New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-24
A DEFIANCE OF LAW.
THE LATEST SCHEME OF sUPERINTEN-
DENT ALDRIDGE.
SEEKING BY INDIRECTION TO SECURE 100000 OF
THE STATES MONEY TO PAY WoRkMEN
ILLEGALLY EMPLOYED - GOV
ERNoR MORTON AND
HE SCANDAL

ILLEGALLY EMPLOYED - GOV
ERNoR MORTON AND
THE SCANDAL
rrnoMTHp REGULAR CORR GspoNDENT OF THE rRIBuNEl
Albany Feb. 2S-It was made known to-day
that George W. Adridge. the superintendent OF
Public Works purposed TO use the SZooooo ap-
propriation for a deficiency presented by MN 10
the Legislature in bill in the payment OF the
salaries of the large body Of his employees VINO
were illegally employed by him In defiance OF the
Civil Service laws. The Legislature thus Is ASKED
70 forgive his offence by paying the men the
Court Of Appeals has just declared hau no iesai
right TO work for the State.
Governor Morton will doubtless lcok into this
matter. in pursuance OF the views he uttered re-
Gently when he wrote TO George 7. LORD regard
ing his appontment as a Civil Service Commits
storar II will be remembered that Mr.. Morton
EXPRESSED his earnest belief ia Civil Service re-
form ideas and inquired anxously as to Mr..
1or1's state Of heart on that subject. \ good
many neonle thought that Mr.. Morton might well
have made this inquiry Of Lord before he ap-
no,rted him a member Of the State Board OF
Civil Service Commissioners. but nevertheless,
Mr. Norton's letter read well. ana II can be
frankly said that Mr.. Lords reply. declaring
that he had endeavored - carry out civil ser
vice Reform ideas at Dundee. In Yates County.
was noble production
WHAT WILL THE GOVERNOR DO?
Pm, Govern Morton. before he signs Mr.. AID
ridges deficiency bill" should endcavor to dis
cover whether he IS now obeyng the Civil Ser
vice laws Of the state. For "A year past. Mr. AID
ridge has dcnantly kept men at work in the De-
partment Of Public Works who have not passed
any Civil Service examination. Controller Rob
erts. in consequence has been unable to pay
these men any salaries one OF these unpaid
employees appealed to the courts TO compel Con-
troller Roberts 10 pay him. and in court after
court saw himself defeated. until last week the
Court of Appeals crushed the whole AldridSe
contention that his department was not under
Civil Service rules by saying that Controller
Roberts was right and that he could not legally
nav the salaries OF men who had not passed
Civil Service examination.
Mr. Aldrlge must now dismiss these Illegally APP
pointed employees or indicate that he still Intends
TO defy the laws Of the State. Such n defiance
Of the laws Of the STATE by high state official
Amounted by Governor Morton. hts right arm in
the administration of the canal system or the
State. surely would be netting meritng the
eeverest attention b. the Governor.
So far as heard from here. Superintendent AID
a single one Of the employees affected by the
Court of Appeals decision. And the Legislature
IS now asked to pay salaries II men who have
no legal standing as servants O: the State. IL
there no process by which this evasion Of the
Civil Service regulations can be- punished? Is
LEGISLATURE after Legislature 70 BE- asked 10 pay
the salaries of men In the Department ~ f"OHc
Works who have been appointed without author
DEMANDING MILLIONS FROM THE STATE
As Superintendent Of Public Works Mr. Aldr.dge
Is asking for an appropriation u $joo,00 FOR
Extraordinary repairs to the canals for 800
O00 for the deficiency" already mentioned. In
his Department. and for 100000 additional for
the maintenance 4 the canals. This would be
an Increase in the appropriations for the De-
partinert OF Public Works amounting t. 100000:
ana moreover. there IS the additional appro-
pria,lon Of 100000 FOR canal Improvements. All
in all, Aldridge seeks t. have control q the
following amounts:
Extraordinary repairs. ................'... 5000
pen rhcy a.. -,
Canal Improvement. 2oco"o
s3o25 go
If this vast sum Of money is to be expended
It should be spent by employees OF the Depart
ment Of Public Works who have been legally
appointed. That Is obvious.
A SUGGESTED AMENDMENT.
An important amendment 10 the law passed
I'm 1895 in relation 10 contracts FOR canal improve
mcnts. upon which 100000 IS 70 be expended.
has been suggested % the Legislature by Con-
trollcr Roberts, state Engineer Adams and SUI
perintendent Aldridge Under the system Of
letting contracts embodied In the law OF 1895.
they believe the state I'D be at a great disad-
vantage The amendment TO the law Of 1895
which Messrs. Roberts, Adams and Aldridge sug
gest reads follows
All the work herein specified to be done shall be
by contract entered into by the Superintendent
OF Public Works the part Of the State. after be-
ing advertised In the State paper ten successive
days, not including Sundays. and In such other
newspapers journals and for such period of dime
or number Of insertions the Superintendent of
Public Works may select deem necessary. and
shall be let TO the lowest responsible bidder giving
such security the Superintendent OF Public Works
may require and approve, but In no case shall tho