Professor Taussig gave an interesting talk before the Civil Service Reform Club last evening at the Colonial Club. His subject was "Some New Difficulties of the Reform Movement."

Professor Taussig said by way of introduction that there were two objects in the reform of the civil service-a positive one in securing the men best fitted for the service, and a negative one in eliminating the spoils idea from the service and thus helping to purify public life. Whatever may be said of the results in regard to the first object, it is pretty certain that the reform does away with appointment for political reasons. But there arises another difficulty in the way of purification of public life. It is in the blackmailing of corporations by those in control of legislation, in other words, the political machines. There are possible legislative remedies, but the surest one lies in the increase of the independent vote.