H. PERSHING.

Report of the Commission

To His Excellency,

HENRY A. BUCHTEL,

Governor of the State of Colorado:

The Civil Service Law adopted by the Sixteenth Legislative Assembly of the State of Colorado entitled, "An Act in Relation to Civil Service in State Institutions and Municipalities," was approved by your Excellency on March 30, 1907, and be came effective on June 30, 1907. Prior to this Act there were only two examples of Civil Service legislation in Colorado. The first was that contained in Article XX of the State Constitution submitted by the Thirteenth General Assembly and adopted by popular vote in October, 1902, which provided for a limited application of the Merit System in the charters of the City and County of Denver and of other cities which may elect to avail themselves of its provisions. It made it mandatory that the Departments of Fire and Police, and of Public Works and Utilities, should be placed under Civil Service regulations. It is under this provision that Colorado Springs, on November 3, 1908, voted by a majority of over 6,000 to frame its new charter. The second was an Act passed by the Fourteenth General Assembly, in April, 1903, entitled, "An Act Concerning Irrigation Division Engineers and Other Irrigation Officers," which provided for five division irrigation engineers to be appointed by the Governor from a class of eligibles to be created by examinations held by the State Engineer, but without regard, however, to their comparative eligibility. The greatly increased efficiency in the public services affected, realized from the enforcement of these laws, created a public demand for a further extension of the Merit System, which resulted in the passage of the Act by the last Assembly.

ORGANIZATION.

On April 11, 1907, your Excellency appointed Henry Van Kleeck, Charles R. Brock and James H. Pershing as Civil Service Commissioners to enforce this law. The Commission organized on September 5, 1907, by electing Henry Van Kleeck President and James H. Pershing Secretary pro tem. Several months prior to this time the Commission had been in consultation with Civil Service experts throughout the country relative to the rules and regulations to be adopted. We feel that we are especially indebted to Elliott H. Goodwin, Secretary of the National Civil Service Reform League, for his able counsel