Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1905-04-21
CIVILSERV|CEGROWS
EXAMINATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT
POSITIONS Increasing.

Applications Number 14,4o6 for Spring
Examinations - More Expected
Nearly Three Times as Many as
Last Year-Northwest Furnishes
Large Number Of Applications.
The square deal" and plenty of ad-
vertising are regarded as responsible
for the unusual number of applications
for positions in the classified service
of the government
Up to the present time 14,406 ap-
plications for the spring examinations
for the entry into the civil service
of the government have been filed with
the commissioner at Washington, D.
Z. The commission estimates that
this number will be increased to at
least $4,000 before the time for re-
ceiving applications expires.
The applications from the western
states of Washington. Idaho, Montana,
Wyoming, Colorado, North and South
Dakota, Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tory thus far received have been great
er than during any similar periods
since the establishment of the civil
service commission. The western peo-
pie seem to have suddenly become i'm
bued with the notion that they would
like to enter the government service.
AS the quota of nearly all Of the west
ern states is not complete the chances
of appointments from those states are
much better than from the eastern
states.
Last year the number of applications
for the spring examinations was be-
tween 1000 and 5000. 1t will thus ap-
pear that the applications this year
are two and one half times greater
than last year, and last year was a
record breaker up to that time.
1t is not hard times that is bringing
new applicants for government places,
because the people Of the country
were never more fully employed than
they are today. 1t is not the payment
of high salaries by the government
that is bringing about this eager chase
after government jobs, because, while
wages in every branch of industry
have been increasing during the past
several years. the tendency in the SER
vice of the government is for wages
to come down. Some years ago there
were no clerks under $1,000. Now there
are many working for the government
on salary of very much less than that
figure. There must be some reason
for the excessive increase in the mum.
Der of applicants. and people who
have studied conditions in the civil
service commission have come to the
conclusion that there are just two
causes for it. One is the fact that all
over the country there is a vast
amount of confidence that. under
Roosevelt the civil service will be run
strictly ION the square," and that
Square deaP' will await every one
who enters the lists as an applicant.
The other is the fact that this feature
of the situation has been widely ad-
vertised by civil service institutes all
over the country.
AS a matter of fact the commission
is being run now just about as it has
for many years in the past. There is
no change. But many people living in
remote localities nave known but lit
tie of the commission and it's methods,
and some of them have felt that some
how or other a man or woman must
have a pull in order to get into gov
eminent job. With Roosevelt re-
elected there is a conviction that he
show. There is also the feeling that
is shown on the occasion of every
change of administration. The peo-
pie believe that when a change of
administration is made there will be
many removals from Office.
These applications, numbering A.
4O6, and estimated to run to $4,000,
are for about $4,000 places, or for an
average of about one person for every
two places, to be filed. 1t is not like
ly this year there will be more than
5000 places vacated under the govern
ment in the list of places that are to
be filled by the spring examinations.
These are positions under the govern
ment in this city numbering $4,000, I'M
der the railway mail service number
ing 10000 under the Indian service
and in the service in the Philippines.