prompted the Commission to use the following language in its annual report concerning the delay of some six months:

"There is no hardship to the Commission individually in the failure of Congress to make adequate appropriations to carry on its work in the most satisfactory manner. The hardship comes to the individuals who take the examinations, but whose papers can not be promptly marked, and who are kept for months in uncertainty as to the results of their examinations and what chance they stand for appointment."

If the work of grading papers could be carried forward with the same facility by untrained as by trained examiners, no doubt the Commission could have obtained a sufficient number of detailed employees from the different Departments to have marked the unprecedented number of papers received during the months of March, April, May, and June without unusual delay, but the work is of such a character that it must necessarily be done by those especially trained for it. Every effort has been exerted to dispose of this vast accumulation of examination papers in the shortest possible time. While the delay in learning the result of their examinations may have seemed unnecessarily long to the competitors, it is perhaps to their advantage, for many of the vacancies which have occurred in the departments since last March have been filled by reinstatements or reassignments of persons already employed. Consequently few chances for certification have occurred during the period since the spring examinations were held. As eligibility does not begin until after the papers are marked, no doubt before the postponed term of eligibility expires many more certifications will be made from the standing registers of the Commission than have been made during the past year. Notwithstanding the tremendous increase in the number examined, the Commission is at this time, considering its available force, considerably more advanced in the grading of these papers than was the case during the summer and fall of 1893. It is expected that the papers of all competitors in examinations held prior to August 1 will have been graded and disposed of before December 1. Should the detailed clerks now serving as examiners be permitted by the departments to continue in that capacity until February next, it is believed that the work of marking papers will have been brought to a normal condition.

NEW EXAMINATIONS.

During the last fiscal year much attention has been devoted to the work of investigating the various conditions and requirements connected with the branches of the Federal service brought within the scope of the civil-service law by recent extensions. It should be said that as extensions were made from time to time in the past such branches of the service were brought in as could readily be provided for, and, naturally, those most casily cared for were first included. For this reason the recent extensions have been composed almost entirely of those parts of the service which require the most special and technical treatment, as the qualifications for admission to these branches are necessarily of a high character, either in the way of scientific attainments or some other special field of thought or experience. While at the end of the year the details of a few of these new examinations were not completely settled, it is with pleasure that I report that examinations have now been arranged for all classified positions-except office deputy marshals in the Department of Justice-which appears to be in conformity with the requirement of the law as embracing those matters "which will fairly test the relative capacity and fitness of the persons examined to discharge the duties of the service in which they seek to be appointed." In preparing these examinations, in accordance with the invariable custom of the Commission, the particular departments interested have been frequently consulted and in most cases representatives of such departments have been specially assigned to assist the Commission in determining the proper character and scope of the examinations. Under section 3 of the civil-service act, which provides for the selection of suitable persons in the Government service to assist in the

examining work, the Commission has felt free at all times to ask the cooperation of the different departments in arranging for its various examinations. During the past year the most cordial cooperation has continued between the departments and the Commission in this work, and it is believed that spirit has added largely to the practical value of the examinations as now held. It is manifestly true that the officers of the departments must be assumed to be thoroughly familiar with the needs and requirements of their respective services. Therefore deference has uniformly been given to their opinions in this respect. A case has seldom arisen where it has been necessary to call attention to any seeming inconsistency in their suggestions in reference to the preparation of examinations. In all such cases the matters have been promptly settled by amicable conferences. Therefore, it will be seen that when harsh criticisms are aimed at the examinations in their present form such criticism reflects no less upon the officers charged with the administration of the departments than upon the Commission. Were the policy pursued of preparing examinations regardless of the opinions of the department officials, then, perhaps, such criticisms might be warranted, but although much of the current criticism appears to have been based upon that assumption it needs no argument to demonstrate that such a policy would be impossible.

PURPOSE OF EXAMINATIONS.

It is the aim of these examinations to apply the same general rules and tests in the selection of employees for the Government service as are now employed with the best results in the management of the most successful private business concerns. It is believed that the nearer this method is approached by the Commission the more satisfactory will be the results. In the present stage of commercial development and intense business rivalry it is preposterous to imagine for a moment that the employees of a business firm of any importance are selected for any other reason than their demonstrated superiority for the special line of work at which they are to be employed. The recommendations of each applicant for employment by any of the great banking, insurance, manufacturing, or railroad corporations of the country are most carefully scanned and the record of each man thoroughly investigated before it is possible for him to secure employment in their service. Why should not the same method be adopted for the selection of employees in the Government service? This view seems to be in full sympathy with the intent of Congress as expressed in the law providing for the sifting of applicants for Government positions by means of open competitive examinations, to be conducted under the authority of the Civil Service Commission.

THREE GENERAL CLASSES OF EXAMINATIONS.

