Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-01-21

though still subject TO slight change,
represent approximately the present
extent OF the classified service. The
whole number OF persons In the Fed
eral service. including the Legislative
0O0 The civil service act declares
that officers not In the executive
branch, or any person employed mere
ly ms laborer Or workman, shall not
he required TO be classified, nor, unless
by direction OF the Senate, any person
who has been nominated for confirma-
ton by the Senate. Within the execu-
tive civil service there are now esti-
mated to be 17S.T10 officers and en-
ployees, S4,527 of whom are classified
under the civil service act, embracing
all except officers appointed subject to
confirmation by the Senate, laborers
and similar employees, and fourth
class pOstmasters. On the unclassified
list there are G6.T25 fourth-class post
masters, 4,S15 officers whose nominal
ton Is subject to confirmation by the
Senate, including Presidential post
masters, S,63S laborers, and several
thousand other employees, the majority
of whom have an annual compensation
of less than $500. A large proportion of
this latter class are clerks mt unclassi
fled post Offices. Within the classified
service the total Of officers excepted
from examination remains 7S1, Of
whom $40 are assistant postmasters.
0f tho nj xx-it of Tim
merit system there should be included
In addition to the total given 5,O63 me-
chanjcs, etc., Mt the navy yards and
naval stations, originally covered by
Secretary Tracy's regulations, but
brought within the classified service by
the executive order of Nov. last. The
merit system, therefore, now includes,
approximately, $4,000 places.
The National Bureau of Education
has just issued a phamplet on profes-
slonal education, which contains a
number of interesting statistics. 1t
shows that in the various medical col
leges Of the United States there are
22,SS7 students; while in the law
schools of the country there are only
$3.50. From these figures it would
seem that, in point of numbers, the
medical profession was much stronger
than the legal profession. Such, how
ever, is not the case. The last govern
ment census shows that the number of
lawyers in the United States is fully
equal to the number of doctors. The
disparity between the two professions,
so far as educational institutions are
concerned, is explained by the fact
that only n small number of law stu
dents take collegiate course. They
prefer to derive their training from
the office Of some experienced lawyer,
and when they master the funda-
mental principles of the profess
sion they are admitted to prac-
physicians. Before receiving IL
cense to practice medicine they are
required to take prescribed. course
Of study in some medical institution.
With lawyers collegiate training is
OPTIONAL; with physicians it is impera-
tive. In this same pamphlet 1t is
shown that in the various theological
seminaries Of the country there are
$3.50 students preparing for the minis
try. With respect to the fair sex,
there are lab women engaged In the
study of medicine and sixty-five pros
ecuting the study Of law. Quite a
number are also preparing themselves
for the ministry and other branches Of
professional work.
People familiar with the conditions
under which the world is supplied with
rubber say there Is reason to fear that
the destruction Of the trees producing
at rate which may have disastrous
consequences In the near future. That
the price of the raw gum has not adj
vanced more rapidly In the last few
years Is due, they say, not to an intel
ligent cultivation and multiplication of
the rubber trees, but to the complete
lack Of foresight that characterizes
| the Inhabitants of the South American
forests. The sudden vogue of bicycles
| and the universal use of electricity
have vastly increased the demand for
rubber, and so far the demand has been
met without trouble. But the present
chief source of supply is limited, and
unless new ones are found, or new
methods are adopted, several great
industries may soon be seriously en-
barrassed. Rubber is substance as
nearly unique and as difficult to replace
as is known to men. Fortunately, how
ever, it is produced by more than one
| plant, and the utilization of new species
| has already begun. None of them COM
pares with two found In the valley of
| the Amazon, but commercially impor-
tant quantities Of the gum come from
each of dozen plants growing In al
most as many tropical lands. The
Landophilla, n climbing vine Of Central
Africa, seems to be most likely of them
all to take the place Of the Brazilian
trees IL the latter are doomed to ex-
| tinction.
Much has been published about the
assassins OF Paris, writes correspon-
dent, and In many cases fabulous
| gains have been attributed to them as
a result Of their crimes, but these exist
more frequently in fiction than ia fact
Statistics recently compiled by til, pre-
feet of Paris police throw good deal
| Of light on the assassin's trade as
/ ,,,-,, cti<,d In, madam tiruoc Eopooto n r.,