is now becoming generally understood, on the one hand, that competitive employees are protected from removal or discrimination on account of their political views, and on the other that they must refrain from activity in political affairs or management. When it is taken into consideration that the competitive classified service now includes more than a quarter of a million employees the number of charges of improper activity in political affairs presented against persons in the competitive service is remarkably small, indicating compliance by classified employees generally with the rule in this regard. In February, 1909, the Commission received a communication from the National Civil Service Reform League transmitting a number of complaints of improper political activity by employees in the competitive service, which had been received by a special committee of the league in the course of an investigation into political activity by federal officeholders during the presidential campaign of 1908. The investigation of the league had been with relation chiefly to the activity of officials in the unclassified service, but a number of complaints had been received affecting employees presumably in the competitive service, the names of about 70 employees of the latter class being submitted. A review of the list showed that some of the persons named were no longer in the service, that others occupied unclassified positions and were not subject to the restrictions of Rule I, and that in other cases the Commission had already taken action. Immediate investigation was made of all complaints against employees in the competitive service which had not previously received attention, and appropriate disciplinary action recommended to the various departments in those cases in which the charges were substantiated.

During the course of investigations made into the political activity of certain federal employees at Wilmington, Del., in November, 1908, it was found that political contributions had been solicited and collected from federal officials upon federal premises in Delaware by Ulysses G. Glick, representing the State Republican Central Committee. An investigation disclosed a systematic plan of collecting such contributions and indicated that there had been a violation of the provisions of section 12 of the civil-service act. The case was accordingly presented to the Attorney-General for prosecution on January 12, 1909, and Glick was indicted, being brought to trial on June 1, 1909. It was shown at the trial that Glick, in at least eight cases, had entered upon federal premises and made direct personal solicitations of money for political purposes from persons employed in the federal service. He was fined $100 on each of eight counts, together with costs, which judgment was satisfied by him. The effect of this conviction will be beneficial, since it will aid in making known the provisions of the civil-service law in regard to political assessments and in discouraging their violation.

Complaint was made to the Commission in February, 1909, that 7 Democratic gaugers in the Seventh Internal-Revenue District of Indiana had been reduced to storekeeper-gauger positions with lower compensation and that 11 Republican storekeeper-gaugers had been promoted to gauger positions, it being charged that the changes were made purely for political reasons. It was further complained that when the 7 Democratic gaugers refused to qualify in the lower positions they were dismissed from the service. A preliminary inquiry by the Commission indicated the probable truth of the charges and the matter was accordingly laid before the President on March 2, 1909, with the request that instructions be issued suspending the changes referred to until the Commission could make an investigation. The President approved the request and by his direction the Treasury Department restored the 7 Democratic gaugers to duty pending an investigation. This investigation was made in the latter part of March and failed to develop any reason for the reduction and dismissal of the 7 Democrats and the promotion of the 11 Republicans, except such as were of a political nature. The collector of internal revenue for the district admitted that most of the 7 men who had been reduced were extremely competent, more so, in fact, than several of those who had been promoted. The Commission accordingly recommended that the action of the President in directing the reinstatement of the 7 Democratic gaugers be made permanent, and in response action was taken by the Treasury Department permanently restoring the force to the position it had originally occupied.

A number of other investigations of varying importance were made by the Commission, a synopsis of the more important of which will be found in the appendix. Upon the recommendation of the Commission the departments have either required or permitted 4 employees to resign from the service, have made reductions in salaries in 3 cases, and in 13 have suspended employees from duty without pay for periods ranging from ten days to three months, 6 of these having been suspensions for sixty days. In 18 other cases upon the Commission's recommendation employees have been reprimanded and warned against further political activity under penalty of more severe disciplinary measures. In addition the Commission has refused to issue a certificate for the reinstatement of one employee who resigned from the competitive classified service for the purpose of indulging in a degree of political activity which would have been prohibited had he remained in the service. Other cases in which punishment has been recommended are pending.

In this connection it may be stated as a matter of interest that the records of the Commission show that since the passage of the civil-service act numerous federal officers have been removed from

the public service by the President for violation of the civil-service law with regard to political assessments, or have been refused reappointment for the same reason; and that a still larger number of officers and employees have been removed by the various heads of departments for violation of the law with regard to the making of political assessments or contributions.

The supervisors and enumerators for the thirteenth decennial census not being subject to the civil-service act with reference to appointments, the civil-service rule prohibiting political activity or the active participation in political management or campaigns is not applicable to them. Bearing in mind, however, the evils which would result from plunging into politics the large force of supervisors and enumerators required for taking the census, the President, under date of August 14, 1909, addressed the following communication to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor:

The taking of the census involves the appointment of some three hundred supervisors, who, in turn, are to appoint many times that number of enumerators. The supervisors are given complete discretion in the selection of enumerators respectively to act under them. The success of the census will depend upon the efficiency and strict attention to duty of the supervisors, and upon the intelligence of the enumerators and their faithful application to the business in hand.

