any good bill which might be prepared. It was a very long time before the bill was completed and a copy obtainable. Finally when it was prepared and submitted to us we turned our attention to promoting its passage as far as we were able to do so, and we had the co-operation of a large number of very influential men throughout the State as officers of our Association. There were many currents of influence and presently the amusing spectacle began to be observed of both factions of the Republican party in the legislature being inclined to compete with each other to see which one should pass that bill; and not being extremely positive in our own minds that we were experts in the matter of civil service reform, or that the bill was all that it should be (some of us having been chained down to executive work of a minor character in promoting organization and thus growing more ignorant. as time went on, of principles and their application) I again consulted with Mr. Bonaparte, and the result of that was that having appeared at the inception, the National Civil Service Reform League appeared also in the end. Mr. Dana and Mr. Goodwin and the Hon. Mr. Cooley, Civil Service Commissioner at Washington, were invited here on the previous assurance of Mr. Bonaparte that aid would come whenever needed, and I believe they also had an invitation from some of the members of the legislature, and made addresses at a banquet in Milwaukee at which Hon. John M. Whitehead, our ablest and most influential Senator, became deeply impressed with the value of the merit system for this State. They then went to Madison and appeared before the legislature to propose some very extensive and important amendments to the bill, nearly all of which were adopted, and as a result of the combined efforts of our friends in the legislature and our friends in the National Civil Service Reform League, together with what little we were able to do ourselves, we now possess a law which some one during these sessions has been kind enough to say was a very excellent piece of legislation of its kind. There are abundant opportunities in the future for the State Civil Service Reform Association, and I think it may well address itself to the prevention of exemptions in the appointments under

the present law. I think there is nothing further to say on this subject and I am very much obliged to you for your kind attention.

The following reports were also received and ordered printed:

From Hon. John Read, for the Civil Service Reform Association of Cambridge:

The Cambridge Civil Service Reform Association reports a continued active interest in the objects of civil service reform. The Association has a membership of 106 names, and it has been watchful of measures which threatened the efficiency of civil service laws, its members having appeared at hearings in our legislature in protest against the enactment of bills detrimental to its objects.

The Spanish War Veterans' preference bill was again presented in 1905. A large number of remonstrants, including members of our Association, protested against its enactment and the committee reported unanimously against its passage.

The most important attack in Massachusetts on the system was the act "to prevent removal from office." Many protested against the passage of the bill, which renders it difficult to remove employees who ought not to be retained and is thus in opposition to the true spirit of the merit system, but the bill was passed and now no removals can be made without a trial. Effort will be made the coming year for the repeal of this act. The Cambridge Association holds itself ready for effective work when necessity arises.

From Mr. Robert D. Jenks, for the Civil Service Reform Association of Pennsylvania:

During the past year the Pennsylvania Association can report substantial progress in the direction of civil service reform. One of the most effective steps taken by the Mayor during the political revolution in Philadelphia in the Spring of 1905 was the removal of the former secretary of the Civil Service Board, Mr. Dance. This man had so conducted the work of the Civil Service Board, of which he was the active manager, that the entire examination system of the city had become a farce. No adequate examinations were ever held, and so many

names were certified from such examinations as did take place that it was possible for political leaders to always secure the appointment of the man they desired. The conduct of examinations was so veiled in secrecy that it was impossible for any representative of the public to ascertain in any way whether or not even the meagre commands of the city charter on the civil service reform were being carried out. The result of all these defects was that the public had completely lost faith in the administration of the civil service system.

