THIRD DISTRICT.

(Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey except seven eastern counties; headquarters, Philadelphia, Pa.)

There is a dearth of eligibles in this district generally for technical positions and for (male) stenographers and typewriters. First-grade clerks, laborers, both skilled and unskilled, and mechanics and artisans throughout the district, except in Philadelphia, are very difficult to obtain in sufficient numbers to fill all vacancies. Substitute clerks and letter carriers in all but the large first-class post offices can be secured only with difficulty. This meager supply of labor is believed to be due to the relatively small salaries paid in Federal offices. Private employment for the better qualified employees in many large corporations is more remunerative and offers better inducements, such as promotion from the lowest to the highest positions and pensions for those faithful employees who have grown old in the service, than employment in Federal positions.

Those eligibles who can be obtained in this district are generally satisfactory to their appointing officers. Only in rare instances, to our knowledge, are probationers dismissed for inefficiency during their probationary period, and few complaints of any other character are made. In fact, a number of appointing officers have made mention to me personally that the eligibles obtained by the district office perform their duties in a commendable manner. The care taken to secure eligibles physically as well as mentally equipped for their work is productive in the majority of cases of increasingly beneficial results and is appreciated by the heads of the offices where such persons are employed. A few complaints are received of the failure to secure eligibles quickly. This generally happens when examinations have been announced more than once and suitably qualified persons can not be obtained readily at the salaries offered.

The tendency toward a sincere and hearty cooperation between the appointing officers in the third district and the district secretary is considerably stronger than it has been in the past. This may fairly be attributed to personal visits made to the various appointing officers throughout the district, to ascertain their needs and to meet them, as well as by visits from the officers themselves to the district office. By this exchange of official courtesy the appointing officers are put more closely in touch with the real purpose and meaning of civil service as an active principle and when realizing more fully its benefits they are generally willing to assist the commission in its work. By means of the merit system, fairly administered, the appointing officer can perform the duties of his office with satisfaction to himself and with credit to the department he represents.

Temporary appointments have increased in this district during the last fiscal year. This has been due largely to the establishment of new bureaus and offices and to the temporary character of the work performed in them. Many temporary appointments are also necessitated by the impossibility of securing competent eligibles at the salaries offered, the majority of which occur in the positions of substitute clerk and carrier in the post-office service and in the positions of stenographer and typewriter.

The percentage of declinations in this district has decreased. Registers of eligibles are kept as nearly up to date as possible and all persons whose names appear thereon are encouraged to keep the district office well informed in regard to their availability for appointment. Appointing officers are also encouraged, and are generally willing, to give full information in regard to the prospects of promotion and the conditions of work in the offices under their charge. It is believed that by bringing the appointing officers into as close touch as possible with the district office declinations may be still further reduced.

FOURTH DISTRICT.

(Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia; headquarters, Washington, D. C.)

Greater difficulty is being experienced each year in securing a sufficient number of eligibles for certain positions. For stenographer and typewriter vacancies the supply of male eligibles is scarcely equal to the demand. This is primarily due to the fact that qualified persons can, in many instances, obtain positions in private employment at better salaries than the Government pays on entrance into the service. Many persons who are willing to accept appointment at the salaries offered can not pass the commission's examinations.

No complaints are made as to the qualifications of eligibles furnished from the commission's examinations. The testimony of the appointing officers generally is that the examinations prescribed by the commission fairly test the qualifications required in the various positions in the service. There is a tendency in some quarters to make appointments from among those highest on the lists, on the ground that such eligibles are superior to those who receive lower ratings. Occasionally, for this reason, appointments are delayed pending the establishment of new registers. A postmaster recently called attention to the work performed by his rural carriers during a counting of the mail. While the reports of the men appointed without examination before classification were accepted they were not nearly so well prepared as those submitted by the carriers who were appointed after passing a competitive examination. Nominating officers, as a rule, work in hearty sympathy and accord with your representative in this district. Sometimes a new appointee, because of his unfamiliarity with the law and rules, thinks he is hampered in his work, but after a frank discussion of matters with the district secretary, it generally develops that the officer forms a different opinion. There is a growing disposition on the part of the nominating officers to confer with the district secretary on all matters relating to appointments, etc., in an endeavor to ascertain their rights and comply with the rules.

On the whole, the postmasters in this district prefer to make regular appointment of substitutes from the registers, rather than make temporary appointments outside the lists. Care is taken to see that the number of temporary appointments is reduced to a minimum, and that such appointments, when necessary, are made from the registers so far as practicable. Nominating officers experience considerable difficulty in making temporary appointments from the registers for job work of short periods.

Declinations are no more numerous than must be expected. When an eligible for the post-office service, for instance, finds that he must hold himself in readiness to serve as a substitute whenever called upon, and then has no definite assurance of a reasonable compensation while serving as such substitute, his declination naturally follows. The low salaries cause most of the declinations.

