appointments were duly authorized in detail by the Commission.

Since our last report, the following positions have been added to the excepted list: In the Isthmian Canal service, judges, marshals and clerks of most of the courts, occasional court officers, such as referees, trustees, etc., notaries public, mayors, municipal secretaries, assessors of taxes, one private secretary to the governor, captains. of police, detectives, corporals and privates of the police force, and all mechanical and skilled manual employees appointed regularly upon the Isthmus at $4.00 a day or less, or $100 a month or less, by order of January 5, 1905. It is not possible to ascertain the number of these positions. By order of April 1, 1905, positions of firemen on torpedo planters (15), and by orders of January 12, and March 3c, 1905, 1,069 laborers who, in 1902, were found stil performing the duties of classified employees, and who have continuously performed such duties ever since, were admitted into the lower grades of the classified service, to be promoted or transferred to higher grades only on non-competitive.examination. It has been the purpose of the President and of the Civil Service Commission thoroughly to close the back door entrance into the service, so common a few years ago, that of appointing persons nominally as laborers to do clerical work. By a series of orders, this has now been most effectively done, the whole labor service being put under registration regulations in the control of the Civil Service Commission, and the auditors of the Treasury being especially warned not to pass any pay for laborers unless their employment is certified as correct by the Civil Service Commission. It seemed expedient, however, to retain in the service those who were found there in 1902, and are still performing the same class of duties.

The positions of inspectors of tobacco and tea in Chicago have recently (Nov. 18) been added to the excepted list on the recommendation of the Commission, not because of its inability to test the capacity and fitness for these positions, but practically Because it has been outwitted in its attempt to enforce the law that particular custom house through a series of temporary appointments

1912

unduly continued and unsatisfactory examinations. It seemed better to exempt the places than allow the appointees to be included in the competitive service.

The question arises whether or not the whole method of making exceptions, and the covering in of persons. improperly appointed, may not lead to a new method of evading the law, or at least a very lax enforcement of it, which will tend to bring the law into disrepute.

On the other hand, since our last report, the following positions have been put into the competitive class: 548 in the Forestry Reserve; twenty-nine in the permanent service of the Alaska customs; ninety special agents and inspectors in the land service; 353 cashiers and finance clerks in the postoffices; and 157 in the immigration service in foreign countries contiguous to the United States, making a total of 127. By order of November 10, 1905, all consular positious with compensation of not less than $1,000 a year, are to be filled by promotion or reinstatement, or upon examination after nomination, that is, by a "pass" examination, under the control of the department itself. This practically extends the previous limited order of President Cleveland to the higher positions with compensation of over $2,500 a year; and on the same date the offices of secretary of embassy and legation were put on a similar basis. When the President and the Secretary of State, for the time being, are in favor of merit appointments, the order may be made to work well; but examinations conducted by a department to prevent itself from making appointments which it wishes to make, do not furnish a serious check, as was shown under the original order, of which this is an extension, on a change of administration. The "pass" examinations proved them to be "farce" examinations. It is hoped that the examinations may be made competitive, limited if not open, or, if the "pass" examination still remains, that it be conducted by some independent board like the Civil Service Commission. Secretary Root, to whom, we are informed, belongs in large part the credit of the extension, admits that it is only a step in the right direction. He will try to secure legislation from Congress which will permit him to put the consuls and secretaries of lega

tion under a competitive system or otherwise to perfect the present order. We confidently believe that this will lead to the final overthrow of the spoils system in the consular appointments.

The President has, during the year, modified the order on removals from the classified service. The whole subject being one by no means free from doubt and difference of opinion among leading members of the League, has been referred to a special committee for report.

The general work of the National Civil Service Commission, with the exceptions already mentioned, has gone on satisfactorily. For the year ending June 30, 1905, 148,730 persons were examined, a gain of 15,661 over the previous year; 39,427 were appointed after examination, or 9,867 less than the year before, the decrease being due almost entirely to the falling off in the rural carriers and in the navy yard service which the year before were being rapidly filled.

