services mainly due to the fact that the eligible's employer has learned that he is eligible for a Government position, and increases his salary in order to keep him. (Third district.) A decrease in the Post Office Service since the entrance salary was advanced from $600 to $800. The majority of recent declinations occurred because eligibles have steady employment elsewhere and do not like substitute service. (Seventh district.) A large number of declinations in the Post Office Service, from the better class of eligibles, who can not afford to accept appointment. (Eighth district.) QUALIFICATIONS OF ELIGIBLES. Little complaint is heard from appointing officers. Where it has occurred, it has been generally recognized as due to the comparatively small salaries paid, especially in the case of stenographers and typewriters. (First district.) It is very apparent that each examination held is drawing forth better material. There have been practically no complaints on this score. (Third district.) Occasional complaints concerning the qualifications of stenographer and typewriters, which, in a great measure, could be remedied if the wages paid were commensurate with those of the commercial world. (Seventh district.) No complaints. (Ninth district.) Except in a few instances, where typewriters with a knowledge of stenography were certified to fill positions requiring eligibles requiring combined qualifications, no objections have been made by nominating officers to the qualifications of the eligibles certified. (Twelfth district.) PARTISAN ACTIVITY AND POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS. No case can be recalled of political activity on the part of classified employees in this district. (First district.) Very few cases of political activity in this district within the past year and no case of political assessment whatever. Such activity is believed to be restrained by the frequent visits of the district secretary and also by the large circular poster issued by the commission and posted in every Federal office in the district warning employees. (Third district.) There were some complaints of political activity, largely incident to the last presidential campaign, investigated by the district secretary during the past year. The cases investigated, with one or two exceptions, disclosed no serious violation of the act and rules. (Fifth district.) During the past year complaints against appointing officers and employees charged with political activity were very few and in most instances not based on facts. (Seventh district.) We have had no cases of any consequence along the line of political activity to report during the past year, no doubt largely the result of the closer relations and supervision which have been established. (Eighth district.) I can recall only two cases during the past year where a classified employee was guilty of political activity. (Ninth district.) The conditions have been most gratifying. Only one complaint, and that of small consequence, was filed with the district secretary, notwithstanding the presidential campaign and election. (Twelfth district.) RECOMMENDATIONS. That one examination be given for the position of clerk-carrier and rural carrier in each county in which there are one or more classified post offices, thereby reducing the expense of examinations and the number of papers to be rated, the same plan being already followed in connection with the stenographer and typewriter examination for the departmental, Philippine, and Isthmian services. (Third district.) That three grades of stenographer and typewriter examinations be provided, of varying degrees of difficulty, for positions whose entrance salaries would be $840, $1,000, and $1,200, thus making the examination less difficult for many newly graduated students of commercial schools who now fail. Some provision should be made for paid advertising of examinations in the larger cities, some of which have announced that they will no longer advertise the commission's examinations without charge, believing that the Government is able to pay therefor. (Fifth district.) Fourth-class postmasters, railway mail and rural carrier services could be placed under the district system with but very little trouble, and with no small advantage to the Government. The allowance of a fund for advertising and the establishment of a press bureau would be of no little advantage, as this kind of advertising is the most effective. (Sixth district.) In consequence of the growing scarcity of rural carrier eligibles and the prevailing opinion among postmasters that the qualifications of a rural carrier are different from those for clerk or city carrier, it would seem that the conditions could be more easily and satisfactorily met by suitably lowering the examination requirements, but still retaining the provision for transfer to other positions through noncompetitive examination in the few cases that occur where a deserving employee is found; while also if a plan could be devised for the appointment of substitutes through examination, with promotion to regular positions, the same as in the Post Office Service, vacancies could be more promptly filled and substitutes more easily retained. (Eighth district.) Owing to the distance of post offices from Washington, many postmasters believe that the placing of the rural carrier registers in the field would result in quicker action on appointments. (Eleventh district.) EFFICIENCY FROM MERIT SYSTEM IN INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE. TABLE A.-Showing increased efficiency from the application of the merit system to the Internal Revenue Service. TABLE B.—Showing apparent savings made in the cost of collection of the internal revenue under the merit and partial merit systems. NOTE.-In Table B, the apparent average rate of saving by reason of the classification of deputy collectors, amounting to $0.30 for each $100 of revenue collected, is derived by subtracting $1.66, reported in Table A as the average cost per $100 under the classification of all positions, from $1.96, the average cost per $100 under the classification of all positions except deputy collectors. The apparent average rate of saving by reason of the classification of positions other than deputy collectors, amounting to $0.75 for each $100 collected, is similarly derived by subtracting $1.96 from $2.71, the average cost per $100 before the classification of any positions. (See Table A.) |