment, and 2,206 failed to show that degree of proficiency, and consequently are 7 |