The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-31
EIGHTEENTH REPORT
ON CIVIL SERVICE
Commission States That 47,075
Persons Were Examined Dur
ing Last Year.
APPO!NTEES NUMBERED $3.50.
Of 235,0U0 Places in Entire Execu
tive Service, 121,00O Are Clas-
siied-Most of the Others
Are Postmasters.

Washington, Aug. 30.-Among the Govern
ment publications that will soon be ready
for public distribution is the Eighteenth Re-
port OF the Civil Service Commission, COW
ering the period from July l, 1900, TO June
80. 1901.
III report proper (as distinguished from
the appendix is largely statistical. 1t opens
with the statement that 400 persons were
examined during the year, of whom 21,02
were examined for the Departmental Serv-
ice. This service does not include merely
the departments at Washington. but all the
Federal classified services outside of Wash
ington, with the exception of the Postal.
Customs. Internal Revenue and Government
Printing services. Thus. the Railway Mail
and Indian services are divisions of the De-
partmental Service.
Nearly 2,0V0 persons were examined for
the Post Office Service, or a little over a
thousand less than the number examined
for the departmental service. About 50 per
cent, or 80, lS9. of those taking examinations
passed and 1853 failed. Compared with the
year previous, this represented an increase
OF 2,u2 in the number OF persons examined,
a decrease of 1928 in the number who
passed and an increase of $40 in the num-
Der who failed.
Appointments $50.
TIL total number of persons receiving ap-
poIntmenI, excluding the Philippine service
and the municipal service of the district of
Columbia, neither of which is subject TO the
distributed as follows: Departmental serv-
ice excluding the Railway Mail and Indian
services), 1888; Railway Mail Service, Sle;
Indian Service, 20; Post Office Service, 4,2SS;
Custom-house Service, 3uZ; Government
Printing Service, 1Iz; Internal Revenue
Service, So.
department service proper and nearly one
half of the appointments In the ndian serv-
ice were of persons who had passed nom
educational examinations. THESE eAamlna-
tons, which are sometimes termed regis
tration or experience examinations, are
mainly based upon a consideration of the
length and quality OF the experience and
the physical fitness of applicants.
They are usually heiq for positions re-
curing a knowledge OF one or the me-
chanIcal trades or skilled manual occupa
tions. Inquiry is made by means OF GER
tiflcates from employers and feliow-work-
men concerning qualifications. A prescribed
period or service at a traue Is usually d
requirement.
The examinations for compositors. press
men, ETC., in the Government Printing Of
flee are not Included in this class. since in
the scholastic tests are essential.
The commission states in the report that
1t has been unable to make the registra-
desirable for lack Of sufficient clerical
force.
Preference Given to Veterans.
Concerning the preference given to United
SIdLeS SOIulcTS anu SdllOIS HOuOEdUly us
charged for disability incurred in line Of
duty the report says:
With 4 view to securing to those honorably dis
charged from the military or naval service by
reason of disability incurred in the line OF duty
the benefits granted by section 1i5i OF the Re
vised Statutes. the civil-service rules give prefer
ence to such persons in examinations by Iequlr-
ing them to obtain an average OF only 20 in order
at the head OF the register before all others not
veterans. and in exempting them from all age
limitations. The preference thus conferred ex-
tends to all who nave at any time been dis
reason OF disability incurred in the line Of duty,
and Is not confined to those who have served
curing a war.
The annual expenditure for salaries for
the entire executive service is stated to be
about $3.50, 600, 600, and of this, $4,000. COZ, or
nearly two-thlrdS, goes to salaries for posi-
tions subject to the civil service rules.
The view of the commission as to what
positions should properly be classified APP
in the following quotation from the
report:
Substantially all of the positions in the execu-
tive civil service. with the exception Of those
administrative ability. those OF a con-
fidential nature. and those Of mere laborers. can
by this commission. The positions requir-
ing administrative ability or supervisory ca
pacity should, as a rule. be filled by promotion
or transfer. and. as a matter OF fact, the posi-
Of a h6uciary character, could also be better
filled IN most cases by the transfer or promo
OF qualified persons already in the service.
number OF positions which cannot, with ed-
vantage to the service, be made subject to COM
examination IN some form Is very small
and is confined to that limited class Of positions
nate action involving the general policy Of the
administration.
Probably the most interesting portion. OF
the report to the general public Will be mat