New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-04
LEGISLdTIVE THRILLING.

A bill was Introduced III the Assembly !'S"'
day and by unanimous consent passed 10 Il tNirn
reading. when n single objection would nave
stopped It, which. when calmly considered does
no credit 10 the intelligence OF that bcdy OF us
sense Of the dignity and seriousness OF the fuhc-
ton Of legislation. 1t provided that no person
0cmploycd by any Civil Service Commissioner
Gin his private capacity. or by any corporation
"whcrcof any such Commissioner Is a director
cor manager nor any person standing wi'hih inc
FIRST degree ~ consanguinity 10 any Civil ser
"yce commissioner shall be- appointed examiner
"sccrctary or other officer Of such tolnlnsSioh'
cor 10 hold any public office directly under s'ch
commission or under any member thereof
The purpose If the bill Is apparent to any Oh"
who has taken pains 10 observe the operations
Of thc civil Service Commission recently appoint
ed by Mayor Strong. or has noticed the comments
If "A portion of the press upon one 81 It's appoint
mcnis made on Monday Of this week. ms WAS
,,o onnolnimeni as Examiner 81 gentleman
who had been and perhaps still l.. in the employ
ment OF civil Service Commissioner L. J." 10"
kin on the newspaper when 'h'' g'h''"'" -
ably aud acceptably edits. Now, whatever may
be said II the Judgment or taste OF MT '"nhil
in making or recommending the apP"h'm'"' ~
n person employed and paid hy nm III one GU
paclty TO n position In which h" derives a"'
tioual employment and pay from ih" pnbIic treas
urv I'm another and quite different capacity u II
quite certain that The enactment ~ Il general II"
To III particular j. uf cyil example, hs wei
as unworthy the character and dignity "t a i'sis
,o,jvc body IT is In violation Of the maxim mat
the law takes no heed OF triiics.
In tho porticular instance ~ this appointment
,herc Is no reason 10 suppose that the pubic ser
vice will suffer any dcirimcnt ON the contrary
,boro IL reason To believe that the appointment,
nc Examiner Of a gentleman who has been III
hus,ncss relations with Mr. Golkn. and who mas
In consequence intimate knowledge Of the rgid
exactIons upon which that gentleman insists as
the essential requirements for official position.
will h,vc IN. effect 10 elevate the standard OF
qualifications and draw into the public servlc" Il
class az citizens whom the love ~ sound learn
| ING or the allIrenenis Of professional III" nave
heretofore attracted 10 private stations. regard
loss 81 public duty or the Indictment c. popular
anulousc There is no ground We are quite GER
tain for the assumption that Mr.. Iodkin, In
making or recommending the appointment or one
| ~ his own emploves TO one az the places within
his hestowal. intended that his suborllnnf"
| shou,1 draw pay from the city treasury for ser
vice rendered him as an individual or n partner
| In , newspapcr publication. His own reputation
nc "a constant and unhnching, and sometimes
almost solitary. advocate Of political REFORMS
which are always sweeping and frequently
devastating. IS a sufficient answer 10 tho uns""n
IT, riboldry OF the suggestion. still less heed Is
IN bc given 10 the insinuatlon that. because Mr.
| Codkin did on one occasion offer Inducements Ia
a policeman, which, to the uncharfable, ana III
| ,,oi,,ic,l nurists who did not or would not apprc
cate the peculiar conditions Of the environment
seemed to be- a little or from accepted NOTIONS
no e liable now TO trine or. as these irrcvcrcn'
pcrsons say, monkey" with The morale OF INC
Commission Of which he Is the illumination and
the hope.
| The Introduction OF this bill and It's unop
posed passage TO Il third reading Illustrate 'h'
rcprehensble tendency 10 fr.voiy among legis
| ,otors who were elected TO do with becoming
dignity serious work 1t probably Is not intended
that the bill shall pass Its purpose Is merely t'
signify that the Assembly as body unanimousl,
disapproyes Of Mr. Godkin. Whether or not INA
Is a badge Of discredlt cannot be made clearly
10 appear until In one way or another the people
Of the State have disclosed their opinion OF 'h'
| LEGISLATURE One thing IL certain: that I'M
action. unanimous though II be. does not affec
hubble opinion concerning Mr. Godkin In tn
| slightest degree lie may seem sometimes to b
hacking in Judgment, and perhaps rather oficne
than necessary deficient IN courtesy, but the gen
oral belief IL that he IL extremely honest. No
only that. but That no n u very useful citizen
Useful IN poinilng ont things That ought 10 ~
done. and perhaps more useful IN showing how
no, 10 do them