The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-08-30
ZEN THOUSAND PLACES
FILLED In 4 YEAR
Annual Report Of the Civil
Service Commission,
NEARLY $4,000 EXAMINED
Preference Given to Veterans-0ppor-
tunities for Appointments TO Certain
Positions Excellent - Not Much
Chance for Women.

Among the Government publications
that viii soon be ready for public dis
tribution is the eighteenth report of the
Civil Service Commission, covering the
period from July /, 1909, to June 90,
1901
The report proper Cas distinguished
from the appendix is largely statistical
It opens with the statement that 1905
persons were examined during the year,
e. whom 21.02S we're examined for the
departmental service. This service does
not include merely the departments at
" ashington, but all the Federal CLASH
ned services outside OF Washington with
he exception OF the Postal, Customs,
Internal Revenue, and Government
Printing services. Thus, the Railway
Mail and Indian services are divisions
Of the departmental service.
Nearly 600 persons were examined
for the Postoffice service, or a little over
2 thousand less than the number ex-
amined Tor the departmental service.
About So per cent, or 80. 739. OF those TAX
ing examinations passed. and 1889
failed Compared with the year previ-
Gus. this represented IN increase of Z. 112
in the number OF persons examined,
decrease of 1928 in the number who
= assed. and an increase of $40 in the
number who failed.
Nearly 10000 Appointments.
The total number Of persons receiving
appointment. excluding the Philippine
service and the municipal service of the
District OF Columbia, neither of which is
subject TO the provisions of the Civil
Service act. was $50. distributed as
follows: Departmental service (exclud-
ing the Railway Mail ard Indian serv-
iees), 1888; Railway Mail service, SIC;
Indian service. 276; Postoffice service,
28S; Custom House service, SO. Two
thirds Of the appointments of the de-
partmentaI service proper and nearly
One-half Of the appointments in the IN
dian service we're of persons who had
passed educational examinations.
These examinations. which are some
times termed registration or experience
examinations are mainly based upon q
consideration Of the length and quality
OF the experience and the physical fit
ness Of applicants They are usually
held for positions requiring a knowledge
OF ore OF the mechanical trades OF
skilled manual occupations
Appointments Of Old Soldiers.
a table accompanying shows that IS
appointments of preference claimants,
veterans OF the army and navy, werz
made during the year, most Of these be
ing to positions in the departments at
Washington. The average age Of these
preference claimants was less than 50
years. IN the appendix TO the report the
preference given TO honorably dis
charged veterans OF the war of the re-
bellion and the Spanish-American war
ia the matter OF reinstatement 10 the
civil service is mentioned. Such vet
Grams, their widows, and army nurses OF
either Of these wars may be reinstated
without regard 70 the length Of time
they have been separated from the
civil service That this is a substantial
benefit appears from the fact thai dur
ing the fiscal year covered by the re
port I3I such persons were reinstated,
or over Is per cent Of the entire mum
Der Of reinstatements.
Extent Of Classified Service
\ brief statement of the extent Of the
service subject 70 the civil service act
and rules is q feature Of the report.
Frou this it appears that in the entire
executive service OF the Government
there are. in round numbers, 235,Oo0
places. Of which number about I21 GOO
are classified or the IA 900 remaining
unclassified. z. 498 are cnoae 81 fourth
class pogtmasters- The an0ual expendi-
ture for salaries for the entire execu-
tive service is stated 10 be about $3.50.
OO0. 900, and of this, $50 DOC, 600, or near
y two-thirds, goes TO salaries for posi-
lions subject TO the civil service rules
Extension Of Classification.
The view OF the Commission as to what
positions should properly be classified
appears in the following quotation from
the report:
Substantially all Of the positions in
the executive civil service with the
exception OF those requiring administra-
tive ability. these Of q confidential ma
lure and those OF mere laborers. can be
p oJerly made subject 10 practical tests
az 4tuess by This Commission The posi-
Li5-s requiring administrative ability or
supervisory capacity should, as d rule.
be filed by promotion or transfer, and.
as q matter Of fact the positions Of
confidential nature, or those which are
Of 4 fduciary character. could also be
better filled in most cases by the trans
fer or promotion Of qualified persons al
ready in the service. The number of
positions which cannot with advantage
to the service. be made subject 10 COM
petitive examination in some form is
very small, and is confined 10 that linn
tied class Of positions the occupants OF
which are required to originate action
involving the general policy Of the Ad-
ministTatiou."
Opportunities for Appointment.
Probably the most interesting portion
Of the report to the general public wiz
be that part OF. ii headed Opportunities
for appointment" in the report of the
chief examiner. An abstract Of this Is
as follows: For men, the best oppor-
tunities are offered through the stenog-
raphy and typewriting examinations,
which are given twice a year. For sew
eral years ali men who have passed IN
both Of these branches have been Of
fered appointments, except those who
placed the minimum salary they were
willing to accept at so large figure
as TO preclude their appointment
About 50 per cent Of the II IN passing
ne hook kepDpT examination raraiye 2 n