By the removal of Mr. Dance the Mayor struck a stinging blow to the "corrupt and criminal combination masquerading" as a political organization which had arranged appointments and manipulated the office-holders for its exclusive benefit. By the appointment of the new secretary, Hon. Frank M. Riter, the Mayor proved his sincerity and won public confidence in his announced plan to build up a modern and efficient civil service system in the city. Mr. Riter was some years ago Director of Public Safety, and thus possessed a full knowledge of the practical details of the work of one of the most important departments of the city. Since he has been Secretar of the Civil Service Board, a position which he accepte at great personal sacrifice, public confidence in the administration of that office has been restored. No more striking proof of this could be had than the marked increase in the number of applicants for positions under the se vice of the city. Much remains to be done to make these good results permanent, for at the present time no proper civil service rules are in existence. A new draft of rules has been prepared and will shortly be submitted by the Mayor to the Civil Service Board, which under the terms of the city charter is composed of the heads of departments themselves.

It is also satisfactory to report that to a very large. extent the municipal office-holders have been freed from compulsory political assessments, which were formerly levied upon them by unscrupulous ward leaders, and the payment of which was enforced under threat of instant removal. Furthermore, much has already been done in the direction of keeping the city's employees from taking

a perniciously active part in politics. The policemen and firemen have been directed to withdraw from membership on political committees and the Mayor has announced his belief that all employees should refrain from any political activity and should be relieved from the payment of any political contributions.

In connection with the Federal service within Pennsylvania, the Association can report on two very important cases in which it took part. Last February it presented to the President a complaint setting forth that one Clarence Meeser had been appointed a deputy collector of internal revenue and asking the President to remove him on the ground that he was morally unfit to serve in any capacity under the United States. The statement of the Association pointed out that Meeser, together with a number of other persons, had been charged with conspiracy to commit election frauds and that the election frauds referred to had been undoubtedly committed, in that at a certain election two hundred fraudulent ballots had been stuffed into a ballot box prior to the polls being opened. The Association admitted that Meeser had been tried by a jury and acquitted, but had stated that the facts surrounding this trial, coupled with the admissions of one of the defendants, which were utterly disregarded by the jury, were such as to show that there had been a grave miscarriage of justice. After a thorough investigation by the Civil Service Commission the President was convinced that the charges of the Association were well founded and summarily dismissed Meeser from the service of the United States. This action, it is hoped, has definitely stopped the attempt to use, offices under the Federal government to reward political criminals who have aided by their acts the so-called "organization" which lately dominated Philadelphia politics.

The other important Federal case in which the Association took part resulted in the removal of William S. Leib, formerly Assistant Treasurer of the United States at Philadelphia. Leib had been definitely charged by the Association with pernicious political activity, with being connected, directly or indirectly, with soliciting or receiving contributions from other Federal employees and with

exhibiting a persistent desire to ignore the spirit if not the letter of the United States civil service law, in that he constantly employed various temporary appointees, although he might have made selection from the regular eligible lists. In addition, the Civil Service Commission presented evidence which was the basis of even more serious charges against Leib. After a very thorough investigation, not only by the Commission, but also by the President, Mr. Leib was dismissed from the service of the United States for a persistent disregard of the provisions of the civil service rules and for his connection with an attempted fraud by which he apparently hoped to secure the appointment of certain members of his family to positions in the Sub-Treasury.

The Association can finally report that throughout the State of Pennsylvania and particularly in the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburg, there is a growing interest in the subject of civil service reform. At the next regular session of the legislature it will present for consideration a State civil service reform bill, and in the meantime it will conduct an active campaign which it hopes may be successful to such an extent that the legislature will pass the bill proposed by the Association.

From Mr. Charles G. Baldwin, for the Civil Service Reform Association of Maryland: (Report of the Executive Committee, May 31, 1905.)

The facts that the legislature of Maryland has not been in session during the past year, and that no complaints have been made to this committee of any failures to enforce the Federal civil service law in this State, or as to the working of the merit system in the appointments and promotions under the Police Board or Fire Commissioners or the Public School Board, have relieved this Association from any specially active duties since the last annual meeting, although existing conditions indicate that there may be more work for our successors during the next twelve months.

The Act of Assembly of 1904 creating the Sewerage Commission of the City of Baltimore and authorizing the submission to the people of the ordinance-which has since been ratified-for the issue of stock to the amount