been perpetrated in its name by representatives who have not yet been able to divest themselves of unconscious atavisms inherited from the old system of spoliation.

But it is hoped that the time will come when party life shall have been purified, so that all parties will be united in the condemnation of corrupt practices, when no public character can succeed except he keep his record clean of such corruption, and when no party can command the respect of an intelligent people unless it is built upon a platform of great reformatory principles and has for its aim the consummation of projects destined to redound not to the aggrandizement and enrichment of its leaders and their followers, but to the physical, mental, moral and economic advancement of the whole people. IMPROVED PUBLIC EDUCATION, by which is not meant mere instruction, but true education of the youth of the land to make them good men and women of pure civic principles, and CIVIL SERVICE REFORM are the two engines of progress that will take us ever and ever nearer to that great goal, the Ideal Republic.

Municipal business ought to be conducted on the same general principles as commercial, manufacturing or any other sort of private business. A business manager who knows what he is about and means to be successful, will procure the best qualified and most experienced men to take charge of the various departments of his establishment, and keep worthy and skilled subordinates in their places. Before the advent of the Civil Service Act the people usually did the very reverse in the organization of their public business. After every change in the city administration a large proportion of the city employes who had become trained to perform their duties well, were ousted to make place for fresh political proteges who knew little or nothing of the work they were to undertake, and the consequence was very inferior service at comparatively high cost.

This service was still further reduced in quality by the political work each "gang" was required to do in the attempt to secure the re-election or reappointment of their "boss," in order to retain their own places, which had in many instances to be dearly paid for by political assessments called "voluntary contributions."

Formerly good men could not afford to give up their private employment or trade to offer the city their services for a short and uncertain term. Now, under the merit system, many very good men are ready to accept city positions at their accustomed income, or even

somewhat less, on account of the security of tenure and the regularity of pay.

A great advantage accruing to the city service from the merit system, one that is of much value to the municipality at large, is that all heads of departments and even sub-departments have been liberated from the onerous and exasperating burden of patronage, the constant applications, importunities, “pulls” and intrigues of place hunters and their friends, which under the spoils system incessantly took up their time and prevented their doing the work for which they were elected and paid, while now they have more leisure to devote their thoughts, their time, their work and their energy to their legitimate duties.

The improvement of the service by reducing the number of removals to a very small proportion compared with the era of the spoils system is manifest, because removals are now made for inefficiency, insubordination or some other good cause, and valuable servants of the people are retained who by practice and experience are enabled to do more and better work, and who, in view of the probability of a continuance of their employment if they make a good record, have a personal motive for guarding the interests of the municipality, and will become one of the forces active in purifying and fortifying our political life.

While the law, in the interest of subordination and for the protection of appointing officers against intrigues, gives them the absolute right to discharge subordinates for non-political reasons, this right has not been and will not probably be abused, for the simple reason that the appointing powers are deprived by the merit system of the opportunity to fill vacancies from the ranks of their partisans or other favorites, so that the former pernicious motive for wholesale dismissals does no longer exist.

Those who cultivate the fields must wait patiently for the harvest, and the latter depends upon rain, temperature and many other factors. A great reform, a rational new departure from almost universal customs and abuses long prevailing, needs time for development, and also depends upon many factors for good results.

Not one of the charges made in certain organs of the press in regard to, examination questions being too difficult or not relevant, had any foundation; the questions were invariably graded according to the. ascertained requirements for the respective positions.

The following digest of the result of the examination for the position of clerk of the second grade, in regard to the answers to the different questions, indicates that in the test of general intelligence and positive

knowledge fairness demands that there should be a large diversity of questions. Superficial or malicious self-constituted critics are apt to select a few questions which they themselves are unable to answer, as a basis for denouncing the entire set of questions and the whole examination.

The above table shows that many of the applicants who succeeded in answering with a rating of 75 to 100% the questions numbered 1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 16, 19, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, failed in questions 2, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40, and vice versa.

