New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-20
HILLS DISREGARD OF LAW
THE GOVERNOR BREAKING DOWN THE
CIVIL SERVICE ACT.
soHEMING TO FILL THE INSURANCE DEPART
MENT WITH HIS OWN HENCHMEN, AND
NEEDLEssLY INTERPRETING WITH
THE WORK OF THE REGENTS.

MENT WITH HIS OWN HENCHMEN. AND
NEEDLEssLY INTERFERING WITH
THE WORK OF THE REGENTS.
lrRou THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUEE.l
Albany, June 1O.-Mr. David b. Hill Is Just now
furnishing good reasons for every thoughtful cltzeh
10 decline 10 advance him further In public life Whle
he has broken down the Civil Service Reform law so
that he can dismiss from the Insurance Department
nearly all OF its present efficient clerks, upon the other
hand he is using the Civil Service law to emDarlhSs
In needless manner the work OF the Regents Oh the
University.
John A. sleicher, one Of the Civil Service Reform
Commissioners IS reported to have given as his excuse
for upsettlng the rules applying to examinations lOr
places In the Insurance Department, ana thus per
mittng Mr. Iiln TO appoint his "heeers without eA
animation, that the Governor himself directed tne
Commissioners in a letter addressed TO them, thus 10
lower the bars" Naturally there will be good deal
Of curiosity on the part of the public to learn exactly
what Mr. Hill said to Justify this important change IN
the Civil Service examination rules. 1t is rarely tlat
Mr. Il Is so incautious as 10 write such le''er'
Usually the members Of the Board of Civil Service COM
missoners receive their orders from him verbally 50
that there is no public record OF his PERFORMANCES
That Mr. sleicher should have been so imprudent as
10 speak about the Governors letter surprises people
WIN Won hlpdly permit me TO copy Governor HIPS
letter To the Beard of Civil Service Commissioners IN
relation TO the Insurance Department employe5 sau
The Tribune CORE spondent to-day to Mr.. ANGIE the
secretary of the Board.
"I cannot give it to you without the Governors
permission" replied Mr. Angle
Accordingly the correspondent sought to see Gov
ernor HILL but was told that the Governor was BUSY
Then the correspondent requested Colonel T. b VIII
iams the Governors secretary, to obtain the Tower
nor's permission that his letter to the CNn ocrVIcc
Commissioners might be published. Colonel "lniahls'
after conference with the Governor returned TO ue
correspondent and said we cannot give you inc c'
tcr-anyhOw, it is purely formal one"
II the letter is so formal why does DoVeilioi
Hin decline 10 allow its publicationl Why are i's
contents kept secrct' Is Mr. I ashamed to conresS
that he substantially told the Civil scr'ice COmmS-
sioners to modify the Civil Service examination ruie
% sncb radical extent that the political henchmen he
intends to appoint clerks in the insurance Dop'V
ment need not submit 10 an examination
Rut tle Governor cannot in this way conceal MS
esnonsbilIty for thus practically abosng the CIVIL
service Reform law so far IL concerns the IhSr
o,co Depa-1ment According TO law, the following
document has been filed with the Secretary OF o'ao'
Albany. June s. 1891
4. meeting Of the New-York Civil Service ComrniS-
sion held June s. 1891. It was - . a.,
Resolved, That tic following DC reoon"' "
Governor for approval: -, ...,ocronhors and
Resolved, Tha: the positions OF stenograpnerS ',u
typewrcrs in the Insurance Department Ue anu
are included in Schedule OF the state
Attest CLARENCE b. ANGLE Secretary.
,n-,o,.od Inn, x 1891. DAVID b. HILL. Governor.
This document needs some explanation Inc W ONi
Service Commissioners, after receiving inc uoNei"oi
letter ordering them To make In the rules the chanEo
mentioned went through the form Of submitting ''at
change 10 his approval and he, of course approved
is own act schedule 4. Of the Civil Service ruI-S
saws that the appointments TO places comprised Ill
schedule A may be made without examinations under
these r1ilesn Mr.. HIPS scheme Is plain. Tie men
he appoints TO places in the Insurance department. wiz
" appointed a. @typcwrters' ana tlps WIZ oVns7
an examinations ANY man With five minutes prac-
tce nnon a atypewrier7 can assert that he IS one,
and since there Will be examination as TO MS com
petency, he can De appointed at once once "lCn'n
the Insurance Department, he can be told u 90 cerh
work and will reteive a clerks pay Are'uy
four clerks OF the Insurance Department IL. O. ot,
Thomas j. Dolap add David II. heeler' Vi
of Albany and James baldwin, Of Newlo orh' nave oeh
dismissed other disnissals ere to follow MoSC
of e clerks OF the Insurance Departments have Deeh
i'm the employment OF the state for many years, ana
they are well trained and thoroughly competent men,
Dut they must give up their places to Mr. HiS enc4
men. ,
Willie the Governor has thus substantially abolished
the Civil service Reform law far as the Insurance
Dcpartmeut Is concerned. he is attempting to bring
IL into disrepuc in another department DS 3 ,se
licato Of the W. M Sn G'Sn n ts s acton of the Hoard
of Civil service COmmiss ioners at the C'0Tsrnoro
tn the competitive schcfulc. In all the state Dc
nartInepts there are certain officers who hold con-
ndentia relations, and VINO therefore, are not put III
the competitive schedule Thus, in the banking Dc
TaTtment the special examiners are not In the com
rtitve class but appointed directly by the super
intemdcnt OF that department. 4-,,
The Hoard Of Regents Is OF the oplnlon-and ceralhY
II T. In the ricl~that its inspectors who hear IN
rconddence All charges Of fnIsnanagcmcnt Of every
i,ndS in schools arc confidential servants. But the
Hoard Of civil service Commissioners has refused IN
douhtediy at the Governors instigation to put the
Insnecor, I'm the non competitive schedule. To-Day
Meiv Dewey the secretary Of the Beard or regents
yon Iatd tie dispute between the Board Of Regents
md the Board of Civil Service Commissioners before
,Ioycrn0r Ill., but the latter declined 20 rght inc
mater Thus while aboshirg the Civil Service Re
form law in the Insurance Department. the Governor
Violates its spirit far the Board OF Regents Is
concerned The Board OF Regents undoubtedly will |
refuse to make any appointment of inspectors If the
latter are put in the competitive class.