the forms of law are closely followed, but as the system calls for only a pass examination the substance often has a tinge of partisan color. A recent appointment to the civil service board has been followed by increased color, and within ten days or so it has appeared that the board has been violating its own rules by placing persons on the eligible list who were not entitled to certification. These persons were, of course, immediately appointed. So far as we have yet ascertained the appointees were suitable in most respects for the places filled, failing in some simple requirement, such as being a trifle over age or under height or lacking in some like requirement. Not serious in themselves, these exceptions have established a vicious precedent which we must combat.

In addition to this work before us, we have laid out a campaign with the incoming legislature. Until this year no hope would be entertained of favorable action on a state law. It seems possible that we may succeed, although there is much educational work to be done. The bill has been drafted, and the result is beyond prediction. Our Association has been growing at a fair rate and has about a dozen members in the legislature. This leaven may accomplish a good deal if we are fortunate. It may be-shall we say "sterilized"-if fortune is against us.

Hon. Henry Van Kleeck submitted the report from the Civil Service Reform Association of Denver:

The past year with the Denver Association has been chiefly memorable for the putting in force of the state civil service law, enacted by the legislature of 1907. The rules prepared by the commission and approved by the governor became operative on January 2nd, 1908. Here let me express the great obligation felt by the Colorado State Commission to the Secretary of the League-Mr. Goodwin-for his invaluable. advice and assistance in formulating these rules.

The experience under the law has been so limited that there is not much as yet to report in regard to its practical operation. Perhaps a few words in relation to the law itself may be of interest. It applies to the

eight state institutions for the delinquent, the defective and the dependent, and to such cities of the first and second class as may adopt its provisions by a referendum. The only exceptions in the classified service of the institutions are the boards appointed by the governor and one confidential secretary, the rest of the service, from the warden or superintendent down, are all to be selected by competitive examination. There is one important difference between our law and most of the previously enacted laws, in that it requires the certification of the highest on the eligible lists, and not the three highest. This was caused by the experience under the charter provisions of the city of Denver, where under a certification of the three highest it was found that all the appointees to the fire and police departments and those of public works and of public utilities, while of a higher type than formerly, were all of one political complexion. It may be that a selection of one from three gives too great an opportunity for exercising political preferences. The appointment of the highest, with a short probationary period, has thus far worked very satisfactorily.

Another and unusual feature of the Colorado law is an examination fee of one dollar, which must be paid by all candidates prior to examination. This was taken from the practice in many foreign countries for the purpose of preventing the examination of persons having no intent to enter the public service, and incidentally of meeting some of the expenses of the commission. Our experience thus far is that this fee has a too restrictive influence in diminishing the number of applicants, as many decline to pay it and take the examinations especially for the lower positions.

The first state civil service commission appointed. by the governor consists of three members, who are heartily in sympathy with the spirit of the law, but its work has thus far been chiefly of a preliminary character, which has been necessarily much hampered by the neglect of the legislature to provide any appropriation for its expenses.

Another event of the year was the election last

month by the city of Colorado Springs by a large majority vote to avail itself of the provisions of the twentieth amendment to the state constitution permitting Denver and other cities to frame their own charters, in which the constitution is mandatory that the merit system shall be applied to the fire and police departments and those of public works and of public utilities. A charter convention for this purpose has been called next month to meet in Colorado Springs. Prominent citizens of Pueblo have likewise initiated a movement for a new charter under the provision of the constitution. It is probable that within the next year the three important cities of Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo will have placed their principal departments of administration under the merit system.

Mr. Harry J. Milligan submitted the report of the Civil Service Reform Association of Indiana:

It was said of Indiana that there was more politics to the square inch in Indiana than anywhere else on the globe. Indiana was always a doubtful state, and as went Indiana, so went the nation; so it became necessary to carry Indiana by fair means or foul. I can remember when Indianapolis, just on the eve of an election, was crowded with prizefighters, blackguards, bruisers and plug-uglies, and they were said to have come from the State of Pennsylvania! (Laughter.)

Now Indiana is healing politically. Political questions are now discussed, and all the people are thoroughly advised. In the last election they voted for a Republican President and for a Democratic governor. I think the reason they voted for a Democratic governor is that the impression prevailed that the Republican candidate represented what we would call the "spoils system." He represented that form of officeholding where the office was for the benefit of the man and his friends, and not administered for the public good.

I preface my remarks to show that there may be (although this isn't the proper place to state it) good

government without a strictly civil service law. But we have in Indiana the merit system in the administration of state affairs. Our reformatory institutions are governed by a committee consisting of four members, no more than two of whom can be members of the same political party. They select the superintendents, but the members of the board cannot suggest a subordinate. The great field of county and city government, however, is not covered by any law. It is realized that county administration is very bad. The Merchants' Association of Indianapolis has taken up that subject and is preparing a law, the purpose of which will be to reform, to a great extent at least, the county law of Indiana, so that I think we are moving to the ideal system, which is a competitive system, though so far we have not arrived.

Mr. William J. Trembath submitted the report from the Civil Service Reform Association of Luzerne County:

We have had an increase of thirty per cent in the membership of the Luzerne County Association, which now numbers 120. The city and county employes begin to take a lively interest in a reform which is designed to promote their welfare. The Board of Trade of the city of Wilkes-Barre has indorsed the measure to be presented to the next legislature, in advance of knowing the precise form of the bill. As evidence of improved public sentiment, a petition addressed to the register-of-wills-elect, asking him upon his assumption of office to retain the welltrained force of the present incumbent, who belongs to the opposite political party, received the signatures of 200 lawyers out of 215 to whom it was presented. Such unanimity in favor of business methods would have been impossible ten years ago. But one who refused to sign ascribed his refusal to the old doctrine, "To the victor belongs the spoils."

Mr. Philemon H. Tuck submitted the report from the Civil Service Reform Association of Maryland:

It goes without saying that the true office of civil service reform is to prevent rather than to cure. That

has been the object of our Association since its organization, which happened five months after the adoption of the Federal civil service act. Whenever there is anything we see that admits of correction, we earnestly get to work. Since the Buffalo meeting we have had no occasion to do anything, which I think is the best argument that we have good government in our state. The Reform League of Maryland and our Association have always been close friends, and at the last session of the legislature the Reform League secured the adoption of a corrupt practices act. We thought we had best not try to get too much from that legislature.

When I say in Maryland there is absolutely no graft, that may seem to be a strange statement to make. It is not because Maryland is such a small state. We have a sewerage system in Baltimore which is being carried forward on the merit system, spending ten millions of dollars. Years and years ago the railroads of the city had to pay into the city treasury 20 per cent. of the gross earnings of the road. Latterly it was reduced to 9 per cent. There is an enormous traffic on those roads, and consequently a large revenue, but there is absolutely no graft in the administration of that money. Our boards of commissioners are all unpaid. One board is now spending $500,000 on a new water system. Our school commissioners are all unpaid men, and the former president of the school board resigned the presidency of the Reform League to be president of the school board.

We have no State civil service law, but our fire, water, school and police departments are all conducted on the merit system. All our public buildings are built on the same plan. We built a courthouse which is said to be the handsomest in the United States. When we built our City Hall the appropriation was made simply for the building of the hall, but out of that appropriation there was saved enough money to furnish it, and a balance to turn over to the city.

I wish the League would come to the capital of our State next time, Annapolis. I am not a member of the Council; I wish I were, then I would vote unanimously