The third is now an opener and packer in the Customs Service and admits that all he knows about tea is the fact that he once sold coffee. The serious side of this matter is the absolute and literal truth of the foregoing. Some conception of the importance of the position may be gained from the fact that over three hundred packages of alleged tea have been excluded in the last ninety days at that port alone. Very respectfully, LESLIE M. SHAW. The balance of the correspondence is unimportant in view of the Commissioner’s letter of Dec. 9, 1905, practically one year thereafter, quoted page 173, and in which the Commission states that after two examinations, on its recommendation the place was excepted by the President and filled independent of Civil Service. APPENDIX C TOBACCO EXAMINER Treasury Department, December 15, 1904. To the Civil Service Commission: I am in receipt of your letter of the 12th inst. certifying three names eligible for selection as Tobacco Examiner at the port of ————. I hereby file objections to each and all because of mental unfitness for the position for which they apply. The Tariff Duty on unmanufactured tobacco is in part as follows: Per lb. Wrapped Tobacco, unstemmed $1.85 Wrapped Tobacco, stemmed 2.50 Filler Tobacco, unstemmed .35 Filler Tobacco, stemmed .50 Filler Tobacco, if packed or mixed with more than 15 per cent of wrapper tobacco, unstemmed 1.85 If stemmed 2.50 Tobacco, the product of two or more countries or dependencies when mixed, unstemmed 1.85 If stemmed 2.50 This is sufficient to show the importance of the position and the necessity of having an expert tobacco man as examiner. No one of these certified is competent. The first is a clerk and stenographer. He has been a letter carrier and is now a clerk in the Customs House at $1,200.00 per annum. He is a professional Civil Service Examination taker, and admits having “crammed” as he terms it for this examination. He has never had anything to do with the tobacco business except that he was once stenographer to a tobacco merchant. The second is a storekeeper and clerk in the Customs Service. He has had no experience whatever in tobacco except to have seen bales of tobacco while storekeeper for the government.