New-York tribune., 1908-12-19
NAME ELIOT PRESIDENT
Heads CiuH Service Reform League
Resolutions at Pittsburg.

Plttsburg Dec IS-Charles W. Eliot of Cam
bridge Mass. elected president of the Nationai
Civil Service Reform League this afternoon With
the exception a brief meeting OF the executive
council be held tomorrow morning, the last
sessions OF the leagues tventy-eighth annual con-
vention held to-day the rooms OF the
Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce. at which an adj
dress was made by Attorney General Bonaparte.
dinner was held at the Hotel Schenley tonight,
at which d number of prominent men spoke The
reports of the officers made and Civil Service
conditions in the dependencies of the United States
New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were dis
eussed
DIR. Willis Fletcher johnson, president of the New
Jersey Civil Service Commission discussed the
progress of Civil Service reform in New Jersey
He said, in part
Jersey law in state and municipalities nearly
eleven thousand officers and employees with, a
fore Your ! next 8 yearly % neetng on whole the
gratifying smoothness and efficiency, despite the
temporary unfamiarity of many officials viii ITS
in its application. and except in very few cases
been no delay in the certaeaton Of payros
no interference With the ordinary a coria
vounteer by many ocias that instead of com, I'M
law has made their work simpler and easier
In addition to President Eliot. the following Of
fcers named this afternoon: Viee-presidents
Edwin A. Alderman, University of virginia. Joseph
H. Cheate, New York; Harry A Garfield, Will
T. Hadiey New Haven; Charles E. Hughes
New York; Henry Charles Lea. Philadelphia; Seth
Low New York; Franklin MacVeagh, Chicago;
George A Pope. Baltimore; the Rev. 2. J. Ryan,
d. D.. Philadelphia; Moorfeld Storey, Boston;
Thomas \. Strong Portland Ore, and Herbert
Welsh, Philadelphia
The league in resolutions adopted late to-day,
demands that the 400O clerks TO be added
to the census bureau for the compiling of the next
census be selected for merit and fitness for the
work, as determined by competitive examinations
and protests against the proposed non-competitlve
examination of applicants for such positions which
President Roosevelt has described nothing but
a cloak to hide the nakedness of the spoils sys-
tenn
The resolutions also urge the repeal of the law
limiting the tenure of office of subordinate non
political employees. and the enactment of law pro-
hibitfng the soliciting OF political contributions
from federal employees by any person or the asking
of political services of any sort from any emplOye
in the classified service. Il is also recommended
that competitive service be extended to include
assistant Postmasters employees in nonfree delivery
postoffices employees the District of Columbia
all pension examining surgeons, and all fourth
class postmasters not included in the recent order
so soon as arrangements be made for such
extension. Legislation enabling the President to
ply to Presidential postmasers, collectors and other
higher officials regulations similar 10 those adopted
for consus in the foreign service advocated.
Euogistc resolutions were adopted in memory
of Daniel Colt Gilman, eX-President Grover Cleve-
land Bishop Henry c. POTTER. William Potts and
Charles Eliot Norton, former active workers of
the league.
The league council, at session this evening
elected the following officers: Richard H. Dana,
chairman; E. H. Goodman secretary; Albert de
Roode and Charles b Marble assistant secre-
taries a S FrisseH. treasurer