scarcely tell you all the iniquities that are perpetrated in Maryland in the name of the spoils system, and therefore I will not attempt to recount any. As a matter of fact, we have had during the present year, a number of very interesting object lessons in the municipal service of the city of Baltimore, and, in one instance, in the Baltimore post office, of the effect of appointing officers to positions of public trust by reason of the motives which are recognized as legitimate in the spoils system. To mention just one: Some time ago, there was a change in the office of the city register, the principal financial officer of the city, a Republican going out, and being succeeded by a Democrat. The Democrat thereupon changed some of the clerks, most if not all, if I remember aright, in his office, and distributed the places among more or less influential politicians, in the sense that they were to designate the particular victors who should enjoy those especial spoils, and one of them designated a prominent young politician who was described, and apparently with entire truth, as being "a dead game sport." He proved himself so by relieving the city of some $67,000. During the time that he was in there, he held, it should be said, an office of which the annual salary was $900; and spent each year about $15,000 to $20,000; he was entrusted as a part of his duties to make deposits of city money in the various banks and, adopting substantially the principle which was advocated by the unjust steward in the parable, he deposited less money than he was given to deposit, but the balance enured, not to the benefit of the debtor, that is to say, of the bank, but to the benefit of the messenger, namely, himself. This gentleman has been twice tried for his offences. On neither occasion could the State get a jury to convict him, the general impression being that the whole story had not been told with regard to him, and that he was being used, in some measure, as a scapegoat for other offenders. He has returned recently from spending some little time at a mountain resort, and says he is in excellent health, and very anxious to be tried a third time, and I believe he will be gratified. On the strength of this, and of several other incidents. which I have not time to relate, there was a considerable movement in favor of reform of some sort in the city administration, and one member of one branch of the city council introduced a city ordinance intended to secure some application of the merit system in the selection of officials of the same grade as this worthy individual. That was promptly voted down by the branch of the city council, with an entire obliteration of party lines, except in so far as the one person who introduced it cast one vote in its favor. There are, as has been, I suppose, already called to the attention of the League, for some time past in the charter of the city of Baltimore, various provisions introducing to a greater or less extent the system of appointment through merit among the teachers of the public schools, the policemen and the firemen. These provisions, and some others of the city charter have been inconvenient to the local statesmen, and there has been a strong demand among those statesmen for a revision of the city charter, and, as a result of that demand, provision was made for the appointment of a charter commission, after a pretty long struggle on the question, apparently one of minor importance, but really a very important one, as to whether the mayor should be obliged to appoint the members of this commission from wards or districts, or should be allowed to appoint them from any part of the city in which persons whom he thought suitable might reside. I am happy to say that the principle of general eligibility of citizens for the appointment prevailed, and the mayor took advantage of the opportunity, for which, it is proper to say, he deserves very great credit, to appoint an exceptionally good commission. Of the nine members seven at least are members of our Maryland Association. sibly the other two may be also, but I don't remember that fact. And at least five of those seven are members of our executive committee. We have hopes, therefore, that in consequence of judicious suggestion made from various quarters, and among other quarters, from our Association, the commission will embody in the revised charter which it will submit, much larger and more thorough application of the merit system than that contained Pos in the charter now in force. In fact, I have very little doubt, I may say I have none at all, that they will do that, but the question whether or not the legislature will act favorably upon that part of their recommendation, is one as to which I deem it inexpedient at the present moment to hazard a confident opinion. In glancing over the proceedings of the League last year at Pittsburg, I noticed that my good friend, Mr. Tuck, who, on that occasion, reported for the Maryland Association, suggested the capital of our state, Annapolis, as a suitable meeting place for the League. It would be, I think, especially if it took place during a session of the legislature, a very suitable place on the principle that a medical congress could be properly held in the seat of a pestilence, but I must admit that it is uncertain whether anything which is marked with the brand of civil service reform, will pass muster at Annapolis. It was generally supposed, I may mention, that the portions of the charter relating to the public schools of Baltimore City, which were for the most part (I think, entirely), prepared by your predecessor, the late President Gilman, were only adopted by the legislature because the members of the legislature were quite incapable of understanding them. It is possible that the present commission may be able to make its recommendations in regard to the extension of the merit system with the same felicitous obscurity, and if it does, there will be the greater chance, I think, of their being adopted by the Solons of the state capitol. All I can say further than that, Mr. President, is that our Association sees before it plenty of work to do, and we welcome assistance from any of its sister associations who find time hanging heavy on their hands, and are looking forth for other worlds to conquer. AT SECOND SESSION. Mendelssohn Hall, Thursday Evening, December 9th. T 8.45 p. m. the League reconvened at Mendelssohn Hall. Mr. Samuel H. Ordway, chairman of the Executive Committee of the New York Civil Service Reform Association, presided. President Charles W. Eliot delivered the President's Annual Address.1 Hon. Walter L. Fisher, of Chicago, delivered an address." Hon. Edward M. Shepard, of New York City, delivered an address. THIRD SESSION. City Club, Friday Morning, December 10th. TII a. m. the League reconvened, President Eliot in the chair. Col. Silas W. Burt presented the report of the Committee on Nominations, as follows: AT Nathanial H. Davis, Henry W. Hardon, William B. Moulton, Charles Richardson, Charles D. Willard, Frederick C. Winkler, Cincinnati, Ohio. New Haven, Conn. Milwaukee, Wis. Philadelphia, Pa. Philadelphia, Pa. Cambridge, Mass. It was moved and seconded that the Secretary be directed to cast one ballot for the election of the gentlemen named. The motion was unanimously carried, the Secretary cast the ballot and announced the election of the ticket as read. Mr. A. S. Frissell, the Treasurer of the League, presented the Treasurer's report, which was upon motion received and ordered filed.' The Secretary read the memorial resolutions prepared |