New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-24
RlLkED SPOfLSNEN.

Aga!n the Constitution has come between
friends Twenty seven Of the special agents APP
uo.ntcd by STATE Excise Commissioner Lyman
have been MP 10 Albany 10 take the easy non
competitive examinations which the Governor
did not dare try To exempt them from when he
allowed the Offices 10 be filed without the com
noiitlvc examinations which the Constitution
WAS framed with the intent Of securing in such
clSes Fourteen Of them have returned without
having qualified, and the Brooklyn man appoint
el on auditor proved that h. was too illitcrAte
- audit He and the rejected agents were all
50 ignorant that they could not come up 10 the
minimum requirements Of fitness 10 perform the
work which Mr.. Lyman selected them 70 do.
They did not have 10 show themselves better
able 10 DO IL than some other men. but simply
show that they were able 10 d. II ut all Yet
they could not even do this. What makes Il
worse is that among the rejected are brothers
OF Jacob Worth and Cornelius Van C0tt two Of
Mr. Platts most faithful helpers Things have
come 10 a pretty pass indeed. when Worth and
Van Colt cannot provide for their own families
without being annoyed by having the Ignorance
and stupidity which may chance 10 be In the
families exposed 10 the public gaze, II Mr..
Plat had forcsccn that lituc civil Service
paragraph in the Constitution really meant some
thing he would not have permitted the nonina-
ton for delegates Of lot OF namby-pamby re-
formers whom he did not expect TO see elected.
as an easy WAY of concating the respectable
element. Neither after they had drafted the
Constitution. would he have sat still and al
lowed II to be adopted as best It might in spite
Of IIill'S opposition lie would have taken II
hand himself and positively opposed instead of
negatively remaining Indifferent to the reformed
Instrument Now his subordinates are paying
the penalty Of his laundering and lack Of fore
sight rs boss
That Civil Service requirement Of the COnsti-
tuition first made trouble FOR Aldridge. and his
trouble Is not yet over unless he can get the
| Governor to reimburse him ont of the State
| treasury for what he lost by paying men who
he was warned were Illegally appointed. and
! also unless he can get the Court of Appeals To
decide that the Governor may legally make the
! State pay for his defiance Of the Constitution.
Now that same paragraph is making trouble
| for Lyman. First ii was planned to have these
excise agents "conlid,ntial' officers and get
! around examinations entirely II was found
| that that would not work. Then Lyman discov-
cred that compettlv" examinations would take
! too long. and That he had best pick out, with
! that insight which all antl-Gyil Service Reform
! crS know enables an official TO select better
subordinateS than any Chinese test system can
give, suitable assistants who should triumphant
| ~ pass their examinations in due season. IN due
season the ma joritv Of them have failed to pass
| triumphantly or otherwise. In spite Of the
| hurry others must be found To take their places
| Nor does Lymans trouble end here. That CON
st,tutiOn hangs over hire like the sword of
| DamOcleS. 1t may fall any minute on the thlr-
teen agents who did manage to pass the non
competitive tests and rendes necessary a new
series of competitive examinations. which will
spoil the whole excise scheme The Controller
has taken the same position rs he did in face OF
Aldrldgcs Illegal appointments, that competitive
examinations are practicable for filling these
Offices and that in obedience to the Constitution
he Will pay salaries to no appointccs who do not
pass them unless he is compelled to by the courts
The Court Of Appeals held that he was right in
the Al1ridge cases. and there Is reason IL
suppose that it would reach any different de
| cision concerning l.yman's excise agents. s.
the prospect Of building mp a "coniidcntiil' ma
! chine with the aid OF the Ra.nes law cannot bc
encouraging either TO Mr. Platt or his lieuten
ants. 1t may happen next that the Tammany
men for whom Dry Dollar Sullivan secured
places b. voting to give Lexow . share In max