New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-19
JEROME SOUNDS WARNING
SCORN OF Law A}DANGER.
annual Report at Grill SerUice Re
form Dinner.


The Ne,,-yorl, civil Service Reform Association
baa ,,e animal meeting a.c dinner last evening at
she Hctcl Manhattan. Al the meeting the 1oLow-
ing officers were elected: President carr 9chuI%
(re-elected): vtce-presidents James G. carter w
Willis Jamee William q. Low, Levi r. Morton'
Alexander T. Orr. Theodore Roosevelt Ehhu hoot'
EDWARD n Shepard. oscar =. straus and Everett
p Wheeler: secretary, Ellis II. Goodwin; assistant
secretary, Henry g. Chapman; treasurer a. .
Frissell: chairman Of The executive committee
Jacob r. Miller.
Jacob + Miller presided az the dinner in The
absence OF President schurz. At the guests table
with Mr. Miller SAT the speakers OF the evening
District Attorney Jerome. Edward NJ Shepard
United States Civil Service Commissioning Alfred
W. Cooley and William II. Maxwell, City superin-
rendent Of Schools
United States Civil Service Commissioner Cooley
the first speaker. told Of the work OF the Federal
civil Service. with which he familiar. He was
followed by District Attorney Jerome, who, Illus
trating his remarks by direct reference 20 the
action OF the Western Union Telegraph Company.
70 the investigation OF the Aqueduct Commission
and 10 the excise situation. emphasized the grow
ing drespect for the law that he declared existed
IN the community.
Regarding the investigation 0: the Aqueduct Com.
mission. he said:
hold in my hand charges against a city engi i;
This cheap talk about the need OF an elastic sys-
tenn and Discretionary powers 10 heaos OF depart
ments in making removals This man can De re-
moved without a hearing on charges put mere IS
no POSSIBILITY OF a review Oh ti4SSS NA+S~ SO
time ago. when there was an inquiry put out by
the Merchants Association and the District Attor-
being frittered away, this engineer came and testi
AGAINST sa mf i ana He Hen was vase accused of making in
definite and misleading statements not specified.
lie went 10 the heao of the commission, dlstln-
gushed politician TO md out about the cen charges
this is all the hearing this fellow is going TO get
Mr. Jerome referred 10 the growth of socialism.
together with the increasing disrespect for the
law made a cynical reference 10 liberal inter
probation" OF the law, and declared that with the
growth Of disturbing conditions and the general
breakdown Of existing order which he insisted was
apparent. respect Of the law was the only steady
ing force available. He said:
When the day comes that the development t. Of
81 ii 80 and I have wbW thew may have the
little ! have and thank you, but the people VINO
aritcise pubic ocias for enforcing the law i
IS whether they like It or not Mhyb e Children
the street know is being violated. isn! IhSt d
leve the commandment about keeping the eeDpaIh
70 nahe nj II L0m 90 OFF coaching or play
penal statute. I hear good deal about the re-
saw that never knew reform TO lose anything by
refusing 10 compromise where a pr1ncipie was IN
volved, and ] have known reform 10 lose many
things by such a compromise You've got to nan
you least expect it the victory VIII come
Dr. Maxwell said the Civil Service rules have
been great benefit to the schools.
In the annual report OF the executive committee
1t said that the vacancies in the executive
committee caused by the death Of William Brook
field the declination OF Theodore L Miller and the
resignation OF Henry W. Taft, have been filled
through appointment by the president OF Nelson
s. Spencer. Homer Folks and Roscoe c. Z. Brown
Regarding the suspension of Civil Service rules
by President Roosevelt, the report says in part:
Much criticism has been directed at the President
the result OF letter from the Civil Service
Commission TO CongTess giving the cases OF sus-
This letter appears that President Roosevelt has
appointment certihcation. transfer. extension OF
temporary appointment or the acceptance OF an
pointed out that President Mckinley made three
The Comparison is meaningless and much Of the
criticism has been based on an entire misooncep-
iG GR l me in suaso3 PTesdeht McKniey as Is
wei known took some eight thousaRa places SHt
Increased the scope OF competition materially. and
list isl. i The civil Service Commission las consdered
It better policy where IL has been urged that for
reason or another, certain vacancy should
si rule peritting The appoinfment In that single
Ssts ie pSttbo1t Isrion hut Leaving The
position itself in the competitive class and subject
rule. -.
animation 10 the competitive position or Assistant
Commissioner OF Immigration at the Port Of New
of criticism by the Executive Committee in it's re-
port for 1902 OF the practice IN general OF making
sready selecfed may at least Be SAID
that 1t creates dangerous precedent
AS TO the Municipal Civil Service Commission the
report says IN part:
Mayor Mcclellan. on assuming authority, ap-
pointed an entirely new commission OF six. four
Democrats and two Republicans. Not one OF the
appOintees had ever been known a advocate
Of the merit system, nor, aside from John H Nc
Cooey who was appointed president, at salary Of
5000 had any OF them possessed any special knowl
edge OF It's workings.
IN spite OF the large number OF Offices and posi-
lions exempted from competition, IL must be said
that the number OF changes occurring in the SER
vice generally since the advent OF the new admin
istration has, comparatively speaking, not been
large. Nor has any attempt been made 20 subvert
the competitive system. The commission has ap-
proved numerous requests for exemptions from
competition and has asked for certain changes IN
the rules, but where these OF nature CAL
culated 10 inJure the service they have. in most
cases, been successfully opposed by the association
before the State Commission at Albany.