New-York tribune., 1904-09-13
CHARGES SENT TO MAYOR,
Park Commissioner Schmitt Is Ac-
cused by Reformer.

letter which in effect demands tn. removal
of Park Commissioners Schmitt OF The Bronx
has been sent to Mayor Mcclellan by Elliott H.
Goodwin. secretary of the Civil Service Reform
Association. Particular complaint is made in
the letter that the Civil Service rules have been
violated by Commissioner Schmitt IN the ex-
poitation OF positions in the labor service which
are not subject to competitive examinations.
The letter says in part:
As an example Of the exploitation Of pos,tio,. 4.
Ss, me 'an@s sLiSs tor political reasons respect
Borough The Bronx \ he pteftionS II. thie' a. s
part'nent especially those in the labor schedule
palronas-- and appointments to these POSITIONS
ave as Wen a. retention in service made dependent
upon tns intiuTsemeut Of district leaders of the
preferred VoiiSiCiI party. Hundreds OF men nave
oeer cafr'e' ''a Inc pSyrols without pay and with
I oel's ',.ysd on the preferred list. required
oS oecuOil l.2B OF the charter and the Civil Ser
Commission has furthered such violation BY pass
various Beyond rs power suthorizng the
payroIis. -" '"s
While these men have been carried on the pay
oeen appointed from eligible lists and transferred
men suspended from the chance of being reiu-
Sfai;, fHItne5 i WITH the cooperation Of the
% been established contrary 70 the Civil Service
ferred political afiliation ard when so appoiistssI
these men have been illegally assigned 10 work
under which they were appointed
On Auggst gu E ls the Park commissioner put great
/ rev days. AT the same time he put these men
BACK 70 work he appointed $50 Iaburers regis
tratiOn lists On August "A l54 laborers
/ pended for lack of work. and of these the great
majority QSS) were those who had been carried
right along the rolls without pay or the men
Social Democrats. independents defective and 81
not enrolled OF the 150 labOrerS appointed Al
gust 10 from the registration lists taud Stn the
( rolls of the Department. 81 were Democrats. Re
pubileanS AZ independents. defective and Il not
] enrolled
The object Of such manCetvring is perfectly OBJ
I vtouS- The men were suspended and Dlss ed on
I q
ferred political party. and requirements of the
I department were met. not by the employment OF
/ those already its rolls and entitled prefer
nent. but by the appointment far possible Of
those OF the preferred political party resjstra-
/ tiOn lists. The failure place preferred
lists suspended is in Itself a violation OF
the Civil Service rules, but this action ard the
sequent employment Of other IL borers are ma fe a
/ graver offence by reason Of being goyernsu BY
] political motives.
/ Mr.. Goodwin calls the Mayors attention t.
/ the rule of the municipal Civil Service which
! provides that the violation by any person in
the city service OF any provision of the civil
I Service Law of these rules shall be cunsid-
4 cred sufficient Tor the removal OF such
! person He then says:
We wouiG urge most strongly that your homo.
take immediate measures to stop these fragrant vio-
latOns OF the Civil Service rules. which cannot. ie
permitted TO continue. fail 30 destroy public con-
hdence in the efficiency OF the present adminisra-
/ tion OF the Civil Service law in this city.