New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-06
WILL PROBE CIVIL SERVICE
State Commission to Investigate
CHARGES against City Board.
LEY CELEBRATE TO THE TnIRUNE.l


Albany Nav 5-Charges of political favor
itism and illegal conduct, preferred by the Civil
Service Reform Association against the Munich
pal Civil Service Commission of New-York City.
and more particularly against its secretary,
Henry Berlinger, are to receive searching in
vestigation by the State Civil Service Commits
sion This board announced to-day that be-
ginning May IS, it would hold an official in
duiry in New-York, at which representatives
of the reform association are asked to appear
and support their accusations.
These charges were filed with the State Com
mission on April g. but not made public until
to-day. when copies of them sent to the
municipal board with notice Of investigation
They are divided into two groups one including
alleged acts for which the city commission Is
held solely responsible and the other acts in
which It divides responsibility with the city
officers and heads Of departments. The first
among them has reference to the employment
Of expert examiners" in alleged violation of the
spirit Of the law, and in one case, at least, OF
its letter. The reform association asserts that
an unnecessary number Of these special assist
ants was appointed for political reasons. while
the regular examiners. who are paid only for
the time they are employed, were excluded from
work
In one instance in the first group Of charges
George E Weller. so-caled expert, who was
not on the list of eligible examiners, 1t Is
charged, was employed for ten months. In an
other, Emanuel E. Keyser. who stood only thir-
ty-second on the list, received regular work
The city board. it is charged. also exceeded It's
prerogatives in continuing non-competttive and
temporary appointees beyond the two months
term set by law.
The Mayor and the commission are held Jointly
responsible for violating the labor rules in the
90 or rpOniSttiOnS
for laborers with particular qualifications, for
the alleged purpose of furnishing jobs for po-
itical favorites. These special positions could
not be created without the Mayors approval.
Violation of the law is charged also in the ap-
pointment to positions in the exempt class; inc
Controllers office says the Reform Assoclauoh'
furnishes the most fragrant example of abuses
Of this kind but they are practised in nearly all
the city departments.
Temporary appointments in the tenement
House Department have been investigated by
the association with the alleged discovery that a
large number of Democrats have been made
temporary inspectors, In most cases without
need of their services. Out of $50 appointees or
this kind residing in the Borough Of Manhattan
only nine were Republicans.
The other classified charges are: Failure to
carry out the rules regarding efficiency records,
unauthorized REORGANIZATION of persons who
failed to take the regular examination or failed
to pass the examination, and a number OF par
ticular cases Of alleged violation in the COM
petitiye class.
The charges against Secretary Berltnger in
me OPINION OF me assoclation warrant ms re-
sion on November %, 1904, but not concurred in
by that body, although special investigation,
such as Is contemplated now, held. Ber-
lnger is accused Of admitting persons to eX-
aminatlons who had not filed applications, Of
granting numerous special examinations and re-
examinations and allowing transfers without au-
| thOrity, and conducting business pertaining to
his office as secretary at political club. These
| charges are repeated. in the communication
! to the State Commission, which is signed by
! Elliot H. Goodwin, as secretary, and Silas w.
| Burt, chairman of the committee on exam
| nation of the Reform Association.