citizens in the different congressional districts in the State, wrote to friends outside of Massachusetts, spoke on the subject at the winter meeting of the Maine Federation of Women's Clubs, distributed several hundred circulars at a meeting of the Massachusetts Federation, sent out letters and circulars to the 800 clubs belonging to the General Federation of Women's Clubs, as well as publishing a notice in their official organ, "The Federation Bulletin." Several of our branches and many of the clubs passed resolutions urging the adoption of a competitive provision, and wrote letters to their Senators and Congressmen. One energetic western club arranged for each member to send a postal card to her Congressman. We felt that this work among club branches and the women's clubs throughout the country was especially valuable as making their members realize the present need of a strong public opinion in favor of appointments under the merit system.

The following reports were received to be printed in the Proceedings:

From the Cambridge Civil Service Reform Association: The Cambridge Association has been watchful of all antagonisms, and active concerning bills of each. legislature.

One of the worst attacks of the merit system, the yearly recurring Spanish so called "War Veteran" preference bill, this year passed the legislature by a narrow margin but failed to become a law by the veto of Acting Governor Draper. This bill is so dangerous that special attention should be directed to it, as it is likely to appear each year. With equal propriety could the members of the militia who encamp a week each summer on the muster field call themselves "War Veterans" and ask for political preference on account of the dangers and horrors of war.

The Masssachusetts State Board of Trade representing 48 commercial organizations throughout the state, unanimously adopted at its recent meeting this resolution, viz. :—

The matter of giving the soldiers of the late Spanish War a

preference of fifteen per cent in civil service examinations, as embodied in a bill introduced in the Legislature, and referred to the committee on state legislation, has received our attention and opposition. The percentage of preference has been reduced to five per cent. It is hoped that the bill will be defeated, as it is unnecessary and is vicious in its character, and tends to lower the efficiency of our civil service. The larger portion of these "veterans" did not leave the confines of the United States, and never even reached a point where the smell of burnt gunpowder reached their olfactories. To place such men on a level with the veterans of our five years War of the Rebellion, would not only be a farce, but an injustice of the rankest sort, therefore it is

Resolved, That the Massachuetts State Board of Trade is unalterably opposed to giving the soldiers of the late Spanish War any preference in civil service examinations; and

Resolved, That the Massachusetts State Board of Trade affirms its adherence to civil service reform and in our public service demands the best to be had regardless of party politics, creed, color or nationality.

From the Chicago Civil Service Reform Association:

The work of the two associations is practically consolidated; their executive committees hold joint sessions, and both take up state and local matters.

During the past year the executive committee has held several hearings, notably in the matter of a city real estate agent who was discharged by the comptroller and presented charges of favoritism, which were found not sustained by the evidence.

The officers of the Association also filed a petition. for leave to file a brief and argument as amici curiae in mandamus proceedings brought to test the validity of that portion of the ordinance creating the department of smoke inspection which exempted the head of that department from the operation of the civil service law. The Appellate Court upheld the ordinance, and the matter is now pending in the Supreme Court.

The question of exemption by ordinance is one which is attracting considerable attention in Chicago. An ordinance offered in the council before the summer adjournment attempted to exempt not only the head of a newly created department but his chief assistant also, and upon a hearing before the council

sub-committee the Association appeared and raised the question of the legality of this exemption. The matter was referred to the corporation counsel, who sustained the contention of the Association, and the ordinance was accordingly modified in this particular.

The Association has also conducted a number of investigations into various alleged violations of the law in individual cases and has held conferences with the city commission on modifications of the rules, the regrading of the service, and other topics of civil service interest.

The chief work in the legislative field has been in connection with plans for the securing from the next legislature the passage of a bill extending the merit system to all offices in Cook County not covered by it, and, if possible, the extension of the state service to all state employes. Before the primaries the matter of the county extension bill was taken up with all candidates for the legislature from Cook County, and the pledges of 84 secured. Of these 15 survived the primaries and the regular election, and will have seats in the next legislature. It is hoped that with this excellent beginning enough votes can be secured to pass the county bill, and perhaps secure the state extension also.

The interest of other civic organizations is being enlisted, and the extension of the merit system will undoubtedly be one of the chief questions at the coming session.

From the Cincinnati Civil Service Reform Association:

For many years our report has been a monotonous one, for we have had to tell you, year after year, that we had tried to get our legislature to pass some sort of a bill providing for a classified service, and always in vain. But at last we are able to report some substantial progress, for we have succeeded in getting a little of what we have wanted so long. Like the rest of mankind here below, we have wanted that little long.

In the bill amending certain sections of our mu

nicipal code, which was intended to give our city something of the federal plan of government, there were some provisions, good so far as they go, providing for a classified service to a moderate extent.

The unclassified service, as enumerated in the act, contains every possible exception, including unskilled laborers, for whom we were particularly disappointed in not securing the benefit of classification. The politicians succeeded in postponing the taking effect of the act until January 1st, 1910.

Having caused copies of the act to be sent to the secretary some time ago, who caused a summary of its provisions to be published in Good Government, I shall not here give the details of these provisions, now embodied in the law of Ohio, but only to become effective in the distant future. We have, however, thus gained a foothold, and if by good chance this act is not repealed before it takes effect we hope that when the people of Ohio have seen the benefit of its operation, to be able to induce them to cause their representatives to add some more starch to the law.

From the Women's Auxiliary to the Civil Service Reform Association of New York:

The Women's Auxiliary to the Civil Service Reform Association of New York takes pleasure in reporting a year of continued activity along the lines followed in previous years.

A class on the subject of civil service reform has been held in one settlement in New York City, and several talks have been given in six other settlements, resulting in debates and essay competitions. Some of these addresses have been before audiences of young men peculiarly interested in the civil service, because they either held, or looked forward to holding, positions in the civil service.

Five hundred circulars, announcing the publication of the "Bibliography of Civil Service Reform and Related Subjects,' were sent to club women in the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. The copies left over from the sales were given to all the universities and colleges in the

United States, making a total gratuitous distribution of 614 copies. The Auxiliary is preparing to bring out next June, a revised edition, covering the literature on civil service reform published since the issue of the last edition.

In the first part of last winter, circular letters offering our literature were sent out extensively to schools, and later the states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, and two counties of Nebraska, were thoroughly canvassed,-letters having been sent to county superintendents, boys' and girls' schools, and business colleges. Circular letters were sent also to all the branches of Young Men's Christian Associations and social settlements, making an aggregate number of 2,025 letters during the past year.

To supplement the "Primer of Civil Service Reform" the Auxiliary had published two excellent pamphlets, by the late John Gilston Floyd, entitled "A Summary of the United States Constitution," and "Honor in Politics." These pamphlets have been distributed to the number of 13,864, exclusive of the literature sent at various times to our members, and other individuals by request. The response to the circular letters has in most instances been most enthusiastic and cordial and widespread even as far as Alberta County, Canada.

The Auxiliary and the Civil Service Reform Committee of the New York State Federation of Women's Clubs, have published a map drawn up by Miss Anna E. H. Meyer, showing the state departments, hospitals, institutions, normal schools, counties, and cities. that are subject to the state civil service law. This map is now being used in the public schools in the state in connection with the history classes, and will be posted in all the public libraries in New York City.

This civil service map of the state, together with a large map of the United States, showing the extent of the operation of civil service rules and regulations in the different states; a model of the medal offered as a prize in essay competitions; and a bas-relief por