New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-03
CIVIL SERVICE IN CITIES.
AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL DEFEATED.
,,,, po,,cr AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO BE IN

TIE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS io DE hN'
CIuppD IN THE REGULATIONS.
-, ,. nyrr-t An CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE
,,p.vy Nav For "a fortnight the CiVil ser
,;oo Commissioners have been almost daily III at-
tendance upon the sessions Of the senate iuoi
object was TO witness the debate on the Assoilo9
act amending the Civil Service Reform law lno
chief of the amendments in this act makes IL man
datory instead of optional with the Mayors VI
TO put the Civil Service regulations IN ioICe' h0
net also makes the present law lar strc'cr III
In the Assembly the Police Department oi No"
York was exempted from the act ana tnc situate
followed up this step by exemptlng hremeh hoie-
over. an amendment was made authorizing the ao-
mission of Union soldiers to work IN elher o'''o Vi
city offices without any examination whatever
FEEBLE OPPOSITION TO THE MEASURE .
Tho hill was in this crippled state when the Clvil
Service Commissioners first began attending inc
sessions of the Senate They explained to the neha-
tor the features of the bill when first introduced
pointing out that the amendments OF the AssclnoiS
and Senate practically made it worthless III 'n'
way many of the Senators were maze laNoIdo'o "
tho oro,nal bill Senator Gilbert was chosen to
handle the bill on its final consideration. lie asheu
the Senators TO sweep away all the amendments
made by the Senate and Assembly, ana restore 'nWc W
bill TO the form in which 1t came hom the ONil
Service Commissioners. Senators Murphy anu
Camnbcll eulogizcd the Fire and Police Depart
ments of New-York as the best in the word 0eia-
tor Gilbert laughed at these fears saying that 'he
civil Service Commissioners and their regulations
vould improve and not damage the departments
named. lie described the benefits that would come
70 the State if the Civil Service regulations were
thoroughly enforced.
Senators Thomas and Robinson also earnestly
supported the bill the former saying that the ne
publican party was pledged to carrying out ONH
Service reform and the latter urging the adoption
of Senator Gilbert's amendments on the ground
that it. would save Senators and Assemblymen from
opportunities for Office which now took time that
belonged TO their legislative duties Senator Camp
bell sadly replied that it was evident 10 MIN that
The Civil Service Commissioners desired TO cohtrOl
all the patronage in New-York."
After a debate of three hours, Senator Gilbert 5
motion to strike out the section eXemping police
men and fremen from the commands of the act
was adopted by vote of ) to H. The vote IS as
follows: Republicans in roman, Democrats III
Italics: ,,..4 ,,a1,
Gibbs Jacobs Low, Mccarthy, Mu'phy' -'e'So"' Ctls'
PluRkit-l4. r,,
Yeas-Arken Baker, Comstock. Davidson, Els
worth Esty, Fassett, Gilbert Lansing, Nec0o'd'
RObb Robinson, Ihdcher. Thomas, Nedder-lo.
A PREFERENCE TO BE GIVEN TO SOLDIERS
JJpon motion of Senator Gilbert, the amendment
Axemptng Union soldiers from examination was
then killed. For it was substituted the following: {:
In grateful recognition of the services, sacrifices ana
suerngs of served IN the Army or Navy or
The United states in the late and have been us
charged therefom they shall he preferred Tor appoint
ment 10 positions III the civil Service OF the ela'e
motion of Senator Daggett to include all the
cities in the State in the act those under 10000 IN
population having been exempted. was adopted.
The bill was then passed by vote OF 20 10 D. me
five negative votes were: Campbell Culleh' Mur-
phy Nelson and Plunkitt, all Democrats.