Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-08
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS
Begin Next Week Throughout
the Country.
THOUSANDS WILL COMPETE
Fifty-Two Kinds of Government Posi-
tons.
CHECKS AGAINST CHEATING
How Successful Eligibles Are Chosen
by Uncle Sans Great EN-
ployment Agency.
CHECKS AGAINST CHEATING

Copyright, 1905, by John Elfreth Watkins)
Uncle Sans great autumnal contest for
non-elective government office will COM
mence throughout the country on Wednes-
day of next week. Fifty-two different
classes of positions, paying anywhere from
is cents per hour to $50 per year, to be-
gin with. will be striven for by thousands
OF men. women and youths of all kinds and
conditions. The civil service commission
now has the United States divided into
twelve civil service Districts" each in
charge of a secretary, who will hold the
examinations and establish eligible regis
tiers" from which the appointments will
finally be made, in the United States Porto
Rico, the Philippines and Panama. In
creased activity on the isthmian canal,
operation OF the new meat inspection act
and of other enterprises provided for by the
last Congress have Increased the demand
for government employees.
The civil service commission-that busy
employment agency which supplies Uncle
Sam with help" wanted-occupies a brick
building on Sth street, one square south of
the patent office. 1t is presided over by
three commissioners, John c. Black of Il
lnois A. w. Cooley of New York and H.
+. Greene of Minnesota, each of whom re-
ceives salary of So 500 year. Gen. Black,
veteran of the civil war, was commander
in-chief of the G. A. r. when appointed
president of the commission two years ago.
ne - Il lawyer, FORMER commissioner OF
pensions and ex-representative in Congress.
He is thirtyfour years the senior of Com
missioner Cooley, a young New York law
yer of thirty-three, who has emulated Theo-
dore Roosevelt. in so far as he has been a
Harvard graduate member of the New
York Legislature and civil service commits
stoner. Mr.. Greene, who is a compromise in
age between his two colleagues, being for
ty-seven, is an alumnus of Princeton and
lawyer, who has not previously held public
office.
Just how the commission does its work Is
not understood by one citizen in a million.
This is proved by the deluge of letters of
inquiry constantly pouring in upon its sec
rotary, Mr.. John I. Doyle.
The first step to be taken by the citizen
laundering for government Office is the ad-
dressing of a postal card-not a letter-to
the secretary of the civil service commits
sion, Washington. stating exactly the posi-
ton wanted. The applicant will thereupon
receive gratis copy of,the official manual
Of examinations and an application blank
If this is filled in and returned it will
be received in the application room of
the commission. Here il will be carefully
scrutinized and in many cases returned be-
cause of improper or insufficient Informal
ton. II 1t is found acceptable card ad-
hitting the applicant to the examination
room in his city or community will be
mailed.
Precautions Against Tips.
Meanwhile a corps of experts will have
been diligently at work in Washington pre-
pairing the examination papers. These writ
ten questions for this falls contest will be
packed in official envelopes, sealed in wax
with the great seal of the commission and
securely locked away in the question
room" Previous to the examination the
only persons aware of the character OF the
full set of questions prepared for any one
examination will be the chief of the exami-
nation division, the clerk In charge of the
question room" and the shipping clerk,
who placed the seals on the envelopes. The
seaied envelopes will be mailed to the Sec
retaries of the various civil service districts.
who must keep them In a safe until the
first day of the contest. Then the local "ex-
amining board will meet and break the
seals in the presence OF the people to be
examined. If there Is any reasonable sus-
p!cion that the seals have been tampered