New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-10
SECRETARY DEWEYEXPLAINS
REDUCED SALARIES IN ORDER TC
DOUBLE THE WORKING FORCE.
PAYS UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES FROM $50 TO $40
MONTH. BUT WOULD GLADLY PAY
MoRE-NoT EXACTLY AN AGENT


FOR BICYCLES.
Albany Aug e-Assemblyman Abelrs special
committee continued It's tour of inspection of the
Regents Department to-day. and aferward Sec'e-
tary Mevil Dewey took the stand and explained IN
detail the work Of the Regents OF the University
and its various departments and his own duties ana
authority. He has sole jurisdiction over all de-
partmepts OF the University subject to the approval
OF the Regents and is the financial officer OF the
University Regarding examina ons he said that In
New-York City there found three cases v'here
substitutes had taken law and medical examinations
for candidates. but measures have been taken "hich
absolutely provide against false representation In
the future. He reviewed at length the many tricks
resorted by dishonest students in an endeavor to
pass examinations and said that cheating had been
about rooted out.
Referring TO the State Library School. he stated
that last year Of 100 applications for admission
from all over the country only eghty-seven could
be taken as the desk IL limited. The applica-
tons have increased so from time to time that the
standard Of admission has been raised several times
until now only collegiate graduates are admitted, as
rule 49,
Mr. Dewey explained the work OF travelling
libraries which Assemblyman Finn thought inter
fared with the business of booksellers. Mr.. Dewey
explained how it could not. He said that the State
I.bray now contains about 100000 volumes. an IN
crease Of 10000 since he came here. The Regents
have an available space for 100000 volumes In the
that over hundred libraries had been started
during his administration and that only last week
Judge Robert Earl had written him that ne hau
given his residence end property In Herkimer 10 oe
converted into a public library and asked MS help
70 establish IT, He asserted that the Regents were
doing more now with s25,o00 for public nbray pur-
poses than was done previous to two years ago.
when S5 distributed annually pro rata among
the public Libraries of the State, as had been zone
for forty years. Mr.. Dewey then took up the iour
columns of charges printed In an Albany paper
last evening and answered one Of them in de-
tail Some of them. which were true, ne cohiesse'
~ saving he eloried In Them but that the crlti-
c,sm of other matter due to the ignorance Oh
the writer for this matter was IN tne interest VI
tho peope and the State. The other charges ne oe-
nted specifically in the main --------
He confessed IN the charge that he had reduced
the salaries in the department by 30 per cent during
his administration, and had doubled the working
force thereby to keep pace with the increase IN
the work of the department. He illustrated py
stating that when he came here the assistant IL
brarian who was elderly man. received sal
ary of 81 500 He appointed graduate of the AL
bany High School a salary of $40 month"; ana ne
did the same work much better Ihere re are are @ az.
employees in the department Regardng the Snd'Se ZEE
eXnained that If any of his employees wanted a
wheel he would advance the money without n
erest to be returned in instalments OF ~ mohlh!
Thus they we're enabled. by clubbing together. TO
get their wheels at Wholesale prices. MI DeW,s
crafty the desires of those in his department whS
Wished wheels. He explained his connection with
the library bureau, saying that II was an instltu-
tion established by the National Library Assoca-
tion in order that library novelties might De ob-
tained AZ cost He personally had never purchased
ANYTHING for the Regents from the library bureau
He had given the NewYork State Library copies
of his book on library classification and index.
which is in all the world. He dld ;Hs
book and yet he did not want to charge for the
book on account Of his official position not Know
ing how such a transaction might be looked upon
by some people. who think no one does anything
in this world except for money. He paid the pub
fishers 500 of his own pocket TO furnish ms
own publication the State library. The clerks in
the office had raised $s5 to present the chief clerk
chief clerk Asa O. Gallup is Mr.. Deweys nephew.
and when Mr.. Dewey learned OF the collection ne
had the money returned to the subscribers, and Mr..
Gallup did not get the watch.
All money paid out by the secretary Is subJect
TO the State Controllers approval: The expense of
running the Department has not increased In com
parison with the increase in the Departments work
The charges which Mr.. Dewey confessed to were
principally that ne had advocated certain egs.a ion
which he Claimed in the interest Of education.
The members Of the committee were OF the opinion
that the salaries OF those employees getting from so
10 $40 a month should be increased. and Mr.. Dewey
said that was a matter which remained with he
legislature He would be glad 10 increase them
n he were given money. Mr.. Deweys testimony
lasted for about seven hours: and he had not nm
ished when the committee adjourned until Monday
morning at 10 oc.ock ,,,, IL,
Every one present seemed TO be bewlldered with
the astonishing rapidty with which Mr; Dewey
injured his knowledge of the work and details OF
the different departments Of the university.