From a careful review of the conditions prevailing in the public service, it appears that three general classes of examinations are required to properly meet the demands upon the Commission. The first general class embraces those designed to test merely the general intelligence and adaptability of the competitors. These examinations are used to test the qualifications for positions where a greater or less amount of intelligence is necessary as a measure of ability, but where there are no special duties to be performed which require a special character of qualifications, as for ordinary clerks, messengers, etc. For such positions a series of examinations has been arranged, graduated in character from a mere educational test of the most simple kind to an examination requiring scholastic ability about equal to that obtained in the ordinary common or graded schools. They are known as the first-grade, the second-grade, and the third-grade basis examinations. The third grade requires merely the ability to read, write, add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, and a knowledge of United States money. The second grade requires, in addition to these, a knowledge of simple operations in common and decimal fractions,

while the first grade requires a knowledge of the use of the English language in business correspondence and of such arithmetical operations, including interest and discount, as embrace those principles necessary to solve ordinary business problems. The examinations of the second general class contain appropriate tests of general intelligence combined with those specially designed to bring out the particular information needed to satisfactorily perform the duties of technical positions in the service. These positions require scholastic ability usually of a high order, in connection with some special or unusual training or experience. In this class are the examinations for bookkeeper, stenographers and typewriters, examiners of patents, weather observers, the various kinds of draftsmen, civil engineers, etc.

The third general class of examinations are those where no educational qualifications are necessary to satisfy the requirements of the service, but where some peculiar experience or skill is demanded, either in a mechanical or other special line. In these examinations occasionally applicants have been accepted as competent although unable to read or write, the Commission having been satisfied that they were fully qualified to perform the duties required. The specific name applied to this class of examinations is the fourth-grade or trades examinations. They are employed to test applicants as skilled mechanics, etc.

While it is not claimed that these examinations will always secure the best qualified employees for the public service, it is believed that the methods adopted for sifting the various applicants for positions have resulted in securing more efficient employees than would be obtained by any other plan.

Where the appointee owes his position to his fitness as demonstrated by competition, he must necessarily feel that his continuance in the public service depends upon the degree of ability with which he performs the work assigned to him. For this reason persons appointed through the examinations of the Commission are especially anxious to make their work satisfactory, both in quality and quantity, a condition of things which is not generally true of appointees secured in any other manner.

The fact is recognized that the examinations seem to furnish the principal point of attack upon the work of the Commission. While many of the statements which are freely made are absolutely without foundation, yet it must be admitted that much of the examining work is still in a somewhat unperfected form. It should be remembered that this work must be regarded as thus far largely experimental. It is of so much importance, yet so complicated and difficult in character, that years must elapse before it can be considered as in any sense comparatively perfect. However, from year to year the examiners have been accumulating valuable experience, which, it is believed, is reflected in the improvements to be seen in the subject-matter of the examinations in current use. The questions now used are of a purely business character, adapted to the special requirements of the particular service for which each examination is held.

EXPERIENCE AS A FACTOR IN EXAMINATIONS.

During the past year it has seemed wise to include in many of the examinations an investigation into the business experience as well as capacity of the competitors. This course has been so eminently satisfactory that several important examinations recently held by the Commission were based largely upon that idea. Where the requirements are such as can be best determined by an examination of the previous record of competitors in similar work, it is believed that this method of test. ing such competitors can not fail to be satisfactory. Many of the extremely technical positions in the Government service will probably be filled in future as the result of similar examinations.

It is proposed that the subject of experience shall be included in future as a part of each examination where experience is of practical value in determining the relative qualifications of applicants. In all examinations prepared for the purpose of testing some acquired skill it is proposed that the full industrial history of each competitor shall be obtained for the purpose of affording as complete information as possible to the Commission and to the appointing officers.

The following will indicate the means used by the Commission in testing applicants for such positions as chief of the Anthropological Division of the Smithsonian Institution, bank note designer in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Supervising Architect of the Treasury, and superintendent of the Division of PostOffice Supplies.

Chief anthropologist.-1. What is the present state of your health? 2. Give Lames and addresses of five persons who have personal knowledge of your experience in and capacity for the duties of the position which you seek. (The persons named should be in addition to those who sign the vouchers for the applicant.) 3. Give a list of your publications, stating where they may be found. 4. If you have made original drawings, illustrating studies in anthropology, submit samples; or, if published, state where such may be found. 5. What training have you had as an anthropologist, including term of service in connection with any museum or organization devoted to original research? 6. State the experience which you have had as a curator of anthropological collections. 7. State what positions you have held where administration of collections and direction of assistants have been necessary. 8. State the experience which you have had in field work, including original investigations and collecting. 9. Write an essay of not less than 500 words upon the administration of anthropological collections in a

museum.

Designer.-Write letter stating (1) where, when, in what manner, and under whose instruction you received your training as a designer; (2) the length of time you were under instruction in designing; (3) the character or kinds of designing work upon which you have been chiefly engaged; (4) the names and locations of all persons or firms by whom you have been employed as designer since the completion of your instruction in designing; (5) the nature of the work done for each person or firm; (6) the length of time you worked for and the rate of wages you received from each person or firm.

