New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-24

relatively mark their fitness. the marking ~ ~" Of
impersonal and 90 is liable TO The inhmenSe most
favor or redcG, " When nT nens s held at
many points throughout the state the r rn1i Sit
s sneSs =, ono end OF the statenvoype an aon
tional and expensive trip. WIN upuD' tnonse and
OF benefit sres eGvsms to Sose living near lns
particular city. In TINS rcsteCt he conf ctitors
impairment Of the equal rights OF inc co"p
FLAGRANT EXAMPLES
49,. d., ,osos that illustrated the poss-
bllities Of the law was the h'''is w., can;,o,
cerkship in one OF the state offices NJ ''e
There were summoned TO the Illness ,hts
TO be held under the exclusive u'i'0 rso,s
office the one hundred and forty o,o ~,
scattered about the State, whose na'n h,oo, an
Tho ,roner merit list OF these only lou'.ee" p
. wv o,,omcr r,hou was man who had no eM
peneo of travel since he was then ano n ,n CUES
Tor several years empID 5horer r. but on duty as
tlcrt and Teceiyng the pay OF CLERK KID vainiy
that tn" Sir During this period the ia9oTeF
had entered several exainna @ ne could he GER
nE| fr nanDaIntment lie was on me law in
converted into 4 merit lst unuei ,clatiVe excel
July as AS omn hundred and twelfth on ma MAJ nrleven
other words. there wer% one nrritorous than he.
'ne,rca in answer TO the sulni'Vm aud
fourteen OF the one hundred, s' oreVen,h in rank.
Tbern is no record the nature OF Enown re-
e ,, arn ba all Of The fourteen eX6@p mini
nscjdo- borer were marked bcioW ." nanfcstly
ppnrn point-and. therefore deno'gu az Cd l350 re-
inu ne, and the lucky man, being Inarkcu no bad
ccived an appointment in me snirit of the law.
Ioborcd 80 long in defiance OF inc s sev~rai of the
A. least This example demonstrates s'N
abuses now many other evidences that those "no
have obtained places the merit ISIS distance
tend subsequent fitness cXamin"t messing In the
and that such disincnd non Is .ire an average OF
nrst Gfiy-throe fitness cXamnat'OiS m Usts at
only 80 per Grni me last ten of these only is reo
cent appeared. Under the previous lIst could
three standing highest on the eIEIo~T ,er For his
he summoned before appointins onoer io' MS
persona fn nTgh illustration second case may pc
ouoied where thirty-six candidates pnnoir,oG
tbe tbir,v-ffth one the merit is was ared the
~ sesnond on the merit list was selected anu
many other like cases are recoiach o,,nr clearly or
sssfac,orik for these great discrepancies IN re o
tive merit and hinSst ID s' hn, rrayc doubts regard
ing these estimates Of fitness d! cd sub
nr e wbat is more general. by their delegated sun
OF, % sre Suggested nv some untoward exper
ncs when the preparation Of questions Tor "a ner
examination has been commltleadi, o "a NV 0
which occurs the vacancy TO he h''eu'
list WHAT TAMMANY WANTS.
"soma insight into the character OF htness
examinations held by appointing officers may ne
obtained from the recent report OF Inv 'o"
York city civil Service Commission wher' inc
disclosure OF a defiance of all respect ioi Jaw
fairness and decency IS as conspicuous as ~
many instances II is ludcrous. II is manifest 'hd'
(
semblance of that open. ialf coHhpo"''''' w.
templated by the Constitution.
..It may be saif on the other side that the Ia"
is tentative and should have furtheV u'ai ou'
this claim loses its force in view or the lac'
that the law restores to appointing officers
nou,ar the free exercise Of which the experience
Of centuries condemns. If It were not such
question OF radical principles but Simply VI
applying such principles. there nlls t oould az
cause for further ,rai but modhGaIUn GDfecis
ha... Orl,- al
1T has been proposed 10 raise inc s.diu u1r ,,t
the examination to such a degree thdl on9 tso
absolute cream of the competitors WOMB irse
above tho minimum point, thus reducing YIN I'm,
bersome merit lists and insuring ne apP1rIesieii
from the most capable. This would give ltpesS o,
be strength 10 the old criticism that eXamlnao,t,
are frequently too scholastic and eNacting, wi''
IL the project were carried TO It's logical GocluIioi
the area of selection would be reduced TO mr. ~
or less persons, and the limitations oi m re
rules thus restored in roundabout way Anotno'
proposition is that the records Of ne nlness eAa n
nations shall be recorded as iully as t oS W.
merit. but this affords no RELIEF from recurring tnt
attendance OF hrongs or AT and as Inc
examiners are subordinaes in the office where tfie
is to Aka the s snmS
pettors, had been detected when me ques'ioiilS
exclusive knowledge and charge Of the CNi
! Service Commission and lis selected agents $500
q GT so long r. as co apSP of G scrc
amnations there will be danger that considera'
govern sSns 0'G Reir resn 'nO
10 find some means whereby under your dlrec-
rules or other available means, but the defects IN
the law are inherent. and so incurable by any de-
! vice OF administration. ~ .,.
The only effective remedy for these inherent
/ defects is, in my opinion, restoration OF me
/ could detect abuses OF the present clear oppor-
.tunities for favoritism and its consequent eVis
ana denial OF fair play to all. granted TO so many
| distinct officers ] do not see how they could be
effectively guarded against by the vigilance Of this
/ Commission aided by that OF all citizens official
or otherwise VINO desire to sustain the constitu-
tlonal provision for the Civil Service supplement,
| ed hv your own purpose 10 punish. so far as you
nave the power, any nfracton of that provision
! I'm ia letter spirit