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in the charter amendments requiring that heads of departments should be certified by the state commission made its support especially appropriate work for the Auxiliary. A brief account of the charter amendments written for us by Mr. John F. Moors, a member of the finance commission, was published in the "Federation Bulletin," the official journal of the Federation of Women's Clubs, and leaflets on the charter were distributed at a meeting of the Massachusetts State Federation of Women's Clubs as well as to several hundred men in different parts of the state.

The Auxiliary was represented at the hearings in regard to larger salaries and better quarters for the Massachusetts civil service commission. Besides calling upon the branches to use their influence in favor of these measures we asked the help of a large number of constituents of the two committees to which the bills were successively referred. Three excellent editorials supporting the larger appropriations were widely distributed. By a private arrangement an additional room adjoining the old quarters in the state house was assigned to the commission so that no legislative action was necessary, but the bill for increased salaries, though favorably reported, to the house, was rejected by a final vote of 110 to 65. When the bill came before the house, we sent to each Representative a copy of the newspaper editorials with a letter urging favorable consideration. We are preparing to work with renewed vigor for the passage of this measure during the coming session of the legislature.

The publications of the year have been "Twenty-five Years of Civil Service Reform," the address given by Mr. Choate last year at Pittsburgh; "The Business Value of Civil Service Reform," both reprinted for us through the courtesy of the League; "Democracy and a Permanent Civil Service," by President Lowell, republished by permission from the "Youth's Companion; our "Eighth Annual Report," and "The Merit System-A Connecting Link," a leaflet prepared by us and first published in the "Federation Bulletin."

The chief efforts of the Auxiliary have as usual been directed to educational work. Since our first report to the League we have sent out 60,000 pamphlets besides

several thousand leaflets; 35,000 of the pamphlets have been used in our school work. Requests were received for 23,500 copies of Miss Cary's invaluable "Primer of the Civil Service and the Merit System," to be placed in 970 grammar schools. The largest order was for 2200 primers to be placed in 74 schools in Anne Arunde! County, Maryland. A total of 235,000 pamphlets have now been sent out to schools scattered in every state and territory. As in many cases these pamphlets are passed about the class and used from year to year, it is probably no exaggeration to estimate that half a million boys and girls have been instructed in the principles of the merit system with the help of our literature.

Fifty-eight of the bronze medals he now been awarded for the best essay on some subject connected with civil service reform. In addition to the six medals offered by our branches during the past year one medal was given by the Framingham Woman's Club in the fifth annual competition held in the Framingham high school, one for the second time in the Hyde Park high school by the Hyde Park Current Events' Club, one by the Allegheny County Civil Service Reform Association and three by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Large quantities of pamphlets were sent for distribution at the annual meetings of the State Federations of Women's Clubs in Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire and Vermont. The active work inspired by the energetic and efficient chairman, Mrs. L. W. Keil of Michigan, led to applications for literature from 110 clubs and clubwomen in her state.

The Auxiliary has a booth at the Boston-1915 Exposition. Its exhibit consists chiefly of maps, charts, etc.. prepared for the Jamestown Exposition. One new chart shows by means of a vicious circle the many evil results from the spoils system.

The most important event of the year from the internal point of view has been the reorganization of the Auxiliary on a larger scale. An office has been opened at 31 Beacon Street. This pleasant room overlooking the Boston Common not only greatly facilitates the work of the Auxiliary but will, doubtless, prove a centre for those interested

in or wishing information about the civil service. The Auxiliary has now the services of two salaried workers, an executive secretary and a clerical assistant. This new arrangement will lead to the enlargement of the present scope of work with opportunity to develop new features. The acquisition of the office and the more adequate assistance makes the Auxiliary start on its tenth year with promise of increased usefulness in its efforts to further good citizenship and good government.

The following reports were received, to be printed in the proceedings:

From the Denver Civil Service Reform Association:

The Denver Association's chief efforts during the past year have been devoted to holding the ground previously secured.

