The following table shows the minimum entrance salaries given to Americans appointed in the United States to the United States civil service, as shown by the manual of examinations of the United States Civil Service Commission for the fall of 1913, and to Americans appointed in the United States to the Philippine Civil Service:—
| Philippines | United States | |
| Aid (Surveyor) | $1400 | $900 |
| Civil Engineer | 1400 | 1200 |
| Forester, assistant | 1400 | 1200 |
| Scientific Assistant, (Agricultural Inspector) | 1400 | 600 |
| Physician | 1600 | 1320 |
| Printer | 2000 | .50 per hour |
| Stenographer | 1200 | 700 |
| Trained Nurse | 600 Board, quarters and laundry | 600 and laundry |
| Teacher | 1000 | 540 |
| Veterinarian | 1600 | 1200 |
The following cases taken from the official rosters show some promotions to the higher positions in the service of employees who entered the lower ranks of the classified service:—
A clerk who entered the service in 1899 at $1800 per annum was appointed in 1903 an assistant chief of bureau at $3000 per annum and in 1908 executive secretary at $9000 per annum. A teacher appointed in 1899 at $720 per annum was appointed a chief of an office at $4000 per annum and in 1912 a judge at $4500 per annum. A teacher who entered the service in 1901 at $1200 per annum was in 1909 appointed a chief of a bureau at $6000 per annum. A teacher who entered the service in 1904 at $1000 per annum was appointed in 1911 an assistant chief of a bureau at $6000 per annum. A clerk who entered the service in 1901 at $1200 per annum was appointed in 1909 an assistant chief of the executive bureau at $3750 per annum and in 1912 a chief of a bureau at $6000 per annum. A stenographer who entered the service in 1902 at $1400 per annum was in 1908 appointed an assistant chief of a bureau at $5000 per annum. A transitman who entered the service in 1905 at $1400 per annum was in 1913 appointed an assistant chief of a bureau at $4500 per annum. An accountant who entered the service in 1901 at $1800 per annum was in 1907 appointed an assistant chief of a bureau at $3750 per annum and in 1909 a chief of a bureau at $6000 per annum. A law clerk who entered the service in 1904 at $1800 per annum was in 1913 appointed judge at $4500 per annum. In no service anywhere has promotion depended more directly on demonstrated ability, and in many instances it has been rapid.
Young men living two in a room may obtain room and board in boarding houses in Manila at a rate as low as $35 per month each. In the Young Men’s Christian Association building, a large reënforced concrete structure with reading room, gymnasium, and a good restaurant, the charge for two in a room is $10.25 each. Board costs $27.50, a total of $37.75. The expenses for clothing in Manila are less than in the United States, as white clothing is worn the whole year and white duck suits may be obtained for about $3 each. The expenses for laundry amount to about $5 a month. The necessity of employing a muchacho[6] is nil, in the case of an unmarried employee who boards. Servants are far cheaper and better in the Philippines than in the United States.
In a discussion of the salaries paid in the Philippine civil service the question of the leave allowed should be considered. Classified employees who receive an annual salary of $1000 or more per annum may be granted twenty-eight days’ leave per annum to cover absences from duty due to illness or other causes. If not taken during the calendar year in which it is earned or in January or February of the succeeding year, it is forfeited. Employees taking vacation leave during the months of December, January, February and March may take fifty-six days, corresponding to two years of service, at one time, and may thus get time to visit Australia, Japan, China, and neighbouring countries.
In addition to vacation leave an employee whose salary is $1000 or more but less than $1800 per annum is entitled to thirty days’ accrued leave per annum, and an employee whose salary is $1800 per annum or more is entitled to thirty-five days’ accrued leave per annum. Accrued leave may accumulate for not more than five years of service.
All classified employees are entitled to visit the United States or foreign countries once in every three years, receiving in addition to their accrued leave, one year’s vacation leave, allowance of actual travel time at half pay not to exceed sixty days, and return travel expenses from place of residence in the United States, or from port of embarkation in a foreign country to Manila, on the completion of two years of service after date of return. An employee entitled to thirty-five days’ accrued leave per annum who visits the United States after having rendered three years of service receives a total of two hundred thirteen days’ accrued leave, vacation leave, and half-pay travel time. If he postpones his visit till he has completed five years of service, he receives a total of two hundred ninety-one days’ accrued leave, vacation leave and travel time. An employee entitled to thirty days’ accrued leave per annum who visits the United States after three years of service receives a total of one hundred ninety-four days’ leave and half-pay travel time, and if he postpones his visit until he has rendered five years of service, he receives a total of two hundred fifty-nine days’ leave and travel time.
It will be seen that these are very liberal allowances. An employee receiving $1200 at the end of two years of service may spend eight weeks of vacation leave visiting Japan or other surrounding countries, and at the end of an additional year’s service he may visit his home in the United States with six and a third months’ absence on full and half pay and with his expenses from his home to Manila payable two years after his return, and during every three years of his service he may have the same privileges.
The law also provides that if an employee is wounded or injured in the performance of duty, he may have a total of six months’ leave on full pay in addition to any accrued leave to his credit.