New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-19
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
TRYING TO STIR Up TIE STATE ADMINS
TkATION.
4 COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS ~ CONFERENCE
WITH THE COMM >SIONERS-GOVEKNOh
HOMER A 4 REFOEMER.

Albany. July 1s-Thc State Cdl Service Com
missioner, al 80 O'Clock this afternoon met III
conference the committee appointed b! III" N""-
state civil Service Reform League to hVeHus"'e
certain violations OF the State CNll service i""'
The three members u the Commission were present
The committee OF the Reform Lcague con'istcl 81
william Potts of New-Iorb CIV secretary 0i NE
National civil service Rcf1rm League: George NC
Aneny OF New-YoIk City. secretary Of the State NFl
service Reform League; Matthew Hale. Of Albany
seth spracuc Terry. of Ncw-lork CITY. and PRANK
NJ IrDms. Of Buffalo. Sir. LOOMS presented the
arguments for the committee. He referred 10
tabulation Of violations the CIy Service iw made
by Mr. McAneny with the assistance OF the stat'
civil Service Commission, several week, ago. anu
asked n ,uch was the state Of affairs to-day.
Commissioner Van Vlcct said Wi few exceptions the
list OF violations In schedule was correct al tAe
time the tabuation made. since then nearly
all Of such violations have been corrected and the
apponiccs certified by heads OF state depaitihehu'
Commissioner Van Vleet continued y regards me
emplOyes In State prisons, The Court OF Appears
has held that they are without the jurisdiction Of
the Civil service laws The employees in the In
sttution for Feeble Minded Children. syracuse have
been examined and found qualified. The Commission
is making an honest cndeavor TO enforce TIE Jaw
After long discussion, who. waXrd warm at
times. Mr. Van Nlect said that the Commission hal
CHILLED the Governors attention to the violations, and
Since the present Commission came into power hVe
monih, ago there have been sixty persons appointed
under competitive schedule h. in strict conformity Of
law This j. the largest number Of appointments
under that schedule that has ever been mad" IN a
single vear lie believed that no better service
could be done for Civil service than for the gentlemen
before the Board today 10 associate themselves WIN
the Commission and secure Just and ngAt ClNiI
Service law giving the Commission power 10 enforce
DO 10 tou
missioner thought Governor Flower would embrace
such recommendation in his next annual message 10
the Legislature.
Mr. LOOMS commented on the fact that tho changes
from the competitive u The non-Conp~tliivc classes
have gradually gone on, the present Commission had
made none but changes from the competitive TO the
non-compctitlve. Commissioner Van Nl"et said these
changes were made only In confidential positions
Mr. LOOMS did not think they wor' all confidential
positions which Lad been changed. Dir. Hale thought
the Controller bnd right 10 refuse 10 paw Inc salaries
Of employees not legally appointed. Notwithstanding
the opinion Of oxA,torney General nhor to the con
trary. lie was glad TO hear that Ills Commission
was doing IT. best - enforce the laws.
The committee thon called upon Governor Flower.
The Civl service Commissioners WIRE also IH'srni
Mr. LOOMS opened the conversation. which was about
the same rs occurred before TIC Commission. Mr..
Potts also made reference u violations existing
now. when Commissioner McKins'ry SAID
Mr. Potts you were Chief Examiner ~ The first
State Civil service Commission under Governor cleve-
land and again under part Of governor Hill's admin
isiration, you not -
Mr.. Potfs-I was.
Mr. McKiustry-Hcre is a table which slows that
there were NOR violations II tie civil service Law
during your four years Of s-,'e than under sub
scaneiit commission. Why did your energy not
prom p you 10 correct tho abuses at that tmcl llu
seem 10 have great Hight since then.
Mr.. Potts-I don't remember what action was
taken at that time. bu, hoii"ve did call The at
tention Of Governors Cleveland and ilill the VIC
lajiOns.
4, The committee ahout 70 withdraw ono Of the
members asked the Governor what they couh expect
him 10 DO in The matter.
The Governor replied promptly that they could
Judge Of his action the future by his record In n"
pa-f. he added: " When The pro-eIt civil hereice
Commission was appointed. President Bailey Will
tell Won. told them ! desired g strict enforcement
OF the law. In pursuance Of this policy the Com
mis- ion had discovered all these Violations before
receiving any communication from your Reform
League. Since then the CommlssiIn ha- been busy
correcting these violations. that today nearly all
Of them have been corrected.