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to Cincinnati, and has, in the opinion of the local Association, secured evidence, that beyond any reasonable doubt, would justify the same treatment of the Hon. Mr. Fagin that was accorded the Assistant Treasurer at Philadelphia. We are in hopes, now that Mr. Taft is in the Cabinet and supported by such authority as Mr. Bonaparte and Mr. Root, that before the term of the gentleman expires something may happen, or at least if it does not, that the gentleman's reappointment will not take place.

The third matter which the Association asked me to tell you gentlemen was this: That never in the history of Ohio has there been such a sentiment in favor of appointment to office for merit only as at present exists; and if you gentlemen will give us, as we know you will, the same aid, the same encouragement that you have given to Wisconsin and to Illinois, much good will come not only in the enactment of a State law, but one for the county and municipality.

Dr. Amos P. Wilder, for the Civil Service Reform Association of Connecticut:

During the past year we are glad to record the passage of important laws in Illinois, Wisconsin and New Jersey. While three States have made progress in introducing the merit system, others have halted. We must report that the legislature of the State of Connecticut has in this respect failed to live up to its opportunities. Two bills were introduced into the last legislature with reference to the merit system. One was an amendment to the charter of the city of Hartford, providing for a board of civil service commissioners and for appointments to most of the ministerial positions under the city government on the basis of an examination. The other was an amendment to the New Haven charter, providing that appointments to positions under the civil service rules should be made from among those graded highest in the competitive examination. A similar clause was in the amendment to the Hartford charter, both bills thus recognizing the principle that has been uniformly applied in the Federal service, and is also embodied in the Illinois and New Jersey laws, the meaning of which is

that, if an examination is to be really competitive, some attention must be paid by the appointing board to the relative rank of those who pass, and that, if any one is eligible who passes above a certain mark, the examination becomes a pass examination but not a competitive one. The Hartford amendment went up to the legislature with the support of the mayor and common council of the city. It was favorably reported by the Committee on Cities and Boroughs, and passed the House without a dissenting vote. It failed, however, in the Senate on account of the opposition of three senators from Hartford, who thus assumed to represent the city, but who in fact, as we believe, misrepresented both its wishes and its interests. It was understood that the fate of the New Haven amendment would depend upon that of the Hartford amendment, and it consequently failed in committee.

Old civil service reformers are not in the least discouraged by occasional set-backs of this nature. They well realize that these are but the small receding waves in a steadily rising tide.

An important act of the Connecticut legislature is one which provides for a commission to investigate and report upon a plan for uniform municipal charters in the State. This is a matter which has already frequently engaged the attention of our executive committee. It cannot be said that there is absolutely unanimity in the Association on the general subject of a uniform municipal code. Many think that the differences between our cities are so great that each demands a form of government peculiar to itself. But every civil service reformer must believe that in one respect there should exist complete uniformity, and that all appointments to office should be made for merit without reference to political or personal pull. It is important that our members should exert what influence they possess upon the State Charter Commission, which is an able one, in order to secure the recognition of the merit system in whatever measure they may bring forward.

Mr. William W. Vaughan, for the Civil Service Reform Association of Massachusetts:

In a clever essay by Mr. Crothers, just published, it is stated that the word "Boston" is not so much a geographical designation as a description of a state of mind. Now, if it described my state of mind it would not be fit for public statement, because this very week, in the face of all the reform movements in the other cities of the country, Boston has, by 8,000 majority, elected a mayor who represents the spoils element, the graft principle and all the things that we do not want. Not merely that, but Mr. Curley, the gentleman who has been referred to by our chairman as a "personator" at a civil service examination, and who spent some little time in jail on that account (but who seems to be much endeared to his constituents thereby), has not only been elected a member of the Board of Aldermen, but I am told that there is every probability of his being chosen president of the Board; so that, in case of the disability or death of the mayor, Mr. Curley will succeed to his place, and become mayor of the city of Boston. As civil service reformers we can scarcely view that possibility with any great satisfaction.

