New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-02

Reforming 1HE tIIi VIM SEh I'i>'
Mayor EdsOns proposed regulations to i'm
prove the municipal Civil Service arc worthy of
high praise They have been approved by the
State Civil Service Commission, and appear to
be complete. If faithfully carried out they Will
mark the beginning of an eilectual reform Ill
the administration of the city government.
Though antagonizcd by the politicians, there
is no reason to doubt the Mayors sincerity Of
purpose III carrying the regulations into effect.
The success or failure of the movement de
DcudS entirely upon himself. Under the act he
has absolute power to prescribe the regulations
for admission into all branches Of the city Civil
Service, with few exceptions. He is not Linn
tied in his choice of examiners and can remove
them or alter the rules at will. Hence there is
nothing in the way Of his making this reform a
conplete success if he chooses 90 do so. 1t will
afford an excellent test of his fitness for the
work of administrative reform. Relieved from
any necessity of harmonizing factions or dick
rring with a corrupt Board of Aldermen, he
now has such an opportunity rs Is seldom
offered to do great service to the city.
There is no reason why the work in the City
Hall should not be done as efficiently and eco
nomicaly as the work in the adjacent Federal
building And yet it is notorious that the i'm
mcnsc and responsible business of the Post
Office is transacted at onc-half the comparative
cost of less important work under the city ;
while as to efficiency the work of the Post Office
| is done III q manner so superior to thar Of any
branch of the municipality as hardly to admit
OF comparison. No person would think of look
| ing for fraud and corruption and Irregularities
! of all kinds in the administration of the bust
ness of the Post Office. But disclosures of that
| kind in almost any branch of the city govern
| mcnt would be regarded as n matter of course.
| The explanation is patent to all. In the Post
| Office Civil Service Reform is fully enforced
| In the city departments the places are made
| spoil for division among the Democratic fac
| tons.
Mayor Edison has splendid chance to begin
the work of reform. His proposed regulations
| bear the marks Of an earnest purpose 10 i'm
prove the Civil Service Of the city. They con-
| tain no restrictions as to removals, which is
proper enough. If vacancies can be filled only
from among the three highest on the list of
those who have successfully passed the exam
| nations, there will be no induccmcnt to remove
an cmployc without cause. The regulation
recurring every applicant to come recon-
mendcd by five reputable citizens, who will
permit their names to be published, is good
one. There would be a decided gain in Il com
plcte registration of every city cmployc and of
all changes in the departments The prescribed
| examinations are of a character TO which no one
will raise an objection, unless it be an Alder
man or a Police Justice who can hardly read OF
write. OF course much will depend upon the
character of the examiners and their sympathy
| with the work of reform.
The Legislature should so amend the act al
the next session as to include all the depart.
ments within the provisions of the Mayors reg
ulations. There is no reason why there SHOULD
not be prescribed rules for admission into tn,
Fire and Police Departments. There could BIZ
a separate Board of Examiners If necessary, fo
those two branches of the city government. A
present all employees in the Police, Fire, Healtl
and Law Departments are beyond the reach o
the Mayors regulations. Such ought not to b.
the case,