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But, aside from all sentimental considerations, I believe that civil-service retirement by the Government would be along the lines of sound business management. Many railroads and industrial corporations have found it advisable to adopt such a system, and the practice is a growing one.

I earnestly recommend that suitable legislation be had in the matter.

PAYMASTER GENERAL OF THE NAVY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, 1911.

CLERICAL FORCE.

The work of this bureau is of as high a character as that of any in the Government service. The Auditor for the Navy Department in his report for the fiscal year 1911, states:

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Practically all the work of this bureau is technical, the naval accounts being claimed by both the comptroller and the committee on audit to be the most intricate and perplexing of Government accounts."

The average pay of its employees, however, now ranks among the lowest; very much below that of other offices of anything like its importance. This accounts for the fact that many of its former clerks are scattered through other departments, where, by reason of their schooling here, they hold responsible and influential positions. These successful clerks are on the lookout for the better clerks of the lower rates of pay in this bureau and as the three-year periods elapse there is and must be a constant exodus of valuable employees from this bureau to other departments.

The bureau has not enough clerks to perform its duties satisfactorily; it must wear out those it has and deny them fair pay, with the natural result that they leave at the earliest opportunity for escape. The high cost of living and the continued increase thereof make it impossible for men to devote their best energies to their work because of the nagging anxiety which is continually present as to their ability to pay for the necessities of life for themselves and their families.

With an increase in pay more and better work can be done by each individual and an actual and much-needed economy will result in the increased efficiency of this class of public officials.

CHIEF OF BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, 1911.

The bureau's losses in its clerical force through resignations and transfers during the past three years were more than 42 per cent of the force employed. Administrative work conducted under such conditions of frequent change is necessarily less efficient and less economical than when greater permanence of employment is assured. As the work of this branch of the Navy Department is largely of a technical nature, it is especially important that experienced clerks should be encouraged to remain in its employ, and it is believed that this result can only be obtained by providing reasonable promotion.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER, 1911.

RETIREMENT OF SUPERANNUATED EMPLOYEES.

There are employed in the Government Printing Office more than 250 persons above the age of 65, and it would be of advantage to the Government to provide for the retirement of those who have given to the public service the best years of their lives and who may be unable to perform an average day's work. This could be equitably accomplished through the adoption of a plan which would in effect amount to an annuity to each employee upon arriving at the age of retirement or upon becoming disabled. The basis of such annuities should be length of service and the salary or wage received during their employment, which in the case of those who have been in the service for many years would meet their ordinary requirements during the remainder of their lives. Such a plan would result in saving a large proportion of the amount that it is conceded generally is now lost through the superannuation of employees, and would at the same time be an act of justice to the individual and a recognition of long and faithful service,

ADDRESS BY THE POSTMASTER OF ST. LOUIS.

POSTAL SAVINGS DEPOSITORIES.

Mr. Thomas J. Akins, postmaster of St. Louis, in an address on "Postal savings depositories," delivered September 20, 1911, at Nashville, Tenn., before the Tennessee Association of Presidential Postmasters, prefaced his remarks with a brief history of the origin, progress, and organization of the postal system. The figures given in the following quotations from Mr. Akins's address furnish a remarkable tribute to the successful operation of the postal service and, incidentally, to the merit system of appointments to that service.

"All employees of the postal service, with the exception of postmasters appointed by the President, are now civil-service employees. Before they are permitted to take the civil-service examination their character, habits, and qualifications must be vouched for by at least two reputable citizens of the county.

The integrity of the service is demonstrated by the fact that it is estimated by postal experts that only one ordinary letter in 100,000 placed in the United States mails is lost or stolen.

It is estimated that only one piece of registered mail in 27,000 that is handled by the post office reaches its destination in bad order; and that only one piece of registered mail in over 200,000 pieces handled is lost or stolen and never recovered by the Government.

The integrity of the service is further illustrated by the fact that out of an army of 41,000 rural carriers who visit millions of homes daily, less than 25 are convicted of crime and discharged from the service annually.

From the above statement you are no doubt impressed with the fact that the postal system comes closer in touch with the lives and homes of the American people than any other branch of the public service."

STATISTICAL INFORMATION.

The primary object of the statistical information in this report is to show the work accomplished and the progress made during the year, so far as this may be done by means of tables. Statistics covering more than a year are presented wherever deemed desirable.

The statistical information deals first with the number of examinations held and the number of competitors therein, and shows the number that passed and the number that failed (Table 1). This is followed by the information given in Table 2, showing more in detail the number and kinds of examinations, the number of competitors, and the number and per cent that passed, by sex and by examination; also the number appointed from all examinations during the year. Then follows a table showing the apportionment of appointments among the States and Territories (Table 3). Then follow tables showing the changes in the service during the year for the several branches of the service, these changes being summarized in another table (Tables 4 to 10). Table 11 shows separations by years for a period of 8 years. Table 12 shows the number of positions by status in the several branches of the service at the beginning of the year, additions thereto, and separations therefrom during the year, and the number at the end of the year. Table 13 shows, by years since the rules went into operation, the number of competitive positions, the number of persons examined, the number and per cent of applicants that passed, and the number of persons appointed.

According to the following tables there were 221,808 classified competitive positions in the service on June 30, 1910, and 41,609 persons were separated from such positions during the year, of whom 3,280 were removed, 14,179 resigned, and 1,577 died, the remaining separations occurring by transfer, furlough, cessation of work to which temporaries were assigned, etc. The percentage of separations to the number of positions in the service at the beginning of the year was nearly 19. At this rate the personnel of the service would seem to be changed once in a little over five years. There were 47,458 appointments, including transfers, reinstatements, etc., to competitive classified positions, and the number of such positions at the end of the year exceeded that at the beginning by 5,849. Owing to temporary appointments and other factors, too much reliance is not to be placed on these conclusions.

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TABLE 1.-Showing by legal residence the number of persons examined for the classified service, and the number that passed and that failed, during the year ended June 30, 1911.

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