New-York tribune., 1902-03-14
CIVIL SERVICE REVISION.

The more clearly Mayor Lows bill giving the
Board of Estimate power to reduce salaries
and reclassify public employees is understood
the more is its propriety and even necessity ac-
knowledged. 1t is not in the least ripper
bill. There is no intention 10 make "clean
sweep AS the Mayor in his statement about
the bill yesterday said, the sole purpose of the
administration is to rearrange the classification
of the service on a business basis. The Civil
Service system is in a chaotic condition,
and legislation is absolutely necessary If the
city government is to be conducted honestly and
efficiently.
Under Tammany the various Civil Service
classifcations were greatly swollen. until now
they number 40. The purpose of this is obvi-
Gus. BY these minute divisions II possible
more easily to manipulate the lists and the
quickly to get favorites into the offices for
which they were destined. All this jugglery
ought TO be abolished. and the classified ser
vice as well the eligible lists rearranged in
large general classes. There are n certain num-
ber of technical positions, lists for which must
be minutely subdivided, but the great body of
clerkships call for substantially identical train
ing. A person competent TO he a bOokkeeper
in one department is competent to perform sim
liar duties in another, and so with messengers
and stenographers and other employees. They
all enter the service without experience which
makes them subjects for classification with
reference TO the petty differences in the work
of various offices, and justice to those who take
examination requires that they should have a
chance to take such places as they are fitted
for in any department, and not be confined by
an arbitrary classification to one of two or
three.
Another Tammany abuse was the lack Of
uniformity in salaries. One clerk would get
5000 for work precisely similar to that for
which another received $500. The city's
money was wasted favorites while great in
justice was done TO many faithful employees
The service should be graded that each man
would be paid on the basis of the work done
and all men doing the same grade OF work
should have the same pay. Probably a large
amount of money could be saved by such sys-
tenn. the public work would be better done
and the civil servants would be equally and
justly treated
To reform these things IN time to save the
taxpayers this year the Mayors bill must be
passed. 1t is doubtful If a legislative body like
the Board Of Aldermen, no matter how good its
intent is competent to deal with a complicated
administrative question Of this kind Certainly
It could not do this before the completion of the
years budget, and for that reason the emer-
gency power is desired. An administration COM
mitted TO the merit system as thoroughly and
sincerely as Mayor Lows can be trusted to
make no political removals. 1t can now get rid
of the individual employees well as it could
under the proposed law. But the plan is not TO
remove men simply to put others in their places
II Is to reclassify those in office as TO give
simple economical and efficient service. Such
a reorganization no faithful emplOye who earns
his salary has any reason TO fear. and the tax
payers have every reason 70 long for It's accom-
plishment.