Par

There have been no flagrant cases of political activity in this district for some time. Officers as well as employees are informing themselves of the requirements of the law and rules as to political assessments, coercion, and activity. The district secretary is frequently called upon to express an opinion as to whether a particular form of activity will be contrary to the rule. ticular improvement may be noted in this respect in one State of this district, after a State-wide investigation had been made. Formerly there had been general solicitations made for campaign funds from employees in the service, while activity in political management was engaged in to a very considerable extent. Subsequently, it was found that conditions had greatly improved and no further violations developed.

It is proper that I should take this opportunity to testify to the very efficient services performed for the commission by the various local boards of examiners in this district. Most of them are greatly interested in the commission's work. They keep the district secretary informed of apparent violations, and in only rare instances are any serious irregularities found in connection with the holding of examinations.

FIFTH DISTRICT.

(South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee; headquarters, Atlanta, Ga.)

I regret to report that there does not appear to be a decrease in the aggregate number of temporary appointments, as compared with the number last year. I attribute this to the large number of second class post offices, classified since our last report, for which, of course, no registers existed on the date of their classification; next, the low salaries paid to oilers, marine firemen, etc., in the Quartermaster's Department service, and finally, to the ever existing scarcity of (male) stenographer and typewriter eligibles.

There seems to be no political activity on the part of classified employees in this district.

SIXTH DISTRICT.

(Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky; headquarters, Cincinnati, Ohio.)

Political activity upon the part of competitive employees is fast becoming a thing of the past. Many investigations based upon charges of this character have been conducted within the last three years, inquiry having shown that at least 98 per cent of such charges are without foundation in fact, and that the rule prohibiting activity has, in the main, been observed. Appointing officers cooperate generally in its enforcement.

A fine spirit of cooperation exists in this district. Example: Changes in the examinations were contemplated for the Internal Revenue Service. Nine collectors of internal revenue visited Cincinnati at their own expense for conference with the district secretary on this subject.

The same feeling of willingness to cooperate obtains upon the part of postmasters. This condition is a result of the very clear understanding appointing officers now have as to the aim and intent of civil-service rules. They now realize that the rules are intended to facilitate appointments and to improve the service, rather than to hamper or embarrass the appointing officer.

No difficulty is experienced in securing eligibles and promptly and satisfactorily filling vacancies by appointment from registers. The only exception is the insufficiency of eligibles for temporary appointment to the position of storekeeper-gauger in the State of Kentucky. This condition, however, is an unusual one and purely local. Furthermore, the insufficiency of eligibles is being gradually overcome by extensive advertisement and the dissemination of information as to what may be the result of applicants passing the prescribed test.

Too much can not be said of the efficient and willing service rendered by local examining boards. It is the exception when a local secretary is found who does not take pride and pleasure in his work as an examiner. Many of these examiners do night and Sunday work for the purpose of gaining time to devote to duties imposed by the commission.

Under the code governing Ohio cities, the larger ones maintain civil service commissions. Examinations are held for positions of fireman, policeman, clerks, stenographer-typewriters, and many technical or scientific positions. It is the consensus of opinion that the competitive merit system bas resulted in providing a higher grade and more efficient set of employees.

EIGHTH DISTRICT.

(Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa; headquarters, St. Paul, Minn.)

With reference to temporary appointments, which continue in about the same proportion, I feel convinced that these are confined to meritorious cases and are resorted to purely to meet the actual needs of the service, and very rarely, if at all, in the interest of any employee. It seems to be even a difficult matter to secure temporary appointments without examination, as evidenced by the fact that at offices where repeated appointments have been made there have been very few instances where the same person has been employed a second time, occasional cases being noted where a change in temporary appointees occurred owing to the fact that the first appointee secured more permanent employment elsewhere.

NINTH DISTRICT.

(Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and 67 counties in Illinois; headquarters, St. Louis, Mo.)

We have very little trouble in securing sufficient eligibles for the numerous positions under the district system. The reason for this seems to be that about 2,000 posters giving a list of all pending examinations are sent to all first, second, and third class post offices in this district every few weeks.

The eligibles we secure seem to satisfy 98 per cent of the nominating officers, and the other 2 per cent would prefer a list made up of their political or personal friends or relatives. I am constantly surprised at the high class of eligibles we secure for the postal service. The entrance conditions are very

discouraging. Many of the eligibles substitute for from one month to three years at a salary of 30 cents per hour when actually employed, and many of them receive not more than 10 days' or two weeks' employment each year.

The nominating officers in this district almost invariably cooperate with this office.

Practically all of the temporary appointments in this district outside of the register are made by the Quartermaster's Department, Engineering Department at Large, and Indian Service. At the present time (Nov. 8, 1911) we have only 10 temporary appointments from the register, and 20 temporary appointments outside of the register. Four of the 20 appointments seem to be irregular and have not as yet been approved by this office.

Probably 90 per cent of the declinations received are made by eligibles for the post-office service.

There is very little political activity in this district in connection with Government employees. The classified employee causes us practically no trouble.

ELEVENTH DISTRICT.

(Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming; headquarters, Seattle, Wash.) During the last year it has been less difficult to secure sufficient eligibles to meet the needs of the post-office service, and, except in a few isolated instances, sufficient eligibles have been secured. It is believed, however, that this condition is merely temporary and has been caused by the fact that business conditions have not been as brisk as heretofore.

The number of temporary employees in the post-office service has been reduced. A great many temporary stenographers and typewriters have been employed in all parts of the district. Although examinations are held frequently a sufficient number of male stenographers and typewriters willing to accept employment at the usual entrance salary of $900 can not be secured. This condition appears to be chronic and will continue to prevail until such time as commercial and industrial concerns pay less or the entrance salary for the service is fixed at a higher figure.

Eligibles in this district are, as a rule, satisfactory to the appointing officers. I may state, however, that there has been some complaint in the intermountain States that the eligibles secured for the post-office service are not altogether satisfactory. Appointing officers realize, however, that the entrance salary paid by the post-office service is less than that paid in some instances for mere unskilled labor. The only remedy that they can suggest for securing better qualified eligibles is to raise the entrance salary where difficulty has been experienced in securing suitable eligibles.

Appointing officers, as a rule, cooperate with the commission in every possible way. There are one or two, however, who seem to desire to do as they please and who are slow in making selections from registers, equally slow in separating temporary employees, and lax in answering correspondence.

Competitive employees, as they have become more familiar with the provisions of section 1 of civil-service Rule I in reference to political activity, have ceased to take an active part in political affairs. There have been very few complaints made in this district, and those of minor importance.

There continue to be a large number of declinations of appointments from eligibles, and the usual reason for declining is that the eligible has secured a better position than the one tendered.

The placing of additional registers under the district system is appreciated by local appointing officers, as it enables them to fill vacancies promptly where eligible registers exist. Local nominating and appointing officers have all welcomed the changes that have been made in the extension of the district work in the last year, and have cooperated very cheerfully.

TWELFTH DISTRICT.

(California, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico; headquarters, San Francisco, Cal.)

During the year there was a great enlargement of the functions of the district office, and the number of field nominating officers was nearly doubled. Many of these officers were quite unfamiliar with the requirements of the civil-service

rules and of the procedure in making nominations for appointment. It has been necessary therefore to instruct and assist them in all proper ways in learning the new conditions.

While lack of well-understood methods of procedure has occasionally caused temporary misunderstanding and embarrassment on the part of these officers, it is a matter of gratification to be able to state that, almost without exception, they appear to be pleased with the change and have evinced a spirit of cordial cooperation with the district office.

The localizing of the examinations and eligible registers in particular has been highly commended by the field officers generally, as it affords in many instances better opportunities to such officers to make suitable selections for appointment through personal interviews with the eligibles.

With few exceptions the attitude of appointing officers in this district apparently is in hearty sympathy with a just and proper enforcement of the civil service law and rules.

The number of temporary appointments in the absence of available eligibles is nearly 50 per cent greater than all regular appointments together. Many (I may fairly say, most) examinations are virtually noncompetitive, as all or nearly all eligibles willing to accept appointment at the salaries offered are reached in order of certification. In many examinations only eligibles with the most meager and limited capacity are secured, yet appointing officers are obliged to consider and select many of them for appointment.

On certain general eligible lists such as the first grade or third grade, the stenographer and typewriter and others, many of the most desirable eligibles fix the minimum salary so high as to preclude nearly all prospect of appointment, or decline appointments when they are tendered. In the post office and custodian service particularly, the majority of the applicants are of a comparatively inferior type, many of them being persons who have not been successful in other occupations and who turn to the Government service in the hope of obtaining employment.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, REPORTS OF HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, AND OTHER SOURCES.

MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT, 1911.

EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

In the Treasury Department the efficiency and economy work has been steadily kept up. Provision is made for the elimination of 134 positions during the coming year. Two hundred and sixty-seven statutory positions were eliminated during the last year in the office of the Treasury in Washington, and 141 positions in the year 1910, making an elimination of 542 statutory positions since March 4, 1909; and this has been done without the discharge of anybody, because the normal resignations and deaths have been equal to the elimination of the places, a system of transfers having taken care of the persons whose positions were dropped out. In the field service of the department, too, 1,259 positions have been eliminated down to the present time, making a total net reduction of all Treasury positions to the number of 1,801. Meantime the efficiency of the work of the department has increased.

POST OFFICE.

At the beginning of the present administration in 1909 the postal service was in arrears to the extent of $17,479,770.47. It was very much the largest deficit on record. In the brief space of two years this has been turned into a surplus of $220,000, which has been accomplished without curtailment of the postal facilities, as may be seen by the fact that there have been established 3,744 new post offices; delivery by carrier has been added to the service in 186 cities; 2,516 new rural routes have been established, covering 60,000 miles; the force of postal employees has been increased in these two years by more than 8,000, and their average annual salary has had a substantial increase.

23175°-12-10