Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-09
PHILIPPINE CIVIL SERVICE.
Special Examination to Be Held in
Sioux CITY April 9.


A special government examination
will be held in Sioux City April 9 for
all aspirants for places in the civil
service in the Philippine islands. APP
plication for proper blanks and man.
ual of the different positions which the
Taft commission has thrown open to
competitive examination may be made
at any time of the authorities at Wash
ington. The special examining Off
Gals will be there for only one day.
1t appears from the circulars sent
out by the United States civil service
commission that the positions to be
filed by competitive examination are
not as numerous nor desirable as at
first supposed. The pamphlets indi-
cate that few of the good places will
go to Americans except where the
special examinations for department
assistants is successfully passed. The
entry salaries for these places even
will be but $1,000, and the cost of liv
ing in the Philippines is said to be
much in advance of what it is in the
United States. The examination for
department assistants will be made so
difficult that few but college graduates
can pass it. For ordinary clerkships
the natives are to be preferred.
Of the prospects of Americans to get
appointments one of the Taft commits
sion pamphlets says:
1t is probable that there will be lit
tie demand for clerical or other posi-
lions which natives of the island
are competent to fill; in fact,
it will not be advisable for
Americans to seek positions in
the Philippines civil service unless
they have professional, technical or
scientific qualifications or special cler-
ical ability. There will be demand
for Americans in such positions as
stenographers and typewriters, Span
ish interpreters and translators, book
keepers to limited extent, inspectors
of the customs service, financial
agents and department assistants.
The salaries for junior and under
clerks and for messengers, watchmen,
laborers and other minor positions
will not be sufficient to warrant Amer
leans in coming to the islands to seek
such positions. and examinations to
fill such vacancies in them will not
be held in the United States.
The cost of living in Manila, the
seat of government, is higher than in
the United States. Satisfactory &C
commodations cannot be secured at
any of the hotels for less than $35 per
month, and the rates exceed. this
amount according to the character of
the hotel and the accommodations
furnished. Many of the Americans,
however, secure rooms and board in
messes, the provisions being purchas-
ed from the commissary The food
obtained from the commissary stores
is the best, and the average cost for
room and board for those who live in
this manner is about $35 a month.
1t will be the aim to make the SER
vice attractive for competent Ameri-
cans who will. be required to assist in
the work Of the government AS soon
as practicable the government will
have erected number of houses in a
desirable and healthful section of Ma
Mia. The rent of these houses will be
low and each one will probably accom-
modate five or six persons. Those who
occupy them can secure servants with
little difficulty. 1t is also proposed to
establish stores similar to the army
commissary stores for the benefit OF
civilian employees. The stores will be
well stocked with provisions, groceries
and other necessaries of life, and civil
ian employees will probably be able to
purchase from these stores at about
10 per cent above the cost of the gov
eminent. When the houses referred
to are erected and the stores estab-
lished, civilian employees will be able
to secure very satisfactory quarters
and board at not exceeding $50 per
month. Those who are assigned to the
provinces live considerably cheaper
than in Manila.