In reply your attention is invited to the general questions on government, law and customs matters which have been submitted to the Commission by your Department. Of the fifty-three questions so submitted, fifteen are of a general character and could be readily answered by any law student. Only three relate to evidence in any form. These are of such an elementary character that they may be found in any text book on the subject and are not sufficient to bring out a satisfactory knowledge of evidence. There are thirty-seven questions bearing directly upon customs matters although your letters indicate that a knowledge of the subject is not to be required of applicants. After careful consideration of the matter and in view of your recent letter it is believed that the questions submitted by your Department are not suitable for an examination of Special Agents. _After discussing the responsibility which the Commission must bear the letter proceeds_: In this connection your attention is invited to an examination for law clerk, Class 4, held for your Department in April, 1903. This examination was prepared along the lines indicated by you and your statement that only graduates of reputable law colleges who had had at least three years practical experience subsequent to graduation would be acceptable to the Department, was incorporated in the announcement. The examination consisted principally of practical questions in law and the preparation of opinions upon stated cases. Of the 367 persons who competed only 20 attained eligibility. The results of this examination were very unsatisfactory to the Commission and to a large number of the competitors who felt that injustice had been done them. It is understood that several persons who were regarded by the officials of the Treasury Department as qualified for the position failed in the examination. A large number of appeals from the ratings were received, some of them being from men who were graduates of the best law schools in the country and who had many years experience in the practice of law in the general field. _Then follows reference to examinations for Tobacco and Tea Examiners quoted in Chapter_ XXIII; _and the letter closes as follows_: The Commission is strongly of opinion that in the entire force of the Treasury Department, comprising as it does many thousand employees, persons can be found who possess suitable qualifications for Special Agents. Very respectfully, ———— Commissioner. Treasury Department, December 11, 1905. To the Civil Service Commission: