In November last, the Commission, finding that the registers of some of the States were becoming crowded with a much larger number of eligibles than can hope to be appointed before their names will be dropped, adopted, with the concurrence of the President, the following resolution:

"Resolved. That in order to avoid the examination of numbers of applicants greatly in excess of the needs of the service, and the imposition of useless labor on the boards of examiners, whenever there shall be on the register of any State or Territory more persons of either sex, of any grade or class, than are likely to be required for certification during the next six months, no more applicants of that sex and grade or class will be examined for that State or Territory till such excess has ceased, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission."

Under this resolution the Commission has deferred for the present the holding of examinations of both men and women in several of the States in which the eligibles are already largely in excess of the numbers needed for appointment within the next six months.

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.

Every provision of law favorable to those who have rendered honorable service in the Army or Navy of the United States is preserved in the civil service act and the rules; and in the latter (see Rule XI) these patriotic privileges have been in the matter of age and otherwise somewhat extended. Every person honorably discharged from such service by reason of disability incurred in the line of duty, if he shall exhibit the measure of capacity found to be essential in the civil service, is allowed a preference in certification for appointment.

RESIDENCE.

"In the application paper the residence of all applicants must be stated under oath. The question whether legal or mere temporary residence is intended arises under this law as well as under so many others, but the Commission assume that legal residence is meant by the act. If mere present residence should be treated as the intention of the act, an applicant might fix such residence in any State to which he may go perhaps for the very purpose.

"The custom of officers of the Government retaining for years a legal residence in the States from which they came leads others not in Government employ to suppose that they too may continue to claim a legal residence in the States in which they or their parents formerly lived, though they may long since have established permanent homes here.

"It is natural that at the seat of Government a large excess of applicants for the public service shall be found. Under the old system the District of Columbia supplied numbers of clerks greatly disproportioned to its population. The requirement by Congress that new appoint

ments shall be apportioned to the States and Territories on the basis of population has diminished the chances of residents of Washington to secure Government places in the same ratio that it has increased the chances of those who reside elsewhere."

Some further considerations bearing on this subject may be found in the Appendix under the head of Instructions to Applicants.

PROMOTIONS.

In its first report the Commission considered this important subject, in reference both to its necessities and its principles. The observations of another year have shown more conclusively the need of interposing some examination or tests, both to secure to the most meritorious their proper claims to advancement as opportunities occur, and also to shut out the solicitations and influence of outside parties from securing or attempting to secure promotions without merit. It has been seriously complained that not a few clerks and other employés, finding this door of "influence" still open, have persistently urged their members of Congress and other influential friends to visit the Departments and offices to obtain their advancement in rank or salary, and that patronage has been lavishly and successfully employed to secure the promotion of the less worthy over more experienced and more deserving associates.

It has thus become cbvious that, notwithstanding the difficulty of devising a system which shall give merit its just reward, and shall yet leave the appointing officer his full right and responsibility for his office, some rules upon the subject ought to be promulgated at the earliest day practicable.

The Commission's work has been so exacting during the past year that, contrary to its expectations, it has not been possible for it up to this time to treat the subject of promotions practically.

REMOVALS.

The bearing of the new system upon removals was set forth in the First Annual Report and it need not be enlarged upon here. But it may be stated that the small number of removals during the past year has tended to confirm the view therein expressed that, when a removal cannot be followed by the appointment of a favorite pressing for the vacancy to be made, most of the temptations to make unjustifiable removals are themselves removed.

THE COMMISSION HAS NO PATRONAGE.

It seems almost superfluous to say that the Commission does not dispense patronage, and that it has no power or opportunity to influence appointments or promotions. But many letters show that the writers think otherwise. This misunderstanding arises from the old system,

which made the belief almost universal that all appointments and promotions go by favor or influence.

Even if it be conceded that a commissioner might be dishonest and bold enough to violate the eighth rule, and to incur the severe penalties of the fifth section of the act, for party or personal ends, it is plain that no applicant could be unjustly refused an examination, that none could be notified for examination, or certified for appointment, out of the proper order, without the knowledge of the three commissioners and the secretary, of whom two are adherents of one party and two of the other.

Nothing, therefore, can be more unfounded than the belief, still entertained by some, that the civil service law and rules have but transferred patronage from members of Congress to members of the Commission. The simple fact is that within the classified service patronage has been suppressed.

POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.

The opinions of the heads of offices as to the effect of the civil service law and rules upon the collection of political assessments from their subordinates is stated elsewhere. They make it plain that this kind of extortion has been in very large measure suppressed, and that those in the public service are beginning to feel the independence and liberty in that regard which their fellow-citizens in private life enjoy. Only one case of an alleged collection of assessments within a public office has been brought to the attention of the Commission. It arose at the Oakland post-office, California. Pending an investigation by the Commission information has come that proceedings for an indictment before a grand jury for the offense have failed.