The efficiency of the public service as a whole does not depend solely and entirely upon the ability of employes to perform certain narrowly circumstanced practical duties, but also upon their general intelligence, which makes them able to comprehend the necessity of enlightened cooperation in and between departments, and of that altruistic public spirit that takes pride in contributing to the excellence of the government and the resulting benefit to the people. While in all examinations the greatest weight is invariably given to the technical and practical phases, the Commissioners, following the example of older similar organizations, give some attention to inquiries as to general intelligence, character and disposition.

This will meet with the commendation of all intelligent and good citizens, though it may be very inconvenient to that class of low level politicians who have been wont to draw support from ignorant and "slum" elements.

It is universally conceded that the promotion of good public servants who have all the qualifications needed in higher positions, is one of the most important means of improving the service.

It is, therefore, proper and desirable that between persons who are shown by the examination to have equal practical qualifications for any position in the service, those should have preference who occupy a higher standing as to general intelligence that fits them better for future promotions.

If examinations are conducted strictly with the object in view of obtaining the best possible service for the city, and if they are not made a perfunctory farce, they will have a tendency to induce many parents to give their children a better education than they would otherwise do, that they may not lose the opportunity for entering upon a public

career.

During the year twelve competitive examinations for the official service were held. Of 699 applicants, 422, or 63%, were examined; and of the 422 examined, 258, or 62%, passed with a final rating of 75 to 100%.

The number of applicants for common and skilled labor was 307, making the total number of applicants 1,006.

The latest official report of the Civil Service Commission of Chicago states the number of applicants for official positions during the year to have been 4,541, of whom 2,529, or 56%, were examined.

Of those examined in Chicago, 712, or 28%, passed the examination successfully.

Following the usual tactics, the inspired assailants of the Milwaukee Civil Service organization may, by falsifying facts and perverting the truth, demonstrate to the public that the Milwaukee city examinations. are too severe, although they admitted 62% of the candidates to the eligible lists, as against 28% elsewhere. Or, by a system of logic peculiar to demagogues, they will insist that if 62 persons of superior education and 38 who have not made good use of the facilities for acquiring knowledge, provided liberally by the people and paid for by the taxpayers FOR A PURPOSE, apply for positions like that of Stenographers, Library Assistants, Draughtsmen, Clerks, etc., the questions ought to be selected so as to let the inferior applicants also pass successfully, as though it had any practical value for the public service, or them, to have their names encumber the lower end of eligible lists that are long enough to supply the possible demand for five or ten years

eligible lists, moreover, that will be superseded by new ones in one or

two years.

The number of applicants for labor at Chicago was 2,607, making the total number of applicants in one year 7,148.

The expense of the Milwaukee Commission was $3,430.35. That of the Chicago Commission $30,930.69.

The average annual expense per applicant at Milwaukee was $3.41. The average annual expense per applicant at Chicago was $4.32, or 27% more.

Chicago had 4 times as many official examinations, 7 times the number of applicants, and 9 times the amount of expense that Milwaukee had.

In Boston the number examined during one year was 1,008, of whom 565, or 56%, passed.

Complaint was made that applicants were not admitted to examinations if they did not arrive punctually at the time set for the opening. Aside from the fact that tardiness, especially on so important an occasion, is not a recommendation for an applicant, it is totally inadmissible to deviate from certain rules and arrangements. Before the examination begins, certain oral instructions must be given to the assembled applicants before they begin their work. Sometimes a number of applicants were from five to thirty and more minutes late. Some examinations required the whole day up to 7:30 in the evening. It would be unfair to disturb the punctual applicants by constant repetitions of the instructions for the benefit of those who are pleased to come late, and even if the privilege were granted, the question would arise how far to extend it, whether such disturbance were to be kept up for half an hour or two hours. Those arriving a few minutes after the two-hour limit would still complain, and then with better reason.

In my opinion, the only right course in this as well as other matters that have been misused by ill-disposed persons for attacks upon the City Service Department, is to "hew straight to the line and let the chips fall where they may," unless there are unavoidable or unexpected hindrances.

In the Labor Service, embracing skilled and unskilled manual laborers of all classes, all examinations are conducted on the noncompetitive plan, immediately after the applications are filed, because at present it is impracticable to subject these men to a practical test of the handiwork of their trade or other occupation. They are ex¬--