Generally there is a supervisor for each congressional district. It has been found to be the quickest and best means of selecting suitable supervisors to consult the Congressmen and Senators as to competent candidates from their respective districts and States. This system can easily be perverted to political purposes if the supervisors are not forbidden to use it as an instrument for influencing local and general elections and primaries in the interest of particular candidates or parties. It is not an unreasonable requirement that anyone who accepts an appointment as supervisor or as enumerator shall, during the term of his employment and service, avoid an active part in politics. I therefore order that, in the preparation of regulations for the taking of the census, you and the Director of the Census embody therein a provision that any supervisor or enumerator who uses his influence with his subordinates or colleagues to assist any party or any candidate in a primary or general election, or who takes any part, other than merely casting his vote, in politics, national, state, or local, either by service upon a political committee, by public addresses, by the solicitation of votes, or otherwise, shall be at once dismissed from the service.

I wish to make this regulation as broad as possible, and wish it enforced without exception. It is of the highest importance that the census should be taken by men having only the single purpose of reaching a just and right result, and that the large amount of money to be expended in the employment of so vast a machine as the census shall not be made to serve the political purposes of anyone.

In order that the President's wishes, as above expressed, might be strictly enforced, the Director of the Census during the month of September, 1909, addressed the following communication to the various supervisors of the census:

I have to inform you that the President has approved your appointment as supervisor of census in your district, subject to certain conditions to which it will be necessary for you to conform.

I call your attention to the inclosed copy of an order of the President with regard to political activity of supervisors. This order will be strictly enforced. It prohibits a man from holding office or membership in any political committee during the term of his office as supervisor, or taking any active part in politics, by public addresses, solicitation of votes, or otherwise. In view of this letter you are requested to inform me immediately whether you hold any office or membership in any political committee, and if so, just what position you hold, and whether you are willing to resign such position and refrain from political activity during your term of office as supervisor. In case you answer in the affirmative, I shall expect you in due time to send a copy of your resignation from any such position which you may hold, with a statement that the resignation has been accepted.

I also call your attention to the accompanying sheet which contains a copy of a constitutional or statutory provision of your State which may or may not affect your position.

You are requested to inform me whether you are holding any office in your State which would bring you under the terms of this provision in consequence of your appointment as supervisor of census.

If you do come within the prohibition stated, you are requested to state what the position is that is now held by you and whether or not it is your intention to resign such position prior to entering upon your duties as supervisor of census.

An immediate reply is desired, which may be sent in the inclosed addressed return envelope without the payment of postage.

While the Commission has no jurisdiction over the unclassified force of the Census Bureau, it understands that the President has removed two supervisors of the census for political activity, and that the orders as above set forth will be strictly enforced in connection with the unclassified force of the Bureau of the Census.

NEW PROMOTION REGULATIONS FOR THE CUSTOMS SERVICE.

The revised regulations for the Customs Service at New York, effective September 1, 1909, were adopted to better meet existing conditions. The former regulations provided for competitive examination for the promotion of clerks from class to class. The new regulations provide that promotions of clerks shall be made in the order of seniority of service in each class unless the nominating officer certifies that the person recommended for promotion, though not the senior, is by virtue of ability and efficiency best fitted for the position to be filled.

Another change is the substitution of competitive for noncompetitive examination for the promotion of subclerical employees to clerical positions. Subclerical employees 21 years of age who have served at that port for a period of one year may enter the promotion examinations, except that if service as sugar sampler is claimed it must have been of at least two years' duration. A person must receive an efficiency rating of at least 85 to compete in promotion examinations. This has the effect of restricting promotion to those who are rated efficient in accordance with the efficiency record which is required to be kept, and which is based upon character, quality and quantity

of work performed, industry, personal conduct and character, sobriety, punctuality, attendance, neatness, aptitude and other such considerations. An applicant for a promotion examination believing himself aggrieved in the efficiency rating given him has a right of appeal to the Secretary of the Treasury.

LABOR REGULATIONS.

The regulations governing the appointment of laborers continue to operate to the satisfaction of appointing officers and the Commission. During the year covered by this report 687 appointments were made under the regulations, 315 of which were in Washington and 372 in other cities.

Since 1896 the rules have provided that laborers assigned to classified work should be included within the classified service, and that no person appointed as a laborer without examination under the rules should be assigned to classified work. As long as it was possible for mere unskilled laborers to be appointed without tests of fitness they were so appointed, and their subsequent assignment to classified work was alleged to be necessitated by the exigencies of the service. The adoption of labor regulations removed the temptation for the appointment of laborers in excess of the needs of the service for unskilled labor, as they could no longer be appointed for personal reasons but must be taken from the head of the laborer register. As those already appointed and assigned to classified duties could not be reassigned or dropped from the service without embarrassment to the work, three orders permitting their classification were issued. Under the orders of January 12, 1905, and March 30, 1905, 1,285 laborers were classified in Washington; and under the order of February 24, 1906, 1,054 were classified outside.

It was shown to the satisfaction of the Commission that the exigencies of the service and the fluctuations of work sometimes necessitate the assignment of some laborers occasionally or in small part to classified work, and the President accordingly, on recommendation of the Commission, issued an order on April 21, 1909, permitting such incidental assignments with the prior approval of the Commission, but not as a part of the main work of the employees, in cases where the work can not be conveniently and economically done by classified employees.

THE MERIT SYSTEM IN STATES AND CITIES.

Within the last ten years the widespread movement in municipal reform has resulted in a considerable number of new city charters, the majority of which provide the form called commission government. Most of these new charters make the adoption of civil-service rules with more or less thoroughness the foundation of the new struc