Arizona republican., 1910-02-14
Extension of the Work of the
 Civil Service Commission SHOWN IN ANNUAL REPORT
Within Year 28,303 New Positions Brought Under the Service-Denial That the Rules Protect the Un- fit and Incompetent

Washington. Feb 1.-The twenty sixth annual report of the United States civil service commission, which has been submitted to Pres ident Taft for transmittal to congress, shows that the year ended June 30. 1909, was one of marked activity for the commission, as is shown by the introduction to the report, which is as follows:
 The year ended June 30 last was a period of marked advance in the work of the commission. This advance is shown not merely by the statistics herewith presented, but also by di- minuation in the abuses which the civil service act and rules are intend ed to remedy, and an increasing com plexity and variety of work needed to meet the more exacting require ments of the public service due to it's continued development. Positions for merly regarded as impossible of clas- sification have been classified or oth- erwise withdrawn from patronage; examinations have been applied with greater measure of success to pO- sitions requiring a high degree of professional, scientific, or technical qualifications; political activity on the part of employees occupying com petitive positions has met with in creased corrective action; political assessments were less frequent, and appointing officers were Increasingly relieved from opportunities for place.
 While there is yet much to be done in these and other administrative re- forms the commission desires to eX- press it's qualification with the prac- tical workings of the civil service act and rules, and with the sympathy and support of the president and appoint ing officers.
 The advances in it's work have made severe demands on the force of the commission and compel a more urgent and emphatic appeal for in crease in it's appropriations, espec- ially for a suitable office building in which to do it's work.
 The report goes on to show that the number of positions for which examinations are held has increased by 2S,303. while the more exacting requirements in appointments increas- ed the complexity and variety of the work. Investigations of minor vio-
  erous. probably due to the fact that the provisions of the rules are be- coming more widely known, and that minor violations which formerly would have been passed unnoticed are now reported. The presidential cam paign resulted in more violations of the rule against political activity than usually occur during a year and a greater degree of severity in punishment has been imposed.
 The commission obtained one con- viction in the courts for violation of the law forbidding the solicitation of political assessments of federal employees on government premises. number of other cases of political ac- tivity. of political assessments, or of discrimination for political reasons were investigated and appropriate disciplinary action enforced by the department in 36 cases. and other cases are pending.
 The success of the commission, es- pecially in supplying persons prop erly qualified for professional. seien- tific, and highly technical positions. and in dealing with abuses which the civil service act and rules were in- tended to remedy, is shown to have demonstrated the practical workings of the merit system. New positions have been created calling for men of strong personality, economical train ing and extensive practical experl- ence. such as that of special agent in the bureau of corporations and that of examiner in the interstate com merce commission. Examinations for these and similar positions are based on previous training. ability to an- swer practical questions, and the per- sonality of the applicants.
 A small number of positions are shown to have been excepted from by President Taft, his action being taken in each case eith- CT because the requirements of the position were of a highly confiden-