New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-13
TESTING TIE LAWS ELASTICITY
MAGoNE FINDS THE CIVIL SERVICE LAWS PLANT
FOR THE ''HIELgRS"

FOR THE HyELhhS
Much anxiety IS felt among SONS OF tho heror"'
Administration Custom House officials, In anticipation
Of tho proposed inquisiton By the Halo Senate COM
m,tteo as to how far they have tested the elasticity
NJ the Civil Service law Some OF these olccrs a'o
irving to fortify themselves and may 30 seen III '"o
Hoffman House psrlors almost any evening" or AZ sumo
of tho other favored places OF meeting OF 'ho i""
entia,r Democrats, trying to lay out plan Oh oan
nalru and last week Deputy Collector John A. Maeoh'
secretary of tho Cvil Service Examining Boaro, "cn'
TO washington hoping to secure certificates 70 ooVor
AZ lea,t two eases where appointments have Ooon
ado N the classified list In direct violation Oh 'ho
law. ....
One of the most paIpable cases Of violation OF 'ho
Civil Service law which is annoying COLLECTOR haso
and Nr. Mason IS that OF John s. McEi"cc, sus
examiner at the Appraisers Department. Mr. MchA'
&c. WAC recommended for dismissal by Appraiser
Monnllon on account OF drunkenness, and the recon-"
mendation was approved BY Collector Wagons anu
SECRETARY Farchld One Of the rules OF the CiVh 7of
vice law roads: .,,u
No person dismissed for misconduct snal
ts admitted TO any examination within one year aiS'f
been thus discharged from the service
Another rule reads:
Upon reoufsron Of ths head Of q department. 'ne o
mission shall certify for reinstatement IN saia
In grade requiring higher examination hah 'ho o "
which no was formerly employed any person who VIM,
one year next preceding the date OF INC rcqui'ition a
through no dclinaucncy or misconduct boon scparaeu
from the classification service Of that dcps'trnen
THEY DON'T PROPOSE TO GIVE UP fANhi
WORKER
A few days after McEwee's dismissal Doss NV
Laug,Nn and Register Murtha, Of Brooklyn, hau
rrrious and energetic talk with Collector masono'
They represented that McElwee was an Important
factor and an influential worker in Democratic poll
tics Of Kings County, and that he must be rensts,c
There was no way to do this unless Appraiser NC
Mullen, tho appointing officer, should recommend Mo
Elwocs appointment and certify to tho CiVh ser
vice Board that he had not been dismissed for mis-
conduct. This tho Appraiser said he could not uo
without stultifying himself Ho however, consented
to make requstlon fbr McElwee's reinstatement ana
tho appointment was inside Immediately came tno
resolution providing for inquiry into the customs
service by tho Hale Committee and then MT Mason
went 10 Washington TO consult with the Cyl Service
Commission aud to get them to gfvo certificate me
matter Is stn under consideration, but even should
the certificate be given It viii not modify the actual
violation OF the law. 80
Another naerant case Of violation Of the law is that
OF Peter ri. Job.s. This man was originally ap-
pointcd paymastor OF the laborcrs force, and be
cause he retained tho money Of the mon and applied u
TO his personal benefit, temporarily, as he confessed
TO the Collector, he suspended and appointed TO
cerica position at the Public Stores whcro be now