The Commission has reason to think that the political contributions made by those in the Departments at Washington during the past year have been many times less than under analogous circumstances in former years. But very persistent attempts were made to extort money by unjustifiable appeals to the fears and hopes of the clerks at Washington, without violating the penal provisions of the civil service act. There have been some attempts to exact assessments under the form of annual dues to associations, but apparently without success.

The requests for contributions since the act went into effect have not employed the language of menace or demanded definite amounts or a percentage of salaries. In most cases they have distinctly recognized the freedom of the public servant by appealing to him, not as a member of a class of annual rent-payers, but respectfully, as if he had the same liberty, rights, and duties as any other citizen.

These changes, and the undiminished vigor and enthusiasm of parties at the late elections, have made clear the truth that a party, whether in power or out of power, may not only maintain a vigorous life, but may effectively present its just claims for support without extorting the ex

penses from those humble servants of the nation who are least able to defend their rights as freemen. The business of coercing assessments from public servants is becoming disgraceful.

PRACTICAL EFFECTS OF THE NEW SYSTEM IN THE PUBLIC OFFICES.

In its first annual report, the Commission stated at length the opinion of each member of the Cabinet. Those opinions bore testimony to beneficial results attained and to the promise of still better results in the future.

It has been deemed sufficient, in this report, to include, so far as the Departments are concerned, no more than the language of the President's last annual message, which the Commission is authorized to state expresses the views of each of the heads of Departments. This message (referring to the first annual report of the Commission) uses this language:

"The good results therein foreshadowed have been more than realized. The system has fully answered the expectations of its friends in securing competent and faithful public servants and in protecting the appointing officers of the Government from the pressure of personal importunity and from the labor of examining the claims and pretensions of rival candidates for public employment. The law has had the unqualified support of the President and of the heads of the several Departments, and the members of the Commission have performed their duties with zeal and fidelity."

As the administration of the post offices and customs offices does not come under the immediate observation of the President or of the mem· bers of the Cabinet, it seems desirable to give in their own language the views of those at the head of the offices where the examinations have taken place. To requests made by the Commission for a frank expression of opinion and for like suggestion of defects and possible improvements, replies were received, from which the quotations below are taken; and full justice has been done to all criticisms which they contain.

VIEWS OF POSTMASTERS.

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ALBANY.-The postmaster says, "Solicitation and pressure for office have almost entirely ceased. The character and capacity of those appointed are very satisfactory. Those appointed have, in the main, performed their duties faithfully and diligently. * * * I do not observe any change in the moral tone or business efficiency of the office owing, probably, to the fact that it has been my endeavor always to secure the services of a good class of men," &c.

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"No assessments have been levied or paid by men at this office for political purposes since the act of January 16, 1883." He thinks there has been no fear of being removed or reduced in pay for that reason. BALTIMORE.—The postmaster says, "There has been the most de

cided and agreeable relief from solicitation and pressure for appointments on the part of applicants and their friends. The character and capacity of those appointed under the rules have been most excellent. Those appointed have been prompt, attentive, and intelligent in the discharge of duty. I cannot but think that the effect of the system on the moral and business efficiency of the office is decidedly beneficial.

"Prohibition of the solicitation of political assessments guarantees to the men a certain degree of independence as to the, disposition of their money which most likely they did not have before the act of January 16, 1883."

He says that while he has no objections to urge or dissatisfaction to express he would suggest that, to guard against possible deception on the part of persons examined under assumed names, there should be required an oath of identity.*

BOSTON. The postmaster says, "There has been a diminished solicitation in behalf of those seeking appointments. * * * The competitive examinations have, in my judgment, led to the employment of a higher class of men as to intelligence and capacity; and, as a consequence, to a more faithful and efficient discharge of the responsible duties devolving upon them. The general effect upon the moral tone of this office also indicates an improvement in that respect.

*

"Under the act of January 16, 1883, prohibiting the solicitation of political assessments, the clerks in this office have, in my opinion, felt at liberty to disregard any appeal of that character."

BROOKLYN.-The postmaster says, "The relief from pressure and solicitation of applicants for office is greatly appreciated, and in this respect I may say that the absolute fairness of the system to all classes, the fact that the applicant must depend upon his own merits rather than upon the power and influence of friends, and a great increase in the number of applicants, justifies me in saying that the system is growing in favor as it becomes better known to the people.

"I am pleased to say that at each examination I find an improvement in the grade and class of men making application for admission to the service, and consequently I have been enabled to select persons of higher order of character and capacity than during the first year. With few exceptions those appointed have been faithful and diligent in the discharge of their duty."

He says that having before exercised great care in the selection of clerks, he cannot say that the new system has any marked effect upon the moral tone and business efficiency of the office.

He says no political assessments have been made upon the employés of the office since 1877.

BUFFALO. The postmaster says, "I have been almost entirely relieved from solicitation and pressure for office. The character and ca

* The Commission has lately changed the form of application paper in order to better prevent any possible deception of that kind.