New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-17
THE ISSUE TO BE SEIZED.
DEMOCRATS DENoUNCE THE CIVIL SER
VICE BILL.
ONE OF THEIR LEADERS SAYS THEY WILL. MAKE
THE FIGHT ON IT NEXT FALL--A RE

THE FIGHT ON IT NEXT FAII.-A RE
SORT TO THE COURTS.
Albany. May 16 (SpeciaD.-A prominent Demo-
cratic politician said yesterday: I'VE shall now
lake Governor Blacks attempt to destroy the
competitive system Of examining applicants for
places in the Civil Service our main batte-cry In
the fall campaign Of this State Hitherto 1t has
been the plan to make the fight on the Raines
Liquor Tax law. but we no think that more po-
litical profit can be made out of the Governor s
action in signing the Lexow bill"
1t will be rather strange to hear Tammany
Hall orators and other members of the short
hair Democracy declaiming from the stump in
behalf Of Civil Service Reform. More serious.
from Republican point of view, will be the atti-
tude Of the Independent. voters of the State. who
comprise large portion OF the Republican
party There has been no demand from them that
the State and city offices should be thrown open
to the occupation of sposmen On the contrary.
there have been many expressions by them of
opposition to the bill which Mr. Black favored
and then signed.
Mr.. Blacks first duty under the new law VIII
be to summon the State Civil Service Commits
soners-Ward A. Cobb of Lockport; George
p Lord, Of Dundee and Silas w. Burt. Of New
York-and have them draw up new regulations
for the Civil Service examinations Mr.. Cobb
and Mr.. Lord are active members of the Re
publican machine. They will with great pleas
ure prepare regulations Of the most 'practicar
kind. Silas w. Burt, on the other hand, is an
independent minded man and an expert IN
Civil Service matters. who will assuredly look
with dismay on Mr. Blacks order to frame rules
which differentiate between merit and nj
ness"
Carl Schurz and his companions Of the state
Civil Service Reform Association informed Gov
ernor Black, although in yelled language that
soon his act was signed suit would De
brought to test its consttutionsltty There VIII
be conflict in the courts. therefore. as soon as
the first appointment is made under the new
law. The Civil Service reformers are not at al
hopeless as to the action OF the Court or APP
peals They call attention to the fact tnat the
Court. in its decision the Brooklyn cases de-
clared that the appointing officer couid no, aiso
be the examiner. Yet that is the essence or the
Governors bill: 1t Is the system he seeks 10 es-
tabllsh.
In all the State Departments there are Iarse
number OF veteran clerks. who nave pecH ~
tanned for many years because or their en-
cheney. When Republican State oHcers nav
been asked to remove these men they nave az
clined to do So on the ground that THESE CLERKS
are good servants of the State. and that, even
IL they were removed. under the civil service
regulations the incompetent men SusS"steu ioi
the places held by them could not pass an eK-
animation which would permit OF thelr aPpoint-
ment Since Governor Blacks bill was pre-,
scented to the Legislature however poIiticai
pressure has been put upon the state oinciaIS
10 make changes and to make them at once
Letters have been received from all parts Of the
state asking when the non-competitive SPOTS
system would go into effect IL is the genera
onInion of those who ought 10 know that the
operation of the new law will be disastrous