Evening star., 1902-04-30
NATIVES STAND WELL
Porto Ricans Succeed in Civil
Service Tests.
MULTITUDES APPLY
HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN
THE COMMISSION.
Men Are Punctilious About Removing
Their Coats, but Insist on
Smoking Cigarettes.


DR.. George w. Leadley, chief of the serv-
| ice Of the record division of the civil serv-
! ice commission, who has been in Porto
Rico for the past two months for the pur-
| pose of applying the civil service system to
the classified positions on the island that
belong to the federal service Of the United
States, has returned to this city. The Off
cial report Of his operations, which will be
| quite voluminous and exhaustive, will not
be submitted to the commission for several
days.
The first examination was held in the
| house of delegates at San Juan on March
%, on which date six Americans and fifteen
Porto Ricans appeared for and took the
examination for the post Office service
which examination was the same as that
given for similar positions in the United
| States, except that 1t was given in both
English and Spanish, with the additional
obligatory subject of English and Spanish
translation. Two Of the Porto Rican COM
petitors elected to take the examination in
English. Most of the American competi-
tors were persons who are now holding
temporary positions in the service
The Porto Ricans were an orderly, we'll
behaved and apparently an intelligent set
or young men. who probably belonged to
the middle classes. They appeared to ex-
perience but little difficulty in comprehend
ing the instructions and in answering the
questions according to established forms
and customary usage. Prediction was made
that none of them would be able to an
swer any Of the questions in the subject
Geography Of the United States" yet one
competitor turned in a perfect paper on
that subject. and the majority of them did
as well as the Americans.
Trouble With English Pronunciation.
In the post office examinations there is
subject Of reading addresses, which con-
sists of reading twenty-five cards, on each
of which Is written name and an address.
The competitors are marked according to
the speed and accuracy with which they
read the cards. In those prepared for the
post office service in Porto Rico fifteen
cards had Spanish names and addresses
written upon them, the remaining ten cards
having American names and addresses. 1t
was amusing. but very interesting to listen
to the Porto Rican competitors read these
cards. They would start out and read them
with peculiar Spanish "roll,' and at
rate Of speed far in excess of that at
tained by the Americans, and keep it up
until they came to the sixteenth card,
which had an American name and address,
when there would be sudden pause, an
uneasy shifting of the competitor in his
seat. an almost futile attempt at correct
English pronunciation, and in many cases
complete failure to read the cards. The
Porto Ricans were the first to finish the
examination 1t was the opinion OF those
who made cursory examination Of the
papers that they would obtain higher aver
ages than the Americans
On March 26. thfrty-one persons were ex
amined for the custom house service. In
this examination the translation test was
an optional subject, but was taken by about
one-fourth of the competitors. twenty-five
persons took the examination in Spanish,
and nine in English.
Expected No Favoritisms.
One noticeable feature in connection
with the holding Of these examina tions
and. in fact, with all of the civil service
work, was the apparent confidence that
the competitors and citizens generally had
in the absolute integrity of the examina-
tions and the good faith of the commission.
1t Is quite a common occurrence, in con-
nection with the holding of civil service ex-
aminations, to see groups of people stand
Ing around discussing the outcome of the
examinations, and to overhear the opinion
expressed that the competitors with the
pulf' will get the places. regardless of the
average percentages which they or the
other competitors obtain. All of this was
conspicuously absent in connection with
the examinations held in Porto Rico. The
people seemed to accept as fact that the
rules and regulations Of the commission
would be lived up to- and that political
preferment would not count. The persons
holding temporary appointments pending
the establishment of eligible registers
seemed to be perfectly well aware Of the
fact that they entered the examinations on
the same basis as persons entirely outside
Of the service, and that their retention in
the positions they were holding depended
upon their qualifications as shown in the
competitive examinations.
Particular About Their Coats.
AS illustrating a form Of so-called Span
ish dignity which still obtains among the
refined and educated Porto Ricans refer
ence may be made to the fact that in mo
case would native remove his coat dur
Ing the progress of an examination. In the
pest office examination, held on March 25,
when the thermometer registered 90 de-
grees. one Of the American competitors
asked permission to remove his coat There
being no ladies present, all of the connect
tors were invited to remove their coats
and make themselves as comfortable as
possible. Each American present imme-
dfately took advantage Of the suggestion.
Not one Porto Rican accepted the invita-
ton or even gave any indication of having
heard it given. The same thing happened
at Ponce and Mayaguez-alI Of the Ameri-
cans seemed only too glad to remove their
extra habiliments: none Of the Porto Ricans
would consider such a proposition. This
strict observance of dignity and propriety
seems to relax when it reaches the uues-
ton Of smoking. At Ponce physician who
was taking the examination for acting as
sistant surgeon In the marine hospital SER
vice asked permission to smoke. ana stated
that he could scarcely go through the ex-
animation unless he were allowed to do SO.
On account Of the presence Of several ladies
there was some hesitation about granting
his request. Noticing this hesitation. he
said, "Oh, they are all used to 1t down here
and won't mind It," and before anything
further could be said all Of the ladies pres
ent asked that he be allowed to smoke.
Detailed Report to Come.
The total number Of persons examined,
including those examined under the regis
tration process. was 227. Among the ex-
aminations held that required educational
tests may be mentioned those for clerk
carrier In the post office service, deputy
collector. inspector. examiner of merchan-
dise clerk, messenger, assistant weigher,
watchman and guard in the custom house
service; acting assistant surgeon in the ma
rine hospital service, assistant In soil sur
vey, Department Of Agriculture; compost
tor and pressman in the government print
ing Office and superintendent of construc-
ton, clerk, stenographer and typewriter
messenger, watchman, Interpreter trans