In view of the large number of persons examined, it is proposed by the Civil Service Commission to charge a fee of from 50 cents to $2.00, according to the grade of examination. This seems wise, in consideration of the large number applying, the small cost to each one, and the tendency of the fee to keep away those who only pass the examination for the sake of the record in aiding them to get private employment, or those whose unfitness makes their trial useless. In Great Britain, not only are small fees charged, but even specimen papers and reports, which we give gratis, have there to be paid for.

The various labor boards have been consolidated, under the Commission in Washington, and under the district boards in most of the large cities of the country, twenty-four in number, thus securing uniformity and simplicity of administration.

Congress passed the appropriation granting the increase asked for to enable the Commission to establish its field force of secretaries and assistant secretaries, and its rural carrier examination boards, and now the examination work is practically up to date.

Judge Francis E. Baker, of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals, was, by investigation of the Civil Ser

vice Commission, found to have violated the civil service law in relation to soliciting contributions for political purposes from government employees. The finding was turned over to the Attorney General with the evidence. The Attorney General publicly corroborated the finding of the Commission, but reported the case barred by the statute of limitations.

On the other hand, the Federal grand jury at Indianapolis has just indicted Colonel Huffman upon the charge of violating the same statute.

On December 13, 1904, Frank H. Cunningham, president of the National Association of Rural Carriers, and James C. Keller, president of the National Association. of Letter Carriers, were dismissed from the service because of pernicious political activity in attempting to influence Congressmen to support bills providing for increased pay.

On June 20, 1905, Clarence Meeser, Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue at Philadelphia, after an investigation ordered by the President, was dismissed on the grounds of moral unfitness, Meeser was one of a well known gang of ballot stuffers.

At Louisville, the Post Office Department issued an order, on the report of the Civil Service Commission, requiring the assistant postmaster to resign his position. in the Federal service, or his membership in the Republican State Central Committee. The department further directed that the classified employees should be instructed to comply strictly with the regulations regarding political activity.

On November 27, 1905, William S. Leib, Assistant United States Treasurer at Philadelphia, was dismissed. by the President for constant and persistent violation of the civil service law while in office.

George M. Emmons, a laborer in the Philadelphia mint, was suspended without pay for fourteen days, for undue political activity. This seemed to establish a precedent for extending to the unclassified service the prohibition against pernicious activity in politics.

In its latest report, the Philippine Civil Service Board

says:

Of the thirty-four subordinate officials, some of whom were defaulters, separated from the service without a good record, during the nine months ending June 30, 1904, only one entered the service as the result of an examination and certification by the board. * * * As a result of observation and experience, the board has reached the conclusion that rigid and comprehensive examinations, adapted to applicants with a liberal education, are essential to strict integrity and a high degree of efficiency in the Philippine service.

Commissioner Cooley visited Governor Winthrop in Porto Rico during the year, and aided in drafting a bill which passed the lower House of Porto Rico, but was rejected by the upper House, owing to the provision requiring competitive examinations for present incumbents. Governor Winthrop is hopeful of securing its passage next year.

As to the work of our local organizations in the various States-the Pennsylvania Association has a fair chance, in view of the recent overturn of the ring, to secure a civil service law for the State, and the cities thereof, at the next session of the legislature. It is taking active steps towards that consummation so devoutly to be wished.

At the request of the New York Association the State Commission investigated the administration of the civil service law in New York City. The findings showed that the law was not being properly enforced and there is now a chance of a decided improvement. While Warren B. Hooker, Justice of the Supreme Court, was not removed for lack of the necessary two-thirds vote of the legislature, yet a majority vote against him shows the general condemnation, even in a New York State Assembly, against abuse of a public position to secure wrongful appointments and transfers in the Federal civil service. In New York, the civil service law has been extended to four additional counties.

In Massachusetts, of the Curleys, convicted and imprisoned for impersonation in a Federal civil service examination, Thomas F., the candidate for the State legislature from Boston, was defeated for re-election, but the other, James M., candidate for the board of aldermen, has just been re-elected.