Competitors were also required to submit samples of their work properly verified. Supervising architect.—1. Give a statement in detail of your general and technical education and training. 2. State your practical experience in the various branches and details of architectural work. 3. State by whom, when, where, and for what length of time you were employed and the nature of the work performed by you in each case. 4. (a) State your experience in designing architectural work; (b) state your experience as a superintendent of construction; (c) state your experience in the general management of architectural work. 5. (a) What buildings have been designed by you; (b) what buildings have been constructed under your supervision? 6. In connection with each of these buildings give (1) the name of the building or the name of the owner, and, if not designed by you, the name of the architect; (2) the city and State in which located, together with location in the city; (3) the materials of which constructed; (4) any special difficulties encountered in the course of its construction; (5) the general character of the building or the use for which constructed; (6) the size--that is, the approximate dimensions; (7) the style of architecture; (8) when commenced and when completed; (9) the names of at least two trustworthy persons who have a knowledge of your work in connection with each building. 7. Write a thesis of not less than 1,000 words, giving in detail your views as to the most appropriate styles of architecture for public buildings, and the most economical methods of constructing them, and also stating the advantages or disadvantages of securing the designs for public buildings by competition among American architects, and the advantages or disadvantages of having such designs prepared in the office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury. 8. Write a thesis of not less than 1,000 words, making a full statement of the experience you have had in supervising and directing the architectural office and field work of subordinates or assistants, and giving your views as to the general administrative policy which should be pursued in successfully carrying on the work of a supervising architect, especially the work of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department.

9. The drawings (22 in all) handed to you with this sheet are the plans and elevations of the Federal building at Pueblo, Colo. The arrangement of this building has been approved by the Treasury Department. With the information conveyed by these plans and elevations, draw up a complete scheme of competition for a public building of similar scope. 10. The drawings (17 in all) handed you with this sheet are plans and elevations of the Federal building at Salina, Kans. Write an essay criticising the entire scheme as to (a) its artistic merit, (b) its convenience of arrangement, and (c) its economy of construction.

Superintendent of the Division of Post-Office Supplies.—First Subject— Experience and Qualifications.-Write on accompanying blank sheets a statement of not less than 300 words of the experience that you have had which, in your opinion, qualities you for the position of chief of the division of post-office supplies for the Post-Office Department, and the methods that should be pursued to secure the most efficient and economical service in that division and protect the interests of the Government in the matter of the grade of goods furnished under contract.

Second Subject-Practical Questions.-1. State three essential qualities of writing paper. 2. What tests would you apply to determine the quality of writing papers? 3. Which is the better quality of writing paper, an animal sized left dried paper, or engine sized machine dried paper? Give reasons for your answer. 4. What materials are used to give strength to wrapping paper, and which is the best? 5. What material is used to adulterate and give weight to blotting paper? 6. What tests would you apply to determine the quality of blotting paper? 7. What are the desirable qualities of envelopes? 8. What are the desirable qualities of lead pencils? 9. What are the desirable qualities of rubber bands, and what tests would you apply to determine their purity? 10. What tests would you apply to determine the quality of erasing rubber? 11. Of what ingredients should a permanent-record ink be composed? 12. State the advantages and disadvantages of writing fluids. 13. What special ingredients are included in inks used for copying purposes? 14. Of what ingredients should canceling ink be composed? 15. Of what material should mucilage be composed to secure permanent adhesiveness? 16. Of what ingredients is sealing wax composed, and what qualities should it possess? 17. What are the desirable qualities of twine? 18. What are the desirable qualities of typewriter ribbons? 19. What tests would you apply to copying books? 20. What is the difference between printers' roller composition and canceling-pad composition?

Assistant Attorney.—The following extract from the notice of an examination to secure a person qualified to assist in the preparation of opinions on questions arising under the administration of the public-land laws will further illustrate the practice of the Commission for this character of examinations:

"The department asks for lawyers not over 55 years of age who have had (1) an actual practice of not less than five continuous years in the highest court of their State, and (2) an active practice of not less than five years (either during the same five years above required or otherwise) either before public land tribunals or before the courts in a State where the application of public land laws constitutes a material part of the work, namely, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah. Service on the bench will be counted as practice in these requirements. No application for this examination can be accepted unless the applicant is shown to be possessed of these preliminary qualifications. The examination will consist of (1) 10 questions in general law, (2) 30 questions in public-land laws, including homestead, desert, mining, preemption, timber-culture, town-site, swamp-land, school-land, and railroad-grant laws, and (3) questions calculated to call forth the competitor's experience in the application and administration especially of public land laws. The relative weights of the subjects will be (1) general law, 20 per cent; (2) public-land law, 60 per cent, and (3) experience, 20 per cent."