The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-03
TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
THE CIVIL SERVICE A1IENDMEN1
BILL DISCUSSED

BILL DISCUSSED
Before the Cities and Boroughs Com
mittcc by Large Number of Now
Haven Citizens-Strong Opposition to
the Bill --Tempernnce Committee Fa-
vors $500 License Fce-CorporatIon
Tax ELL Passed by the Senate.
The amendment to the city charter
to repeal portion of the civil service
law in the New Haven city charter,
which was presented to the cities and
boroughs committee about ten days ago
with the request that it be tackled on as
rider to some bill for charter amend
ment already pending, came up for a
hearing before the committee yesterday
afternoon. The hearing was not adver-
tised on the general assembly bulletin,
but was given by special request. A
large number of New Haven citizens
were present to be heard on the matter
and to hear the discussion, among them
being Corporation Counsel Robertson,
Colonel I. M. Ullman, Attorney ]. B..
Ullman, John f, Gaffey, United States
Exposition Commissioner Frederick A.
Belts, Chairman of the Republican
Town Committee Theodore H. Macdon-
aid, Major D. A. Blakeslee, Attorney
w. Fl. Ely, Superintendent Of Charities
and Correction tMoritz Spier, Superin-
tendent Of Sewers Brennan, President
of the Park Commission Henry T.
Blake p. J. Cronan, Police Commits
sioner David Corey, Anthony Carroll.
Postmaster James A. Howarth, Fred
erick l.. Averill, Attorney Edward IF.
Maher and Representatives Donovan
and Housed.
The argument of those in favor OF
the amendment was that the heads OF
departments in the New Haven city
government should not be continued in
office by civil service, but that the new
ly elected mayor should be permitted to
remove them in order that he may sp-
point to the places men who are IN
sympathy with his views. 1t was also
pointed out that there was at present
some doubt as to whether these officials
are protected by civil service, and it
was argued that the charter should
clearly state that they are not so pro-
tected in order to remove any doubt
and to definitely settle the matter.
Those who spoke in favor of the
amendment, using these arguments,
were Messrs. I. M. Ullman, j., B. Ull-
man, Macdonald, Howarth, Belts, CAT
fey, Ely Blakeslee, Corey and Averill.
A remonstrancel to the amendment
was presented by Judge A. Heaton
Robertson, signed by Henry T. Blake,
A. Nice. Mathewson, ex-Mayor Farms
worth, William A. Wright, Henry w.
Farnam, George D.. Watrous and Ben
jamin r. English Albert B. Hill, for
merly city engineer, wrote letter to
Senat Goodrich, chairman of the COM
mittee, protesting against any change.
George D. Watrous, who was unable to
be present, sent a letter to Mr.. Blake
stating that he was unable to be pres
ent and demonstrating against the
amendment. In his letter Mr.. Watrous
says: tA4s f4s4i4.
''Whatever may have been in the
minds of the other persons who workSd
upon the charter, it was always my
wish and that of others that the direc-
tor of public works should hold office
during good behavior. I had hoped that
man might occasionally be found who
would be just the man for the place
and who would hold office indefinitely
and without regard to political changes |
II should be sorry to see this feature
of the charter changed at any time, but
1t would seem to be particularly unfor-
tunate that it should be changed now,
so late in the session, and without OPP
portunity for public discussion, and !
when so many believe that it was
sought for partisan advantage In view |
of the result Of the last election"
Judge Robertson argued that to elm |
mate the civil service provision from |
the charter was the taking a step back
ward to where the matter rested twen-
ty-five years ago. He said that under
the present charter provision any Off
Gals protected by civil service could be
removed ifit was shown that they were
incompetent, and that method, If thereJ
was cause, he thought, should be fol-
lowed by the gentlemen who now de-
sire to get rid Of democratic appointive
officers in New Haven, ifsthose officials
refuse to resign. He characterized the
present attempt to change the civil SER