New-York tribune., 1896-12-24
REFORM IN CITY AND STATE
GEORGE MANENY GAVE THE AFTER
NOON LECTURE AT THE BERKE-
LEY LYCECM.
SKETCH OF CIVIL SERVICE IN THIS STATE
WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO EVENTS
THAT LED Up TO REFORM.

A
WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO EVENTS
THAT LED Up TO REFORM
Civil Service Reform in City and State" was the
subject Of the usual Wednesday afternoon lecture
before the Woman's Auxiliary OF the Civil Service
Reform Association. and the lecturer. George NC
Aneny. gave interesting sketch of civil Service
in this State and city, with particular reference TO
the events that led up 70 the reform.
Two causes" ne said. operated to produce the
old New-York system. the ascendency Of Aaron
Burr and the formation of the Tammany Society IN
l7se Aaron Burr was not member of Tammany
Hall but was it's controlling genius. and IT soon
became the controlling influence In city and State
politics. a group of four or five men. known as the
Albany Regency. and of whom Aaron Burr was
chief secured control of the primaries and through
them the absolute control of the State Burr i'm
posed his system OF Civil Service on the State.
and later when he became Vice President, carried
his ideas TO Washington. This system ls KNOWN as
the Burran Code. and the propositions lald down III
Il are most instructive and interesting. Boiling
according to the code. is the only objectionable
sin; fidelity 10 party the greatest virtue pohtlcs
is said to be game in which the reward ~ pres
fernent and the end aad aim OF the politician 10
keep little men mp and great men down. as the
latter hard 10 manage.
IL was the assassination OF Garfield by disap-
pointed offce-seeker, the lecturer said. that irst
thoroughly reused the country to the evils OF me
while Garfield lay his deatnbed: since then there
has been steady IN d nd g1 tn
mission ne said and in 1894 the administration o. the
law was shamefuily bad but the action OF the Con-
stitutiona Convention and legislation forbdding fhc
payment OF Salaries TO Improperly appointed oinca;s
had helped matters considerably while ne irieMdi
ljness OF Governor Morton ana Mayor strong hdd
placed the reform firm basis.
The principal thing remaining 20 De cchc ne
foough was to extend the reform 10 the counties
snd some shocking examples were given or mai
characterization in county Offices.
In Conclusion Mr. McAneny referred TO some Of the
obieciio1,s that are still. made 10 the civil service
Reform system. ..... {, l.. t>,ci,s,,
and again that IL Is Chinese. Dut whie II douoless
eYs,eS in China before IL WAS tried anywhere else.
the examinations to-day go hand in hand wltM none;
while so far from its being Englsn, the syr'th ~
universal in Europe. except in Russia ana Iurkey.
Even in Russia appointments are not Mdne "tnoEl
some attempt 10 ascertain the htness OF t'e cdu'-
date" . 49, ...o,,t,,
Speaking o, the objections made TO the examna- @ l
ions he remarked that Abra nam bTuDer had r.
cen.lv written 10 the Commission for specimens oi
the questions submitted to candidates. ana on ,si,
being sent 10 him had called 10 say thai ne wan.ed
IN see tire ones given 20 carpenters pdinters 49,
ana those rad no, been included in the specimens.
He was told that painters and carpenters were hot
asked 10 answer written questions Dut "sIe sri' % 10
a trade school where their abilty 70 paI,,' 49, az w
carnenferng was ascertained by actual WORK Nhslr
upon Mr. Gruber expressed great surpri-e' anu anu h a
ina, the system was much more senso'c one tna"
ne had imagined.