regulations governing the civil service. Postmasters in Class B will, however, be appointed by a merit system to be devised and carried into effect by the postoffice inspectors, it being, impracticable to require those whose compensation is so small to subject themselves to competitive examinations. In practice it is usual to secure for such offices persons engaged in some other business and so situated as to permit of their conducting the postoffices as well. The order of October 15, 1912, affected about 35,000 postoffices. The total number of additions to the classified service in 1910-'11 was 4,157, and 241 positions were excepted by an amendment of Schedule A of the rules. The merit system is also established in part in the consular and diplomatic services, for the details of which see "The Foreign Service," in this volume. Extensions in 1910. On April 1, 1910, President Taft issued an order putting assistant postmasters at first and second class postoffices in the classified service. About 21,000 postoffices were affected by the order. On September 30, 1910, President Taft issued an executive order, effective on December 1, 1910, putting all assistant postmasters and clerk appointees of postmasters under Civil Service rules. About 4,000 appointees were affected. Examinations are held in every state and territory at least twice a year. They relate as nearly as possible to the duties to be performed, and, wherever practicable. include practical tests. No one is certified for appointment whose Admissions standing in any examination is less than 70 per cent, except soldiers and Removals. and sailors having preference under Section 1754 of the Revised Statutes, who need obtain but 65 per cent. A certificate is given to each person examined, stating whether he or she passed or failed to pass. Upon requisition of an appointing omcer the commission certifies the names of three eligibles for the position desired to be alled, and from the eligibles thus certified selections are made. Provision is also made in the rules for the filling of positions by promotion, reduction, reinstatement or transfer. During the fiscal year 1910-'11 113,628 persons were examined, of whom 77.236 passed and 27,392 were appointed. Persons discharged from the military or naval service by reason of disability resulting from wounds or sickness incurred in the line of duty who receive a rating of at least 65 are certified first for appointment. They are also released from the maximum age limitation. All others are required to obtain a rating of 70 or more to become eligible. The rule barring reinstatement after a separation of one year does any apply to any person honorably discharged after service in the Civil War or the war with Spain, or his widow, or an army nurse of either war. The revision of the rules promulgated by President Roosevelt on March 20, 1903, contains this limitation on the power of removal: "No person shall be removed from a competitive position, except for such cause as will promote the efflLimitations ciency of the public service, and for reasons given in writing, and the on Removal. person whose removal is sought shall have notice and be furnished a copy thereof, and be allowed a reasonable time for personally answering the same in writing; but no examination of witnesses nor any trial or hearing shall be required except in the discretion of the officer making the removal. Copy of such reasons, notice and answer, and of the order of removal shall be made a part of the records of the proper department or office, as shall also the reasons for any change in rank or compensation, and the commission shall upon request be furnished with copies or the originals thereof." On October 17, 1905, President Roosevelt issued an order modifying the conditions of removal as follows: "When the President or head of an executive department is satisfied that an officer or employe in the classified service is inefficient or incapable, and that the public service will be materially improved by his removal. such removal will be made without hearing; but the cause of removal shall be stated in writing and filled. When misconduct is committed in the view and presence of the President or head of executive department, removal may be made summarily and without notice." The rules also forbid any person in the executive Civil Service "to use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting the result thereof." They provide that no discrimination shall be exercised, threatened or promised by any persons in the executive Civil Service against or in favor of an applicant, eligible or employe in the classified service because of his political or religious opinions or affiliations. By two executive orders, one of July 8, 1902, and the other of March 26, 1903, President Roosevelt directed that appointment of all unclassified laborers in departments in Washington be made in accordance with registration tests for fitness, and extended those tests to laborers and workmen in the government employment in such other large cities as might be agreed on by heads of departments and the Civil Service Commission. In addition to the home service, the commission holds examinations for positions in the Isthmus of Panama Canal Zone, in the Philippines, Porto Rico and Hawaii. Besides examinations for positions in the classified service, the commission also holds examinations for entrance to the Naval Academy, the municipal government of the District of Columbia, including the office of the Recorder of Deeds, and for laborers in the departments at Washington and in the large cities of the country. Appointments of unclassified laborers in the departments at Washington and in the large cities under executive order are required to be made in accordance with regulations restricting appointment to applicants who are rated highest in physical condition. The system, however, is outside the Civil Service act and rules. Only about one-eighth of the positions embraced within the competitive service The number of persons leaving the port of Havre, France, for the United States during 1910 was 73,030, while those returning numbered 40,130. are located at Washington. In administering the rules in the services outside of Washington the commission is aided by local boards of examiners, 1,687 The District in number, having in all 5,036 members. These examiners are selected System. from among persons already serving in federal offices in the cities in which the respective boards are located, and receive no additional compensation for their work on such boards. The rules require that in the performance of their duties as examiners they shall be under the direct and sole control of the commission, and that such duties shall in each case be considered a part of the duties of the office in which the examiner is serving, time being allowed for their performance during office hours. The rules further require that no board shall be composed solely of adherents of one political party when other persons are available and competent to serve. In addition to these local boards, the commission has representatives of its own in the field, giving their entire time to its work, and paid, with two exceptions, as part of its own clerical force. This force consists of twelve district secretaries, each with supervision over the local boards in the territory under his charge, and twentyseven clerks serving in the offices of these secretaries. The establishment of these districts has resulted from the growth of the classified service outside the city of Washington, which now embraces more than 200,000 positions. The following statement shows various forms of political activity which have been held to be forbidden on the part of competitive classified employes and unclassified laborers: Service on political committees; service Restrictions on as delegates to county, state or district conventions of a politiPolitical Activity. cal party, although it was understood that the employes were not "to take or use any political activity in going to these conventions or otherwise violate the Civil Service rules"; service as officer of a political club, as chairman of a political meeting; continued political activity and leadership; activity at the polls on election day; the publication or editing of a newspaper in the interests of a political party; the publication of political articles bearing on qualifications of different candidates; the distribution of political literature; holding office in a club which takes active part in political campaignз and management; making speeches before political meetings or political clubs; circulation of petitions having a political object, of petitions proposing amendments to a municipal charter, of petitions favoring candidates for municipal offices, and of local option petitions; service as a commissioner of election in a community where it was notorious that a commissioner of election must be an active politician; accepting nomination for political office with intention of resigning from the competitive service if elected; recommendation by clerks and carriers of a person to be postmaster; activity in local option campaigns; service as inspector of elections, ballot clerk, ballot inspector, judge of election, member of election board; candidacy for or holding of elective office. Within the last ten years the widespread movement in municipal reform has resulted in a considerable number of new city charters, the majority of which provide the form called commission government. Most of these The Merit System new charters make the adoption of Civil Service rules with In States and Cities. more or less thoroughness the foundation of the new structure, and many of them make special provisions for the introduc tion of the merit system of appointments. Since the introduction of the merit system into the federal service in 1883, six states and over two hundred cities have adopted it. New York passed a civil service law in 1883, Massachusetts in 1884, Wisconsin in 1905, Illinois in 1905, with extensions in 1910; Colorado in 1907, New Jersey in 1907, and Ohio a law providing limited service for cities in 1908. The present extent of the merit system in states and cities is shown in the following summary: California-Special charters with specific provisions applying to the entire service; Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Commission plan: Berkeley, Modesto, Monterey, Oakland, San Diego and Vallejo. Colorado State commission, special charters with specific provisions applying to parts of the service: Denver, city and county. Commission plan: Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and Pueblo. Connecticut-Special_charters with provisions in general terms applying to the entire service: New Haven. ton, Illinois-State commission: Cook County. Upon referendum: Chicago, EvansSpringfield and Waukegan. Police and fire services upon referendum: Aurora, Elgin, Peoria, Streator and Rockford. Iowa-Commission plan: Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Keokuk and Waterloo. Kansas-Commission plan: Anthony, Coffeyville, Hutchinson, Independence, Kansas City, Leavenworth, Parsons, Topeka and Wichita. Maryland-Baltimore, special law for police department, charter provisions for public schools, ordinance for fire department. Massachusetts-State commission, under state control, mandatory for all cities: Beverly, Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Gloucester, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Marlboro, Medford, Melrose, New Bedford, Newburyport, Newton, North Adams, Northampton, Pittsfield, Quincy, Salem, Somerville, Springfield, Taunton, Waltham, Woburn, Worcester. Canada's imports for the fiscal year 1873 were valued at $74,218,000; in 1911 imports were valued at $472.194,000. Michigan-Special charter with specific provisions applying to the entire service: Detroit. Minnesota-Special charter with provisions in general terms applying to parts of the service: Duluth (police, fire and clerical). Missouri-Special charter with specific provisions applying to the entire service: Kansas City. New Jersey-State commission: Essex County, Hudson County and Mercer County. Under state control, cities subject to control upon referendum: Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, South Orange and East Orange. [There are no local municipal commissions in the state, the citizens being apparently satisfied to operate under the state law, which provides for the administration of the civil service locally by the state commission.] New York-State commission. Mandatory local commissions for all cities, subject to supervision and a measure of control by state central commission: Cities: Albany, Amsterdam, Auburn, Binghamton, Buffalo, Cohoes, Cortland, Dunkirk, Elmira, Fulton, Geneva, Glens