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


PLAIN WORDS FROM COMMISSIONER c. W. WAT
SOMA HINT TO MIR. LEXOw.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Senator Stapleton's Civil Service amend
ment TO the LeXOw Police bill yesterday voted
down. Senator Stapleton himself previously giving
notice that, should the amendment be killed, he
hoped the bill would pass without H.
The amendment to which lie referred provided
that men appointed 10 the police force should be
selected from the eligible list certified by the civil
Service Board. and merely assured the continn-
ance OF the system prescribed by the present civil
Service law. The bill, without the amendment
provides that the Police Board itself shall formu
late It's Civil Service regulations. appoint It's
own Civil Service examiners, exercise an uncon-
troed supervision of its examinations and be re-
sponsble only TO itself Cor the observance OF its
regulations
l am Republican. and have always voted the
Republcan ticket. | may count myself as one or
the people upon whose votes Republican leaders
depend for the success of their party. and as such
/ wish 70 protest against this repeal Of the civil
Service law, at the very first moment that the
rules adopted urder It enforce it's observance; ior
the Civil Service provision of the Lexow Police bill
repeats the present Civil Service law as far as the
Police Department Is concerned. and restores to
the province Of the spokesman about One-half of the
total number of places classified under II in
this city.
WHAT THE SENATORS DID.
Every Republican Senator bu; two has voted for
this attempt at It's notification. and every Re-
publican Senator but one has expressed his Will
ingness that the attempt should eventually sue
coed. one would think that the present repre-
sentatives of the Republican party had gone mad,
that they do not hesitate so TO advertise their real
hatred OF the Civil Service reform which their
party platforms have repeatedly commended. There
was a two-hours debate upon the amendments pro-
posed by Senator Stapleton. and have searched
If he mpnt
which the Republican Senators supported their
cause and found but one That one was implied
in the statement OF Senator LeXOw that The dared
Senator Cantor to deny that the Civil Service list
was honeycombed with fraud"
The argument. therefore. is that the present civil
Service list of police eligbes is honeycombed with
fraud and that for that reason. new law is
needed which shall forever prohibit the certifcation
of police egibles by the Civil Service Board. one
would think that the rtmedy for such condition.
If it exists would be the cancellation of the pres
ent eligible list and not the repeal OF law which
had been in force ten years before such charge
first made
The facts as follows: On March l9 last me
Civil Service Commissioners informed the Police
Board by letter that as Vas Impossible to rer2ie
list for the police the Civil Service Board would
Consider sucn general or specific charges the
Police Board desired to meke. on March - there
were 6l9 names upon the eligible list 900 OF Whom
had been examined April T. 1924. and it would
ings. But eighteen days of the year for which the
list good remained, and not single appoint
ment had been made. Delegations OF It's members
were daS nleTviSw1ng tne May3r ne rOSf 0oi N
protest against the injustice 10 themselves and Their
fam b po Tnic Ro waI d6 not reply the letter Of the
Civii serviee & 3li MN aG po the eigbe
lis, were certified March 20. Since then. Two
other acquisitions have been mad ana twenty
for thetrsi time SINCE the CiYl! service Jaw Ma IN
force-oemg the t"eh'E-seyen who III . ~ ~ an
narit nd m tod
pomtment
THE HEIGHT OF ABsURD1TY."
Ir the eligible list Is tainted with fraud. as sena-
tor Lexow charges it is because in two instances
fraudulent examination papers were possibly SUD
sti.uted while those papers in charge of an
Inspector Of the Police Department To remedy
sucn fraud by giving to the Police DeparthleAt
the sole control OF the examinations is the hti 1
honest members Of the force protest against any
shars in the examinations beng eysn w6 P' the
intention was honest. the result would be unjust.
, Ih Or present n gn ' for me 81
April on next saturday and me o9 unapP!lh1ei1i
have to submit to examination as new applicants,
and In competition with new apphcants me pr
ent Civil Service Board viii guarantee she IdrneSS
OF the examinations for which i shall be resPohsi
from the Police Department any share in CNii
Service examinations. and have FOR the hrst rfne
Enforcement Of the law convinced Mr. Plat tina, the
differences between himself and Mayor strong , weIe
Of Civil Service reform, there nothing for 1t
but open war, -,
II will not do for Senator Lexow TO pretend that
he is afraid Of Messrs. Go1kin and Wheeler There
are two Republicans upon the Civil Service BoaTd,
and one OF the other three Is not Democrat. To
the present moment the civil Service COMMISSION
SO constituted has been unanimous in It's action.
II the Republican Senator'S desire TO pepctuate me
spells system. they only wreck their party
The people who elected Mayor Strong voted Tor
civil Service reform. and whatever part stands
IN the way, they intend 10 secure 1t ..~,.
New-York City Civil Service Board New Criminal
Courts Building. April 4, 1895.