New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-15
CITY CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
MAYOR STRONG URGED TO EXTEND THE
CLASSIFICATION.

A CONFERENCE WITH COMMITTEE OF sENE>ii
Mrx-RpAScYEs or THE GOVERNMENT
WHICH, IT IS DESIRED SHOULD BE
PUT UNDER THE OPERATION
Or THE LAW.
Mayor Strong yesterday discussed with Everett
p Wheeler Samuel II. Ordway, Gustav h. sch"ao
and George McAneny. OF the subcommittee VI ''e
Committee of Seventy, the present status oil TIC
Municipal Civil Service Board They haa oa''eu ga
the Mayor by appointment to ask MN 10 ao' vi ~
suggestion of the Committee OF seventy anu ~
Chamber OF Commerce that the clasS"'e
this city be extended. They particularly iaVoreu d
rule for the registration of applicants for Iaoorers
places and asked the Mayor TO place the buiiu'"s
and STRENGTHENING departments under the ope'"-
ton of the law. -.
The Mayor asked Mr.. Wheeler. who was en'ei
spokesman. If any politics had crept INTO 'ne ON''
Service Board Mr. Wheeler answered that ne was
sorry TO say that investigation had demonstrated
some crookedness In the administration OF the COM
mission. One great trouble was fouhu' ne S'iu ~
the law itself which permits the Ponce Depa 'ihe"'
to examine its applicants before they Apply " '"o
Civil Service Board The divided responsibility 'hus
created resulted. whenever anything was "los, -,
the Police Board blaming the trouble on the Wv"
Service Board. and vice versa
In resnonse 10 the Mayors question as to the num-
her OF examiners he was informed that there were
six besides Chief Examiner Lee Phillips. In ex-
,ha. Ins,octor MCLAUGHLIN and Chief Bonner took
mar, in the examinations connected with the Ponce
and Fire departments The duties or MT rhiilips
were so exactng that he ought not 10 De requeo ~
act as Commissioner. as he had peen oons ior the
last wear but there should be three Commissioners
Thors wore now two-Lemue Skidmore and Daniel
p Hays
The Mayor said that he agreed with Mr. Wheeler
and his colleagues in this respect. Then he sara;
have received letters requesting me to make make
siiegsd that it has been hard for Republican to
get rating on the elgoe nn cent Sp p the men
whose names are on the eligible lists for appoint,
ment to-day are Tammany Hall Democrats 50 thdi
IL an appointment had 10 be made now to CYL Cyl,
Service place the appointee must ainios' o1 "a
talked to him about this. .,o,
/ don't want any secrecy about TINS, gehilenetn,
am Just as anxious as any of you can De 10 gine
the city a good clean government ana am Wl.nnss
that all we say here shall go TO the puohc 'i'ous"
the press -
This last remark was made. as some of the COM
mittee seemed disposed to become confidential
II sent for Mr. Phillips" the Mayor continued,
being plainly heard all over the Mayors Office ana
asked him about this preponderancy OF Iamhany
Democrats on the eligible lists. He frankly SAID
IL was So though he would not admit that the Dem
ocratic percentage was so great He put 1t at about
Is per cent. The reason was, he sad' 'ha' 'ne
Republicans did not Apply because they tnougnt IL
TO discrimination. Mr. Phillips thought that inc
number of Republicans applying would now pe M
creased since the change in the CHARACTER o. tie
municipal administrator, and. that Republicans
would soon be in the majority . .,,,oh truth
in what Mr. Philips said ana Rat bhe 5ae the
could be said OF the board at asn mn ann,cstons
OF Democrats likely TO be in the maJorlty !
;ng the men who made Civil Service appointment
for political He said that the exaTnatoxs
had been kept up to the STANDARD Ih hsd not
Sssn as Fair q andeE inspector they
were sno was on the Commission said Mr. Wheeler
I'VE thought very well OF nsan P}eyored s there
no doubt this condition OF things ought 10 es
you. Mr. Mayor, will doubtless now be applicants
for examination. 49,. ,hav had az mnch right
to Apply as others and they should receive the same
ur If he{ hs MaSr
Civil Service reguaon recurring all applicants y, b re aGr
sstered, veterans OF the war in one class experi.
enced men in another and general applicants IN sne
third preference to be given to the irst class tne
to the married among the experienced me mech
the ss be sDPin cSra the
the local politicians by preventing the exercise OF
Pss Mayor IN asEed nuSS
had offered 10 increasing the numper q GU! en-
ployes to be subjected to the Civil Service exaina
Mr.. Wheeler replied that he supposed IT was the
sveres Snrtaed He spoke Of the Street Clean
Ing Law out Of which the Ssye me Cy ser
vice Commission power TO enforce the CiVh service
During further discussion, the Mayor wanted to
know how about the bad appointments made e
through Civil Service. Without the protection or
the Civil Service law bad official. he said could
be got rid OF once. but to get rid or an mem,
cient Civil Service appointee lot of machinery had
to be going Mr. Wheeler admitted the justice OF
Mayor Strongs comment and sad that ne was OPP
posed to restricting the power OF removal
Mayor Strong thought it possible that ne would
make appointments to the Civil Service Board
soon. Mr.. Wheeler answered that he hoped the
Mayor would consult with Civil Service reform peo-
pie before doing The Mayor did not reply d.
rectly to Mr. Wheelers suggestion, but he was
able to show from the list Of city employees before
hat mi W
be the list at all had been able TO pass CWI
Service examination and secure place.