New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-08
GOUERNOR FLOWER IND THE CIVIL
NERDICE

Governor Flower has been writing a letter
in regard to the law governing the civil ser
vice of thi, state. 1t i addressed t. the civil
service Commission. The Governor informs
the Commission that il is charged that the law
is not being obcycd in some quarters; he IN
ouirc> whether or not the charge Is true and
he concludes with the assurance 81 desire
t. have the Civil service law, aS well as all
other laws. faithfully administered during my
lncumbcncy of the Executive Office
Now the question is in order, Did the Coy
crn,r pm tai, letter in good faith? Does he
rcall, desire t. have the Civil service law
faithfully executed. or does he stand ready To
condonc all nfracton> OF 1t which are calcu-
lated T. >tIcn. thcn the faction OF the Dcmoc-
racy with which he i, identified? One is en-
tlrcly justified IN putting such queries. Last
February the Governor removed John Il. Riley.
Chief Examiner of the CIyll service Commits
sion. No charges had been preferred against
Mr. Riley, The removal was an arbitrary one.
without cause an exercise of might without
rlght-at least 50 MIR. Riley, reputable per
son. cmihatIcally asserted lie asserted this.
and he asserted something morc->omcthinc
which. II true. stamps this letter OF the Coy
crn0r n, IN arlant humbug Here is an cX-
tract fsum the statement which Mr. Riley made
on HI, removal:
lL.V that some II tAr marhne managers hav"
on ,lio,s OCCASION, during the last year 'hr a'cnrl
ur removal u the Cl,l service commits sion AMI my
s,lf D. a,i., ~ attempts made To enforce the civil
service Law. Recently iAc report, from several Of
tAo Stat. Department, showed ilat appointments had
been male in direct violation 81 The statutes.
notified ihc appointing officers on Januaiy Last. AMI
laid uy communioal Ions upon Oh" subject before tn
Clya service Commission. A. a subsequent meeting
Commissioner Mckin,try VII, appointed 10 wait upon
Ir-o-c learning ~, wishes. '1uml, -ionrr Eu,iacr
W., removed soon anorwati. Ny communication,
arr .iill pending bushes, before the Commission. tx
oI -, 10 lho stat ,pl'al, aud Few minor state in
srluf,n, tlr C.vil service law la, been practically
uullll.-l during the last year In tli, connection f.
may not be-. unnlcr.,tiug 10 note that several oc
cn,i,n, when the Ciy service Commission failed ~
chang" the classification Of employees enable
ia" ncnds q department., % make selection, without
reference TO the merit system, Governor Flower had
promptly ordered the changes.
This is plain language 1t di>cloScs a con
dllipn OF things 10 the last degree diScrcditablc
TO the Governor. Mr. Riley obviously was in
position to know whereof he spoke and his
testimony which. 50 far rs we are aware,
never has been contIadctcd-conyict> GOV
crnor Flower Of Schcmng for the breaking
down of the Civil service law We have
spoken OF Mr.. Riley aS Il reputable gentleman.
That is his general rcputc. That President
Cleveland has entire confidence in him is at
tested by the significant fact that in the face
81 his removal from Office by Governor Flower
he gave him Federal appointmcnt-thc con
sul>hip TO Ottawa.
II is interesting 10 note that the Civil Ser
vicc Commission in their reply TO the COY
errors letter rather more than insnrIatc that
Rilcy's services rs Chief Examiner were not
a. good and faithful rs they might have been
They accuse him of having made an unau-
thorizcd arrangement with the Controller and
Of having neglected 10 provide for certain cX-
amnaionS. II was rumorcd after the prc>-
dent gave him the Ottawa consuShip that his
record as Chief Examiner was To be assaulted
But his friends replied that he coutcd inycSt-
CATION and they invit'd his enemies to come
on" II is more than likely that he will have
something 10 81! in answer Ia the Commissions
structures On further reflection il NAV occur
to the Governor that it was unwiSc for him To
pose a. desiring to have the Civil Service law
" faithfully administered