OFFICERS, CLERKS, AND EMPLOYEES. 277 



Second. And. among other tliin"^. said rules shall provide and de- 

 clare, as nearly as the conditions of good administration will warrant, 

 as follows: 



First, for open, competitive examinations for testing the fitness 

 of applicants for the public service now classified or to be classified 

 hereunder. Such examinations shall be practical in their character, 

 and so far as may be shall relate to those matters Avhich will fairly 

 test the relative capacity and fitness of the persons examined to dis- 

 charge the duties of the service into which they seek to be appointed. 



Second, that all the offices, places, and employments so arranged or 

 to be arranged in classes shall be filled by selections according to 

 grade from among those graded highest as the results of such com- 

 petitive examinations. 



Third, appointments to the public service aforesaid in the depart- 

 ments at Washington shall be apportioned among the several States 

 and Territories and the District of Columbia upon the basis of popu- 

 lation as ascertained at the last preceding census. Every application 

 for an examination shall contain, among other things, a statement, 

 under oath, setting forth his or her actual bona fide residence at the 

 time of making the application, as well as how long he or she has been 

 a resident of such place. 



Fourth, that there shall be a period of probation before any abso- 

 lute appointment or employment aforesaid. 



Fifth, that no person in the public service is for that reason under 

 any obligations to contribute to any political fund, or to render any 

 political service, and that he will not be removed or otherwise preju- 

 diced for refusing to do so. 



Sixth, that no person in said service has any right to use his official 

 authorit}^ or influence to coerce the political action of any person or 

 body. 



Seventh, there shall be non-competitive examinations in all proper 

 cases before the commission, when competent persons do not compete, 

 after notice has been given of the existence of the vacancy, under such 

 rules as may he prescribed by the commissioners as to the manner 

 of giving notice. 



Eighth, that notice shall be given in writing by the appointing 

 power to said commission of the persons selected for appointment or 

 employment from among those who have been examined, of the place 

 of residence of such persons, of the rejection of any such persons 

 after probation, of transfers, resignations, and removals, and of the 

 date thereof, and a record of the same shall be kept by said commis- 

 sion. And any necessan' exceptions from said eight fundamental 

 provisions of the rules shall be set forth in connection with such rules, 

 and the reasons therefor shall be stated in the annual reports of the 

 commission. 



Third. Said commission shall, subject to the rules that may be 

 made by the President, make regulations for, and have control of, 

 such examinations, and. through its members or the examiners, it 

 shall supervise and preserve the records of the same; and said com- 

 mission shall keep minutes of its own proceedings. 



Fourth. Said commission may make investigations concerning the 

 facts, and may report upon all matters touching the enforcement and 

 effects of said rules and regulations, and concerning the action of any 



