New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-24

MENACE TO CIVIL SERVICE Rrpn...
TWO MEASURES PENDING IN THE LEON, -
THAT ARE REGARDED AS DAxor.o,,.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
SIR There are two measures pending An ~ -
Legislature. the passage OF which would n,u,. -.
ousy the civil service system. One Of thsps ~
Assembly No. 2y2 introduced by N, &C.,
provides for the exemption from the cIvs s"s1
rules Of al employees Of the Law Departm,n, = s
city OF the State. This. In the case Of 49,
City. would exempt a large force AZ , wk
stenographers. messengers. etc. VIII, hsv.
subject TO examination for ten years ana :, ="
number OF similar employees In the Law deo.,,..-'~
OF other cities II would that there 4 !. s
that this would be unconstitutional. II Mi ~ sS
fortunate however. II the friends Of the 49,. va
obliged to carry too many OF these naf,s,. - -
courts. II means simply confusion and 49,. ~
and 1t is Highly desirable. therefore that ,hs 49,.
ventlon should be In the Legislature n. ,S~
ate purpose OF Mr.. OGrady's bin n "a c." .eo'-
assistants OF the Corporate Attornsy N ~ - s
Rochester These officers have been suh,sss ~ ~ "
civil service ruirs IN Rochester for sevs,,, ~ Nv
One or two OF the present assistants have ~. =.
pointed without examination. and the Mayor ~ -
city refuses to sign warrants for the paym,ss =
their salaries The result Is this proposed ,e.s.s.
ton. II the adoption OF the constitutional 49,
ment meant anything II certainly meant that -
should be no backward steps taken.
The second bill referred to Is that in,rcdueeS 4.
Senator Ford No. LIZ, which proposes 10 est,hus
a separate Civil Service Board for the Nex.YoS
City Fire Department 10 be charged with the a.
troll Of examinations for appointment and promots,
in the Department now vested In the Mun,e,,s
supervisory Civil Service Commission. The chas~.
proposed would not be In the interest OF good -
rninistration and would establish a most daneepou.
precedent. II Is the theory Of the civil NM.
statutes In this State and elsewhere that the -,
aiming and appointing powers should be In esvv
case distinct, and that moreover. the control =
all examinations should be centralized In a s,nsh
body The case OF the Police Department MA
has been cited by the friends OF this bin 10 quite q.
ceptlonai. II was the expert experience Of n
Roosevelt in civil service administration that -
led 70 the successful results there. Mr.. RoosevSa
now states that the plan OF a separate exauisIns
board Is nevertheless. In his judgment. vlcous "a
expensive. The real design OF the Ford bil u \
place the power Of appointment in the hands h
the Fire Comm ssioners who would be very nttk
hindered By tn, examinations proposed One d
the Commissioners Is 70 be member 4
the Examining Board As matter Of fact
the present Commission has had several encovn
ters with the Civli Service Board over appoint
ments and has been defeated repeatedly b
efforts TO use the Offices for political purposes h
intrust them with the examination Of the met
applying TO them for appointment would be the moe
serious setback 10 civil service reform In II
State for some years II there Is reason for sucl
a board IN the Fire Department. the same ressen
exists for separate administration In each depsr,
ment That would be the end OF civil service reforu
here.
The separate Police Board has cost 500 srnu.
ally In addition TO the amount formerly expended
by the central Supervisory Board. The separate
Fire Board would further increase the expense ED
absolutely without necessity. Even though tn
officers designated In the bill as examiners wef!
able TO serve actively. and expense were reduced
thereby. the plan would be no less Objectionable
The general Examining Board under the last mu'
nicipal admiristra ton had among us members Of.
hcers OF both the Police and Fire departments
OF either department. and Irregularities were fre.
quently charged. Several cases of the kind figured
In the proceedings Of the Lexow COMMITTEES. 50
badly did this plan work In fact that Mayor strong
shortly after taking Office made a rule prohibiting
the employment OF any but ;civil'an examiners 10
the examinations for either department. The pas
sage OF this bill would restofe the plan the Mayor
has condemned, with other features equally ob'
jecti0nab,e
The examiners under the present Supervisory
Board are thoroughly efficient, and the examinations
may be made Just as strict as may be necesssry:
There IL not shadow OF reason Tor change Of
the sort proposed except the very plain desire os
the Fire Board to defeat the purpose q the ciyyl
Service act by appointing the men WON wey
please ana for whatever reasons they please.
GEORGE MANENY. Secretary.
New-York April H. 1895.