Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-06
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Annual Report of the Cornmission-Politi-
cal Assessments.

Annual Report of the ornmission-Politi.
cal Assessments.
The United States civil service commission
today made public its ninth report to the Presi-
dent. II shows that from July /, 1891. to june
80, 1892. 1919 applicants were examined
for the departmental service at Wash
ington. of whom e, eo4 passed and ,3l5 failed
to pass: for the railway mail service 4 ,597
were examined. 2,949 passed and 1,64s failed to
pass; for the customs service 1924 were ex-
amined, 962 passed and 662 failed to pass; for
the postal service 9,162 were exam
ined, 5.541 passed and 3.611 failed to
pass: for the Indian service. 15S were examined,
"a passed and "a failed to pass. The whole
number examined for the five branches Of the
classified service was 10, AGO, Of whom Il, $50
passed and 1900 failed to pass. Com
pared with tho previous year this shows
an increase OF 1856 in the whole number ex-
arnined, a decrease in the whole number who
number who failed to pass Of 1,0i2. The whole
number appointed in the year covered by this
report is as follows:
Departmental service, ATS; customs service,
ISL postal service. 2. 113; railway mail service
1.199, and Indian service, 10; total, 1881, q
decrease Of ,434 over the previous year.
During the fiscal year ended June 80, 1892,
the period covered by this report, the number
Of women appointed In the departmental SER
vice upon competitive examination, excluding
those appointed as printers assistants
In the bureau of engraving and printing. was
50, and the number Of men appointed was 245,
showing the proportion Of women to men Of .
little more than one in three, very decided
increase in the proportion Of women to men
over the last year.
There was also decided increase in the num-
Der Of women promoted on their efficiency
records, and it is shown, says the report, that
when women in the public service have a fair
and even chance with men they win their full
share of the more lucrative and responsible po-
sitions.
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
Upon the subject of political assessments the
report says:
1.-The commission deems the stand it has
taken in reference to political assessments to be
OF special importance, and perhaps the
most noteworthy feature of its work since its
last report During the presidential campaign
1t made use Of every means in its power to
protect government employees from being
the punishment of those seeking to assess
them in violation of law. This is the first time
the civil service commission, in the midst
OF Presidential campaign, actively in
terfered to prevent the collection Of
these assessments, and 1t believes its action
has Must DcneHCldl tHeCt; puDllC ell
ployees felt as they never before felt that they
we're protected and need not contribute unless
they chose, and that there was much less as
sessing done than ever before, although it can
not be doubted that as it was altogether
too much took place. In the opinion
of the commission this practice will not be
wholly broken up until It is made penal
offense for any person whatsoever to solicit
political contribution from a govern
meut employe in any place whatsoever.
Such employees would then be left at liberty to
contribute if they cared to, but they would not
be asked 20 do so. At present the solicitation
of an employe by an influential politician,
standing high in the part to which that en-
ploEe's superior belongs, undoubtedly has a
certain effect of duress.
EXTENSIONS OF THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE.
The classified service should be extended as
rapidly as practicable to cover every posi-
ton In the public service to which
it can appropriately be applied; as, for
instance, to clerks and writer's in navy
yards, to almost the entire body of officials in
the District OF Columbia, to the internal reve-
nue. service, to custom houses with twenty
five employees and to free delivery post
Offices. The National Letter Carriers
Association, acting in its capacity of branch
Of the Knights of Labor, have recommended
that all free delivery Offices be classified.