The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-03-11

eral Federation of Women's Club
to maintain Civil Service Reforr
Committee. But our committee-fort
unately or unfortunately has ha
small opportunity to concern itsel
with elections or Office seekers.
has followed it's original plan O
pointing out to the members of tn
Federation what they so often for
get-the intimate connection between
the Civil Service, and industrial ane
sanitary conditions in our cities. Tha
We are making ourselves heard i.
shown by the increasing number o.
State Federations that have workine
committees on Civil Service Reform
In 1908 20 states reported such com
m1ttees, the close of 1909 sees 81
States, and the District of Columbia
officially committed to a Civil Service
Reform propaganda.
Michigan holds the record for eff.
cient work. In three months after
she was made Chairman of the new
ly appointed committee, Mrs. Keil, of
Michigan, had organized 80 sub-com-
mlttees in as many different clubs,
mad introduced into 81 schools and
IL libraries, had caused our leaflets
to be displayed conspicuously in fire.
en1gne houses, police headquarters,
college settlements, waiting-rooms of
railway stations, all mems and boys
clubs in the state, and in all the
branches of the Young Mems and
Young Women's Christian Associa-
lions. She has persuaded many adult
Sunday schools and Congregational
clubs to devote one Sunday a year to
the consideration of the Merit Svs-
tenn. Her 80 subcommittee have in
duced their local papers to publish
articles on some phase of Civil Ser
vice Reform at stated intervals. 1t
seems safe to assume that before very
long no woman in Michigan will con-
found the reform of the Civil Service
with the needful regeneration of cook
and housemaid, nor will any man
again go to library, and ask for
the "silver service of the fire depart
ment,' his request having no relation
to possible tea sets for deserving fire.
men, but, as he explained to the puz-
zled librarian, to ''the questions they
ask when you take the silver service
examinations.
The California Civil Service Com
mittee has been but recently organic
ed, but already it's efficient chairman
las districted the state and provided
or the systematic distribution of lit
erature. Perhaps it is her zeal that
las led to the report that Mr.. Luther
of California, has evolved
rom the common garden variety of
,rafter, a new and distinct type of
fingerless and pocketless,
"a highly desirable species, it is said ;
ince it is very ornamental and re- ,
uires no attention. |
Recently there was a bill before I
he Massachusetts, legislature provid- ,
ng for the application of tests to {
ersons apparently dead, and it was I
uggested that the test be applied ex- a
erimentally to the Civil Service Re- r
orm law in Philadelphia. The kindly
ostonian who made this suggestion +
ad been visiting Philadelphia, and, t
licking up the paper one morning, he il
ad had exclaimed to his host, Great Il
'bbery reported last night" And |,
IS host, with fatalistic calm born of G
long regime of Quayism, had re- h
'onded coolly: Eyes? Official or I'M W
ficial?" a.
Notwithstanding the educational If
ork of our committee for the last r;
K years, there are still many women Of
many States who fear that Civil e,
rvice Reform is strictly political re
lestion, and as such outside the 10
ope of Federation work. Our COM G.,
ttee is therefore preaching more Gu
alously this year that politics is er
t something contrasted with home ey