New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-09
1T is A WHISKEY MACHINE.
GOVERNOR MORTON WEAKLY YIELDS
TO THE POLITICIANS
HE REFUSES TO PLACE THE SPECIAL EXCISE
AGENTS IN THE COMPETITIVE CIVIL
SERVICE Classic BE TESTED
IN THE COUR'
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE Tptprvr

Albany April S.-Governor Morton disappont-
| ed thousands Of the men who voted for him
IN 1894 to-day by placing the special agents TO
De appointed under the Raines Liquor Tax law
IN the non-competitive list of the Civil Service
Commissioners
mus ne Justifes all that has been said, that
the names law was device of Thomas G.
fiatt to create political machine Mr.. Nor
toms attention to his candidacy for President
must hove been great as not to give him time
10 consider fully all the commands Of the Con-
stitution that persons appointed to a place in
the state service shall be required when prac-
ucabie. to submit to an examination as to their
EXAMINATIONS. 1t certainly is practical BILE to have
the special agents compelled to pass a competi-
tive examination
Mr. Morton Fad full warning from many quar-
tiers that the special agents ought to be put in
the competitive list. Many eminent Republicans
| urged him to adopt this policy They wrote him
letters upon this subject 1t was yesterday.
however. that the Governor received the most
forcble advice in regard to the matter Sias
w. Burt. one Of the Civil Service Commission
ers, arrived from New-York and appealed to the
Governor to put the special agents In the COM
petitve class Substantially Mr.. Burt said to
Mr.. Morton: Governor these special agents and
other employees of the State Excise Commits
sioner are the first large body of men of new
State department who have been admitted to the
State service since the Constitution was adopted
In 1894 putting all the employees OF the State
under the rules Of competitive examination.
You at stroke establish Civil Service
Reform in this new State Department, and it
seems to that not only does the Constitution
command you to do this. but that 1t would be
a good party policy for you a Republican Gov
ernor to make such decision. What is the
chief criticism of the Raines Liquor law? Is it
not that politicians will be appointed to office
in the Excise Department. and that political
considerations will chiefly sway their admins
tration of the tax law? You can avoid bringing
reproach upon law which you signed by putting
The special agents in the competitive class. If
you put them IN the non-competitve class. no
matter how high a class Of men may be appoint
ed the suspicion will be excited that the poll
ticians control the Excise DeI artmsnt and the
Raines Liquor Tax law will suffer greatly in
the estimation of people
But Mr. Morton disregarded Mr.. Burts ad-
vice and under his lead Commissioners Cobb and
Lord of the Board Of Civil Service Commission
ers to-day put the special agents and most Of
the other employees OF the State Excise Com
missioner in the on-competitive class. All the
motions that Mr.. Burt made at the meeting OF
the Board OF Civil Service Commissioners to put
the special agents IN the competitive ilSt "eIc
voted down by Messrs Lord and Cobb. 1t Is an
interesting fact that for two hours before Mr.
Burt arrived in Albany yesterday John Raines
was In the rooms OF the State Civil Service
Commission holding secret conference with
Commissioners Cobb and Lord.
An elaborate excuse for the action OF Cover
nor Morton and Commissioners Lord and Cobb
was issued this evening. In this apology for
Mr. Morton's action the statement was made
that special excise agents in New York City are
not compelled TO submit to an examination as TO
their qualifications. These special agents In
New-York" said Mr.. Burt tonight. were
| merely temporary appointments made at the
| suggestion Of Theodore Roosevelt. to aid him
| in shutting the saloons on Sunday. They were
| in no sense permanent appointments like these
| appointments Of special agents will be. More
| over l rather think a mistake was made In
| permitting these temporary excise appoint
| ments."
1t was also stated In the apology that the
| special excise agents OF the United States
| Treasury Department are not compelled to pass
| a competitive Civil Service examination. 1T Is
| sufficient reply to that" said Mr. Burt. that
| the Constitution OF the United States. unlike
| the Constitution Of the State Of New-YOrk, does
not command that whenever practicable all
| persons seeking admission to the public service
| shall be subjected to competitive eAaihiHa-
| ton"
Excise Commissioner Lyman. under the reg,
| ulations set forth by Governor morton ana
Civil Service Commissioners Cobb and Lord
| will name sixty persons for special agents Inc
chief examiner will then endeavor 10 learn II
| they are competent men to act as speciai agents
| MIR LYMAN Of course, will name active poll
| ticians whose names will be suggested TO MIN
| by local bosses. The whole scheme or appoint
| ment has already been decided. Each Senate
| District machine" organization Is TO have the
| naming Of one for special agent. Ihat
takes fifty OF the sixty appointments Inc otner
ten appointments are TO be divided up ainons
| the chief Assemblymen. All the preparations
| thus have been made TO create the halne'
| "uhiskev machine" In order to get active men
| the men seeking appointment are 10 be over
thirty years Of age and under sixty years oi az.
| George w. McAneny. secretary OF Oh, ,he o' So
| Civil Service Reform Association VIII az on
| make a test case to decide the r'Snt OF uoVr ~
nor Morton to take the special agents OUT Oh the
| competitive class. competent man WIN ILL.,, ue
| mand an examination for special agent When
| a@msad az he will be- a suit can be brought
| against the Civil Service Commissioners 10 ~,
| the constitutionality OF their action IN PUTTING
| the special agents In the non-competiuve class =,
| The following statement was given out ~
| night
| Al meeting of the New-York Civil Service
Commissioners held April 5, 1885, the following re'o-
Rsnvsd That the following resolution be respect
fully to se In se of
the state commssio0er Of Excise be ana nere0' '''
ciT Tn Schedule A~The Deputy and Special Deputy
Commissioners secretary to the oom rnnSsentaj
cashiers and assistant cashiers, one cHh" Srncai
| cjsrk 10 the Commissioner and 10 cach ope''A'
| fenuty Commissioner attorneys ,..
In Schedule CThe auditors and speci,anis lit
In Schedule BAH positions not specifically des's-
nate, Httes 1T Sc"e'"''' JOHN c. BIRpsLEY
| A''o''' Secretary, pro tenn
Appro'e'' "' LEVI p. MORTON. Governor
oon.du,e G is the non-competitive class
| cIna,,is js also the non-competitive CLASS.
In TACT It is only in Schedule that the en- m
Lives ~ the State Excise Commissioner are re-
| auired to submit to an examiha.,o", az ,ho COM