New-York tribune., 1891-12-19
THE STATE CIVIL SERVICE.
ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE BOARD.
THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS IN
THE CLASSIFIED sERvIcE-THE DIFfg-

THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS IN
THE CLASSIFIED sERvIcE-THE DIFfg-
Guilty WITH THE REGENTS.
Elmira. Dec 1s.-A. c. Eustoce. president OF the
state Board OF Civil Service Commissioners, has for
vxrdcd the ninth annual report OF the Board TO Gov
erDer hin. The report is in part as follows;
Tue number OF persons in the service of the state
who are classified subject to the Civil service rcg
lRtDns at the date Of this report Is s23; the num-
Der Of persons in the classified service OF the cues Oh
the State Is 13.l54 The aggregate Of 1871 whlch
theso figures present marks an increase during .i''
current year In the number Of public servants IN inc
State ameDablc TO the Civil Service rules OF 100 no
moro assuring evidence can be noted OF The enereeuc
advance Of Civil service reform In this State than that
surded IN the contrast presented by comparison OF
these figures with those submitted by the Commission
IN its second annual report. That report "hcn was
made In January, 1885, and which was the hfs' W
contain an enumeration of the Civil Service, showea
the whee number Of persons IN the cassheo service
Of the state and cities to be 12S23, OF 'whom Sooo
were State employees.
The chief occasion Of the increase has been the
gradnal extension OF the Civil Service system TO
branches Of The public service. and to classes OF en-
paoyes to which IL not originally deemed eXpeoieht
"a extend it, but which experience has demonstrated
are proper objects OF the reform. 1t Is worthy OF re-
mark Also that II not for the constitutional nm
,tat,ons which As interpreted by the courts of the
stste have placed the large body OF employees In the
Department Of the Superintendent OF Public Works out
aide Of the Civil Seryoe rules, the percentage OF IN
crease would be stil gratifying
The administration OF the law, however, Is still much
embarrassed and the free extension OF the system is
sl much retarded. BY tile unSeemly anxiety too fre-
uuentIy manifested by supenors to exempt from the
application law those branches OF the public ser
vice IN taer immediate keeping Frequent and persist
ent pressure is brought 10 bear upon the Commission ror
the relaxation Of the rdles and regulations Nor 90
these htnerxnces alone from those who are popu-
lary looked upon opponents OF Civil Service reform
On the contrary, such applications as often emanate
from quarters whence they should naturally Do least
expected. Exemptions ARE sought in many instances
by those who popular advocates and proieSSed
friends Of the H stem, hut whose jealous watchdncss
In the cause of the reform is confined to securing the
observance OF Civil service methods In other ohlcal
households. rather tlun in their own.
A notable instance during the current year has
arisen In connection with the two ofhces Of Academy
inspectors under the Board of Regents These Offices
were created last year by the Board OF Regents, ana
wore filled BY them in disregard Of the requirements
OF the Civil Service regulations. general rule OF the
Commission, in force for several years provides that
ell newlycreated Offices, belonging to some gen
eznl exempt class shall be subject to competitive eA
animation After making appointments to these
Offices the Board Of Regents applied to the COMMITS
sion for their transfer from the competitive to the non
competitive schedule. They we're highly remuneratlve
ofsoes as public employment goes; and, being in the
educational branch OF the public service were looked
upon by the Commission as aiordlng an opportunity
to make desirable test which, If successful, would
rsfe tho claim that the competitive system was not
calculated to fill the best class Of subordinate places
Careful inquiry Instituted and full information
sbtained by the Commission TO the duties Of these
ecers and the requirements which the Board OF Re
cents believed that persons filing them should possess
With this knowledge In hand. it seemed to the Commits