However discouraging affairs may be in the city, matters in the State House do not present so melancholy an aspect. The Spanish War Veterans' Exemption bill, which is an annual attempt to destroy the civil service law, has been again defeated; and not only defeated, but in a very favorable way. The progress which has been made is worth noting. The first time that bill was presented it passed both houses and was stopped only by Governor Wolcott's veto. The second year it passed the House but was stopped in the Senate. The third year it came to a tie in the House, but the Speaker voted against it, and we were saved. The next time it passed the committee and was reported, but was defeated in the House by a majority of thirteen. And now this year it was defeated unanimously in committee and never reached the House at all. That is a most interesting tale of progress.

I want to say here that a great deal of that progress has been due to the work of the Women's. Auxiliary.

They presented petitions from no less than sixty different towns in the State, and that seemed very impressive to the legislators. I have no doubt it had a great deal to do with their unanimous report.

But while we have had nothing done against us in the legislature, yet we have ourselves gained nothing whatever. They apparently are afraid of the law and do not intend to disturb it in any way, but they have not the slightest idea of extending it. We were given leave to withdraw on the "publication of expenses" and various other matters which we wished to pass. The general result is a "stand off."

I think it is going to take us some years to gain any advance, but with the help of the Women's Auxiliary I believe we shall make that advance in the course of time. Mr. Albert de Roode, for the Civil Service Reform Association of New York:

The New York Association has cause for gratification at the results of its activity during the past year. There have been distinct gains in securing a proper enforcement of the civil service law and a wider acceptance of its principles; abuses have been checked, if not corrected, and a beneficial publicity given to violations of the law. The Association has incurred the respect, if not always the affection, of those entrusted with the admin-` istration of the law. As the dominant political party in New York City can seldom be expected to support the principles of civil service reform, and as the extent of the service affords opportunity for numerous violations and evasions, only continued vigilance can secure appreciable gain.

In the State service there has been improvement, and it will probably continue, but the classification of positions is still unsatisfactory in that the number of exempt is disproportionate to the number of competitive places. The decisions of the courts are responsible to a great extent for this condition in the county services, but exclusive of these there are 594 exempt as against 2,777 competitive places in the State service. Until their classification is brought more into accord with the constitutional provision, that all places shall be filled through

competition where practicable, the improvement in the State service cannot be regarded as thorough.

The Association feels gratified at the appointment by Governor Higgins to a place on the State Commission of a member of our Executive Committee, R. C. E. Brown, whose able work on the Commission has contributed largely to the progress of civil service reform. In accordance with the recommendations of the Governor in his annual message, the civil service rules have been extended to the services of four additional counties where such extension was practicable. Chiefly through its secretary and its chief examiner the Commission has conducted in the various cities throughout the State, investigations into the administration of the civil service law, which have been productive of excellent results, notably the removal of the Civil Service Commission of the City of Troy for "inefficiency, incompetency, neglect of duty and violations of the civil service law and of the rules and regulations in force thereunder." This action has had an invigorating influence on the civil service throughout the various cities.

It is a matter of common knowledge that political assessments are more or less regularly levied upon State employees, particularly at the capital. Owing to the difficulty of securing adequate evidence it has been impossible heretofore to accomplish any very definite result. This year the Association was able to secure evidence of the collection of assessments in the office of the Fiscal Supervisor of the State Board of Charities. Upon the presentation of the facts to the State Commission it held an inquiry which disclosed that seven employees had each contributed an average assessment of three per cent. of his annual salary. Some of these assessments were paid by check and others in cash, mysteriously placed on an official's desk. The evidence thus collected involved the private secretary of the Fiscal Supervisor, and in one case the Fiscal Supervisor himself. Upon their request the investigation was postponed, but at the postponed hearing objection was raised as to the power of the Commission to conduct the investigation. The matter was referred to the Attorney General, who decided in favor of

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