The Detroit times., 1910-10-24

service law. Last year the POSITIONS
subject TO competitive examination un-
der the civil service rules numbered
2S4,940. an Increase OF 2S.303 over the
previous year. or the l32.s54 persons
not subject to the rules OF the COM
mission the president appointed APP
proximately 10000.
The civil service commission was
created by what Is known as the Civil
Service Act OF 1888 Under the old
spells system every change In the
presidency carried with IL almost q
clean sweep OF the employees In the
executive service, This system pro-
duced SO many obnoxious results that
II was universally agreed that sub
ordinate positions ought no longer be
distributed rs a part OF the spells OF
political warfare. but should be dis
tributed under appointments for merit
and held during good behavior.
Since that time each succeeding
| president OF the United States has ex-
| tended the number OF positions under
civil service rules, until today nearly
q quarter OF a million men and wo-
men hold their positions In the gov
| ment service by virtue OF those laws.
That there are plenty Of aspirants for
government positions under civil ser
vice rules Is shown by the records OF
examinations duringf the year 1909,
The commission during that year ex-
amined $4,000 applicants. or these
10000 succeeded In having their
names placed upon the list Of eligibles
for appointment. The number OF ap
pointments aggregated Al 900. In other
Il Inn N NJ
secured an appointment, while one
eligible out OF three was successful
The saying that In the government
service few die and none resign. does
not hold true. for nearly the entire Al.
900 appointments were made TO al
; vacancies.
The administration OF the civil ser
vice law Is being made more effective
each year. Every few months see'
the issuance of an order by the pres
ident transferring positions from Tho
unclassified to the classified service
Last year more than 10000 employe;
and the positions they held were
transferred to the classified service
| Upward Of $4,000 of these were thu
; fourth class postmasters In fourteen
: OF the states OF the Union. Presiden
+. Taft has already transferred 5000 pos
/ tai employees this year.
| A large list of eligibles is main
tanned by the civil service commits
, sion at all times. Examinations are
} held regularly In various parts OF the
, United States each year. and the ap
, licant is expected to set forth In his
, application the position he desires q
: ALL In addition to these regular ex
animation at stated periods. there arr
special examinations held to I'LL spe
J cial vacancies. One may easily con
ceive the wide range Of governmental
activities when II Is stated that II
the course OF q year examinations are
. held for nearly 500 different kinds o
, positions. In 1909, 301 Of the positions
to be filed required educational tests
and 1876 UNCONVENTIONAL tests. In thu
: positions requiring educational tests
. the ordinary examination Is about a.
.. difficult as that for q school teaches
I'm the common schools Of the aver
age city.
There are many examinations, how
, ever. for positions OF unusual require
, ments. The reclamation service need.
civil and hydraulic engineers; tho
geological survey requires the services
of the coal-mining engineers; the nav,
department must have an electrical
expert in wireless telegraphy and tel
ephony; the department OF agriculture
asks for q chemical biologist. a CHIEF
veterinarian. and chief Of the cattle
and grain investigation laboratory
all these and other highly technical
positions are filed from q list OF
eligibles made up by examination un
der the civil service. II IL plain that
the ordinary government examiner Is
not able to mark the papers In such
examinations. Consequently. the SER
vices of specialists In branches OF
scientific, professional. and technical
knowledge are occasionally required.
There are exceptions to the rule