Falls, Gloversville, Hornell, Hudson, Ithaca, Jamestown, Johnstown, Kingston, Little Falls, Lockport, Middletown, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, New Rochelle, New York, Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda, Ogdensburg, Olean, Oneida, Oneonta, Oswego, Plattsburg, Port Jervis, Poughkeepsie, Rensselaer, Rochester, Rome, Schenectady, Syracuse, Tonawanda, Troy, Utica, Watertown, Watervliet and Yonkers. Counties: Albany, Chautauqua, Erie, Kings, Monroe, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Onondaga, Oneida, Orange, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester. Villages: Batavia, Canandaigua, Ossining, Peekskill, Port Chester, Saratoga Springs and White Plains. Ohio-Local commissions under general laws, mandatory for all cities: Akron, Alliance, Ashtabula, Bellaire, Bellefontaine, Bowling Green, Bucyrus, Cambridge, Canal Dover, Canton, Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Circleville, Cleveland, Columbus, Conneaut, Coshocton, Dayton, Defiance, Delaware, East Liverpool, Elyria, Findlay, Fostoria, Fremont, Galion, Gallipolis, Glenville, Greenville, Hamilton, Ironton, Kenton, Lancaster, Lima, Lorain, Mansfield, Marietta, Marion, Martins Ferry, Massillon, Middletown, Mount Vernon, Nelsonville, Newark, Newburgh, New Philadelphia, Niles, Norwalk, Norwood, Painesville, Piqua, Portsmouth, St. Marys, Salem, Sandusky, Sidney, Springfield, Steubenville, Tiffin, Toledo, Troy, Urbana, Van Wert, Warren, Washington Court House, Wellston, Wellsville, Wooster, Xenia, Youngstown and Zanesville. Oklahoma-Local commissions in Oklahoma City and Bartlesville. Oregon-Special charter with specific provisions applying to the entire service: Portland. Pennsylvania Local commissions under general laws, mandatory for certain classes of cities: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton. South Carolina-Commission plan: Columbia, Tennessee-Special charter with specific provisions applying to entire service: Memphis. Virginia-Special charter with provisions in general terms applying to entire service: Norfolk. Washington-Spokane. Commission plan: Tacoma. Special charters with specific provisions applying to entire service: Seattle and Bellingham. West Virginia-Special charter in general terms applying to parts of service: Bluefield, Huntington, Parkersburg and Wheeling (fire and water works service). Wisconsin-State commission. Local commissions under general laws, mandatory for all cities. Police and fire services in cities over 10,000 inhabitants, of which there are sixteen. Local commissions under general laws, mandatory for cities of the first class: Milwaukee. THE POSTAL SERVICE. The postal service is the greatest business enterprise conducted by the federal government. Its growth is rapid and constant. The Postoffice Department disburses more money than any other department, but its direct demands on the Treasury are small, since it is supposed to be practically self-supporting. former years there was a tendency to run up the annual deficits, but under the Taft administration a successful effort has been made to return to a pay-as-you-go basis. In According to the reports of the Postmaster General and the four Assistant Postmaster Generals for the fiscal year 1910-'11 the service had on June 30, 1911, about 330,000 employes. The number of postoffices in Magnitude of the operation was 59,237. A delivery service by carrier was proPostal Business. vided on 41,656 rural routes and in 1,541 cities and towns. Ordinary postage stamps to the value of $213,666,348.47 were sold during the year, domestic money orders to the value of $578,111,005.11 were issued, and 42,766,459 articles were registered. The total receipts for the fiscal year 1910-'11 were $237,879,823.60 and the expenditures were $237,660,705.48, leaving a surplus of $219,118.12. The deficit of 1909-'10 was $5,848,567 and that for 1908-'09 was $17,441,719. The railway mileage in the world at the end of 1909 was 625,698 miles, not including street cars, trolley lines and other light structures. Number of Postoffices, Extent of Post Routes, and Revenue and Expenditures of the Postoffice Department, Including Amounts Paid for Transportation of the Mails, 1879 to 1911. 1910. 1911. 61,158 450,738 191,478,663 121,848,047 58,589,968 2,410,473 124,785,697 138,784,488 152,362,117 167,399,169 190,238,288 208,351,886 203,562, 388 224,128,657 80,901,899 81,652,509 2,804,170 221,004,102 2,843,160 229,977,224 237,879,823 77,689,935 3,204,000 237,600,705 The act of Congress of June 25, 1910, established postal savings banks in the United States. For the text of the act see pages 116 to 118 of The Tribune Almanac for 1911. Under its provisions the board of trustees of the Postal postal savings bank system, consisting of Postmaster General Hitchcock Savings Secretary MacVeagh of the Treasury Department and Attorney General Banks. Wickersham, on October 22, 1910, approved a list of forty-eight postoffices at which the new system of postal savings had its first trial. The experiment proved an immediate success and the savings banks facilities were rapidly extended. On November 1, 1911, 4,747 banks had been established. On December 1, 1911, the deposits amounted to $11,000,000. POSTAL SAVINGS BANKS ABROAD. The following table shows the extent of the postal savings bank system in other countries: The Old World in 1909 had 287,513 miles of railway, against 338,185 for the New World. 1Including the value of accrued interest on the securities held to the credit of the depositors since 1902. 2Cash deposits only, exclusive of the value of public securities held to the credit of depositors. Year ending June 30. The government Savings Bank was in process of winding up and amalgamating with the Postoffice Savings Bank. Colonial Savings Bank reorganized as a postal savings bank April 1, 1904. Data for the Government Savings Bank. "Postal savings bank opened in 1898. For the year ending March 31. Exclusive of data for savings banks in Taiwan, China and Korea. RURAL FREE DELIVERY SERVICE. The following table exhibits the growth of the rural free delivery service from 1897 to 1911: The growth of the registry system since 1876 is shown in the following table: The total value of frozen meat exported from New Zealand amounted to £3,929,311 for the twelve months ended September 30, 1910. 2,868,677 14,559,083 935,232 48 3,122,722 | 15,600, 220 998,199 84 |