COMMENT ON THE TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF SEPARATIONS FROM SEVEN LARGE POST-OFFICES.

In proportion to the number of employees the separations from the excepted and unclassified positions are greatly in excess of those from the positions subject to com-
petitive examinations. While this is more notable in respect to removals, it is also true in respect to resignations. The removals in the competitive force vary from one-fifth
per cent to 2 per cent of the entire force within a year, while the removals from the excepted and unclassified places vary from one-half to 10 per cent in the same length of

time.

The advent of the new postmaster was not the occasion of any material change in the competitive force, while the excepted and unclassified employees suffered a material change. In Baltimore there were no removals from the excepted and unclassified positions, and at St. Louis there was but one removal within the period covered by the table, while at all the places where there was a change of postmaster the removals vary from 11 to 41.

The disparity in changes in the competitive and the excepted and unclassified positions shown as to the offices covered by this table, is of course greater in the smaller offices, where the administration of the civil-service law is not carried out so thoroughly.

TABLE 33.-Showing appointments to and separations from the classified Internal-Revenue Service during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897.

*Illegally appointed during previous year.

TABLE 33.-Showing appointments to and separations from the classified Internal-Revenue Service during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897-Cont'd.

Philadelphia, Pa........

Portland, Oreg.......

Portsmouth, N. H.

Richmond, Ky...

Richmond, Va.

Statement showing number of reinstatements in the post-office, custom-house, and internal-revenue services for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1897: