New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-15
THE STATES CIVIL SERVICE
,rpoRr OF THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE.
x sr,rrMENT OF THE ABUSES Fos-
FIRED Ry DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS
COMPETENT ADMINISTRATORS AND
EASILY ExFoRcIBLE PENALTIES
FOR VIOLATION OF THE
LAW DEMANDED

law DEMANDED.
Albany. Feb 1.-THE report OF 'he ON'
,os,,ga.ing Committee was presented 10 '"e SCH
a.. today. BY way Of introduction " reviews '"e
- - the highly successful operation OF the
''' ,.,,.o svstem in the Federal service In Mas
Ls,.a,,s and in Brooklyn. revealing the great
diver.y of offices for which examinations are heiu
md showing tina; in the case OF each 'he "oi-@o''
ns,,,,ve or pass examinations have been pracu-
callv done away with. In effective contrast II Is
sbown that in the New-York State service the COM
petitve schedule has been gradually depicted anu
= species Of perfunctory pass examinations SUD-
s,tuted until the central principles of civil service
Reform merit and competition, nave Deeh piH0D-
cally ignored
THE EUsTACE COMMISSION.
The repor, gives a history Of the operation oil 'he
Civil Service laws in this State up TO the t,,'o "
the Eustace Commission. under Governor r""'''
and continues: a Il,
January 1852 the commission then in It's MIRO , sea of
Of service began TO IeStr and se rules ee and 10 enforce
the law strictly. resembling , IN ociai exist
nca Tbe number OF employees transferheda 10 vas
Eusace csmms is to number 1ns removed and
cad in the excepted Schedule but the COW IN
Reve oS the maj number in positions
CLASSIFIED under it, and on January d ,ssir postons
illegally having been appointed IN asfee e Oh inc
rules requiring r saReS by the Commissioners
reI he correction Of these violations and the
heads of b sna SrBer Of the commission
work There were conferences eno sandinp for
!oa on one occasion, with the remark, that ne
mem oa e see whether they part of his admins
Experiment station, when the e0m'ssioh nn
csig the law in his office, the Governor issued an
Execuye order that scD a Violations Of said law and
rules be, and hereby are suspen9Iu MN. r'e Anrn
order Of the also sTspsnded by he
70 enable the Secretary OF State 10 KEEP ton on in
employ IF the a rss to positions ccmpet
tive schedulethe request OF bne comissjon This
Erin IN persons the entire force OF the Dairy Com
M Eyecutiye order from to the excepted schedule
a abe pay commssoner for the transfer and
the latter haG apparen, 10 the holding Of an
termination n nina This in early august: again
In the autumn is th of Voations before the commits
son and in November GovsrnST FSwfT PreDtss
MessT aI Post wizard ahn b. McKinsrey their place
Under THE BAILEY COMMISSION.
,,.,o, ., the New-York Civil Service on
1907 unfortunately the commencement
~ 49, torn, ~ the present commission. ana i's
condition in July, 1894. When the comn'i''.s ,ni.
yestigation taking place is snow" '' '''
lowing tables c
E ssI Hs sssss. cS%P Ps T Ss4t,Ss
January 1898 s!si vs. vs. ''"; ;s$ $.;ss
eX nrjs 1881. Of each Schedule entire service
'G as' schedule 5iSiGs Schedule Schedule,
IAN 'ss. i isss i 's 's's
Dur,ng the less than eighteen months Of the IN, ire
1eiiive schedules had shrunk relatively TO tne ea
lire service almost one-fourh ana nda nS ISL
umb
20 the still smaller number of 49, out OF .oa h o.
s S while ea tse both and ea
lively to the entire service Exclusive or ,'e nd
s%PSys q the R ss m fna z
schedule e Se2e e e%i IN STATE in
sttutions IS physicians - were sIenosa
ls We're We're superntendents of hospitals
were druggists were assistant c1V, were snperin
tsndents in Quarantine Commission were suprr'i,
iendens or assistant sTe asissnt Secretaries
Was transfer officer and Gnier en @gyninas "u
i?nger Governor Flower and the Bailey Comml i
sion the competitive schedule had become a aIso The
least important in the character OF the posi'ons IN
Guided within II.
Referring TO the non-competitive examinations 'he
report states that they have been not only per-
functory. but often farcical.
The Commissions Il lords corroborate the EVIL
dence Of Chief Examiner Carmody. OF the BAILEY ~ icy
no on' schedules have become mere ere
formal device for legally ratfyng the choice OF ne
appointing officer. In 1893 there was nnt one IN,
ure possibly two failures out OF iie comms
tons IN schedule c. bu; by vote 10 OF try yns again and
at the second trial successfully passed
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The conclusions and recommendations OF the re-
port follows
For several years before January l. lss.. me ,ne
been an increasing injury to public service Since
that date ana up 10 the tlne OF me hn,artora
lion in the administration OF the law: The Civil
Service adminstration OF the State OF NeWon9rs.
lion Of similar laws elsewhere or With reference 10
s self ' is most Unsatisfactory condition
such a state OF affairs calls for remedy adequate
snvestieation the recent Constitutional Convention
has recommended and the people ratified at the pois
provision that appointments and promotions IN
divisions thereof Including cities and villages shall
be made according to merit and fitness to be ascer-
Which. 50 far as practicable. shall be Competitive.
aH MS shall be mace se 81
That It il entirely practicable TO M the great
by open competitive examinations has been demon
srated by abundant experience and the laws framed
pursuant to this constitutional mandate must be so
clear and explicit in this respect to make evasion
a ns p%P ds ana af book cann S
be improved upon, but stronger and more mands-
enforcement OF the principle and accomplish the
purpose are needed The Constitution Immense;
Civil Service Commissloner under the new Cons;itu-
ton viii be OF the most important for public
good or III in the State.
The law must be amended to make ii readi-
~ possible TO obtain for It's administrators cOmpe-
tent men OF experience and proved capacity. who
can and VIII make the administration and enforce
ment or the law their principal business and they
must be provided with a staff OF trained subordi-
mates adequate to perform the work OF an ONCE
charged with the important duty Of Supervising and
regulating appointments and promotions in the pub
lie service OF the State. Its counties and rs cities
with their varying needs and conditions The com.
mission must be made independent OF arbitrary ex-
ecutve power. The law contain easlly on
forcIble penalties for Its infringement and the
political divisions Of the State by the Central state
H. nrAro