New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-23
TESTS FOR THE LEGISLATCRE.

TESTS FOX THE LEGISLAI ChH'
WILL. THE BOSSES PASS THE CIVIL SER
VICE REFORM BILL?
| PLAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION TO
BE oBsERvED-MR sANGERs BILL FOR
AN ACCOUNTING FROM POLITICAL
COMMITTEES.
[FRoM THE REGULAR coEREsPoNDENToFrHh rt'bo"h'I
Albany March 22.-The Republican Legislature
| had a supreme test of its honorable intentions
thrust upon 1t last week by the action OF the AS
semhiy Judiciary Committee In reporting iaVofaoy
| Mr. sangcr's bill to compel political committees
m f,e statement of their receipts and disburse-
| ments with some political officer. This measure
Is a direct blow at the present boss system IN the
State The boss collects money from corporations
| and disburses 1t through the state committee Vi
| his Organization" The money goes TO candiua'es
for the LEGISLATURE. to County Committees ana 20
| Assembly and County conventions. 1t Is cor
| ruption fund which is also largely used in the
| control OF all kinds Of conventions. from the niue
county convention up to the State Convention
CALLING THE BOSSES TO ACCOUNT.
Mr. Sanger therefore. in his bill asks. as II were
for an accounting by the political bosses OF me
| money they are paying out through the state ana
| County committees. Mr. Robbins and the other
| sorve credit for reporting favorably such an eX-
| celent measure The public will look on curiously
| 70 discover how much progress they Will make
| with It.
| Another test Of the Legislatures good intentions
| and desire to pass laws for the beneht OF the
| people will be made when II comes 10 act upon the
| bill which has been introduced in both houses OIL
the LEGISLATURE 10 carry out the Civil Service Re-
| form amendment to the Constitution. This Dill was
| substantially drawn up by Charles I. Saxton Ed-
| mund O'Connor and Horace f. Demng. II greatly
| extends the Civil Service Examination laws Hear
| ings have been given upon 1t by both the Assembly
| and the Senate judiciary committees ana no op
positIon 10 II has been expressed although there Is
good ground for thinking that the politicians OF
| both political parties represented in the Legis-
| iature opposed to It,
THE BILL IN GOOD HANDS.
In the Assembly judiciary Committee the Dill
has been referred TO subcommittee consisting
| of Assemblymen Sanger and Robbins. If the sue
| gestlons Of these gentlemen adopted by the
| committee the bill Will probably be reported IA
| vorably Mr. Sanger is weil-known Civil Service
| reformer. Mr.. Robbins chairman of the Judiciary
| Committee. is q stanch Republican and n man OF
| fearless independence. The Judiciary Committee
under his direction. has reported many DIS which
| in former years easily killed In committee
| by interested parties
Should this Civil Service Reform bill fail to be re-
| ported the committees would be blamed; but the
| LEGISLATURE. having the power to discharge COM
mittees from the consideration OF bills. would %
considered as worthy Of the most ceLsure.
1t cannot well be urged that the measure now
pending is too radical II 1t is. the Constitution
adopted by Republican constitutional Conyen'o ion
cs T out Of that Clause Of The Constitution whc
reads Appointments and promotions IN tne wv,
tsareo IN including Cities and villages shall
according to merit and fitness to be ascertained 50
far practicable, by examinations; whicn, so Jar
| practicable, shan be competitive. rurtler
along the Constitution says: laws shall be made TO
It has not been left to the Legislature to decide
whether or not thIs is mea9ngISss seG bas OK 9,
ready decided that point in the test case OF Nc
Cleand against the Controller Of NeW-York state.
in direct Violation Of the Constitution for the sake
Of little pS5 mag aPpSn1d Ibos' awy aye
pon ~ by the Civil Service Commission The Con
a Mcand Ras Ps the f'
into the courts. The decision Of the Court o;
the Superintendent Of Public Works in embar-
RAISING position /, is reported that he made aa
collect their salaries. in anticipation Of favor
able decision by the courts He now seek. p S,
self for this money lndscreetly advanced. There
ISss question tn S be the has S a
ready paid would not Be unconst'tutio9!nal as II
, tuty to the Superintendent of Public Works
THE COURTS PLAIN LANGUAGE
In the decision in this case. which has proven SC
disastrous not only TO Superintendent Aldridge bu
to all other patronage grabbers, the Court OF
. Appeals said: THE principle that all appointments
in the Civil Service must be made according Il
merit and fitness. be ascerta.ned by competitive
examination Is expressed in language SO broad and
, imperative that In respects it must be re
garded as beyond the control OF the Legislature
and from any mere statutory changes. Il
the Legislature should repeal all the statutes anC
regulations on the subject OF appointments IN tn,
| Civel Service, the mandate of the Constitution
would still remain, and would go far execute itsel
10 require the courts in proper case, TO pro
nounce appointments made without compliance will
| Its requirement Illegal
I This Is the decision which has SO dazed the spo
politicians. 1t Is said that this decision may cause
the present Legislature to pass the Civil service
Reform bill Nothing is to be gained by not dont
e So The Constitution Is effective with or wthou
the Legislature might have the appearance OF VIRTUE
= while doing that which the Constitution requires
4 Perhaps the leaders viii take this view OF it ant
4 pass the Civil Service Reform BILL.
An interesting question il being raised BY M
friends OF Civil Service Reform as TO the constltu
tlonality of that clause Of the Raines Liquor Ia,
be confidential" This Is. of course. simply
ruse Of the spoilsmen to deal out PATRONAGE IN de
: Constitution. An attempt to appoint these ofser
4 without regard to the Civil Service rules esardini
r examinations will be az once challenged in IN
t courts In that event these ntere e aues no.,
| officers are or are not "confientav'? II so. VIII!
q cannot the constitutional limitation to appoint
: which appointments are to be made th.s clause
= | These officers TO be considered confden-ia.
q Then there is the other question Is there a,ythin
. connected with the duties OF these officers that in
e dIcates why they should be considered "con
hdent,al? There Is little Len, doubt but that the Ter
II tons to be answered In the courts
n