A Democratic Assembly, which convened in January, left the civil service law unchanged, as it was enacted two years before by a Republican Assembly. None of numerous bills introduced in both houses for its repeal or harmful amendment, while reported favorably out of committee, ever reached a vote on second reading. On the other hand the same fate met a bill introduced by this Association for a moderate extension of the law to the irrigation service and the employes at the state capitol.

This Assembly was, however, generous in appropriating all that was asked by the state commission for its expenses for the ensuing biennial period; in happy contrast to its predecessor, which, while it enacted the law, neglected to make any appropriation to secure its enforcement.

The present administration has, however, through the state auditor, effectually balked the work of the commssion by his refusal to pay its expenses since February, on the ground that the law is unconstitutional. The effect has been to practically bring the work of the commission to a standstill. The commission, in conjunction with this Association has made repeated attempts to get the issue before the supreme court, and there is now pending in the district court a proceeding of "quo warranto' against the commission.

The state commission since the adjournment of the Assembly has come into conflict with the governor over the appointment of the warden at the Colorado state reformatory. The commission, having decided that this position was one, for which competition was not desirable, on account of the exceptional qualifications involved, authorized the governor to select a suitable person of the necessary attainments for a non-competitive examination. This was done with the result that the person designated by the governor, and who received the approval of the state Senate, failed to qualify for the position! The governor has persistently refused to make another selection, although he was notified in May that the person designated did not qualify for permanent appointment, and the commission has since declined to certify any of his salary warrants for payment!

All sorts of pressure have been brought to bear upon the commission to secure a reconsideration and reversal of its action in regard to this appointment, including promises from influential quarters that the state auditor, in such event, would allow the payment of all its expenses, but the commission has stood firmly by its original position.

It may be of interest here to state that Governor Shafroth had prior to all this given general satisfaction by appointing Mrs. Sarah Platt-Decker, a Democrat and for many years a member of the executive committee of this Association, and recently president of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs to succeed James H. Pershing, a Republican, as one of the state civil service commission. This changed the political complexion of the commission from Republican to Democratic. The commission has, however, resisted all political considerations in the discharge of its duties, and stands an absolute unit for a non-partisan enforcement of the law.

In contrast with the difficulties of the state commission the enforcement of the civil service provisions of the Denver charter by the municipal commission has been unmarked during the past year by opposition from the city administration.

From the Michigan Civil Service League:

The Michigan Civil Service League was organized in

ture.

January, 1909, after the convening of the state legislaThe League confined its labors to the preparation of a civil service bill which was introduced in and defeated by both branches of the legislature. The bill was modeled closely upon the Wisconsin civil service law but contained some distinctive features. For instance, instead of proposing to cover all employees in the service at the time the law should take effect, under the protection of the law as is commonly done, the civil service commission was authorized to require all employees to pass an examination as a condition of remaining in the service, and at the same time to provide for a probationary period during which the manner in which they performed their duties should be taken into account in judging as to their efficiency.

The movement for civil service reform in Michigan owes much to the Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs. Mrs. L. W. Keil, chairman of the civil service reform committee of the federation, has organized more than two hundred committees in various parts of the State and a vigorous campaign of education is being carried on.

The Michigan Civil Service League will seek to influence the nomination of candidates for the legislature who are in sympathy with its work and will take up the fight for the enactment of adequate legislation for civil service reform upon the opening of the next legislature. From the Buffalo Women's Civil Service Reform Associa

tion:

The work for the year has been most encouraging. The number of reading members has increased to about 700 and the essays presented were of a high order of merit. The Association made an attempt to have "The Public Duty of Educated Men," by George William Curtis, placed on the list of supplementary reading for the high schools as authorized by the regents. Though unsuccessful in this, Miss Karnes interested many of the officials and we are hoping that her efforts will bear fruit

soon.

During the year, for the first time, the board took definite steps toward extending the work to the grammar schools and the results show a wide field open before us.

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