The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-10

ein@ AnhueS NepaFt uapa ttaeet Rsls
p~ervtsSP SENDER n Criticisss May0Y.
About one hudred persons men and women
aat down last night at the feast u the Civil
Servioe Reform Association In the Hotel
Aston Vice-President William g. Lowe
presided. and ct his right sat Mrs. ". n.
Schieffelin. Among tho other guests at
the table OF honor were: Senator Everest
Colby Of New jersey. Charles y. Milliken.
president 81 the New York state Civil
Service Commission; Robert d. jerks, secre-
tary Of the Pennsylvania Civil Service Re-
form Association; r.. Ross Appleton. william
y. Baker. president Of the Municipal Civil
Service Commission, and DIR. A. jacob.
In his speech President Miliken praised
Gov. Higgins and Attorney General Mayer
and sale hat both had proved to be stead
fast friends ~ the merit system. Tho
taste for the merit system, he said, was
like the taste for olives; IL must he ac-
quired.
He who follows politics in these days,
said the speaker, realizes that the square
deal Of the merit system II necessary. A
few years ago the politicians had no uss
for the examinations and the eligible lists;
but all that Is changed now. To-day the
merit system Ia taken largely AZ a matter of
course. No one thinks Of standing UP for
the old system now except. perhaps, a
Plunkitt.'
Mr.. jerks old Of the effect of the wave
Of reform in Philadelphia and said among
other things that the city now had a civil
service act which had been described as one
Of the best laws on the sub jet in this coun-
try. He contrasted the corrupt methods
Of the old ring government with the present
administrator and said that as long as the
new civil service Law was honestly enforced
there never would be any danger Of a return
to boss rule and the spoils system.
President baker poked good natured fun
at the association and told Of some Of his
trying experiences with politicians.
Il am making my debut tonight In the
circles of REFORM" said he, @and as far as it
has gone | am enjoying it very much
reaotion had set in in public opinion con-
corning politics and government, and that it
was useless to try to block il.
"The danger said he, ito our social,
economi cal and political systems does not
lie in the profession of new ideas, even
though they move along extremely radical
lines, but in the means employed and the
methods adopted to prevent their coming
to the surface in the clear light of day for
open discussion
Inc annual report OF the executive Con-
mittee, which was read at the annual meet
ing before the dinner, presents a view OF
the progress made by the ella ssified service
movement. 1t says:
The year Just p~assed-the twenty-ninth Of
the association existence-has been a year
of continued progress for civil service re-
form, both in the country at large and locally
In New York State and city. In the last few
years. in fact since Theodore Roosevelt be-
came President and unquestiouably TO a
large extent on account OF his well known
attitude toward this cause. there has been
a marked revival of interest and activity,
shown strikin ely in the introduction Of civil
service reform laws for States and cities.
On the subject of the Bender oase at
Albany the report says:
In spite of the Governors ambiguous policy
In ret in Office for nine months Harry
H. Bender. the Fiscal Supervisor Of State
Charities, accused Of levying political assess
ments in violation of the Civil Service law
and permitting him without hindrance to
evade Investigation by the State Civil Service
Commission through n court proceeding.
brought on technical grounds to test the Com
missions powers. We believe that in the end
this case will be fully aired and that the Gov
ernor may be counted on to take Anal action
which will go far toward putting an end to
the deepioable practice Of extorting money
from employees for political purposes under
an implied threat OF deprlving them Of their
means OF livelihood.
Under the heading "The Reele ction OF
Mcclellan, " the report says:
The seemingly simple request Of the Mayor
that he should be consulted by the heads OF
departments in regard to the choice OF depu-
ties has been given a sinister significance
80, annnn - cha anrNipt,,o,.. ,,liol - I.
credited with debating, 1t has been charged
by some Of his critics that he IL attempting
10 build UP a new machine, and that he Ia
using the patronage OF the subordinate
exempt positions to this end. 1t is certain. at
least. that appointments TO and removals
fr ON these positions have been dictated by
political considerations, regardless Of con-
stitutional requirements,
The report then cites the appointment
Of Michael W, Padden as Water Register and
the Civil Service Commission, The Mayor
had not been the only offender. Among
the appointments made by Comptroller
Metz to help the McCarren faction, the
report calls particular attention to the
designation as Deputy Comptroller Of John
Service Commission, who was removed by
Mayor Mcclellan on charges Of dereliction
Of duty.
The committee seems to think that the
sala ries of two of the local civil service
commissioners are altogether too high.
The president, they considered, earned
his 5000.
The officers elected at the annual meeting
we're: President, Carl Schurz; vice-presi-
dents. Silas W. Burt. D.. Willis James, Will
liam G.. Lowe, Levi P. Morton, Alexander
E. Orr, Theodore Ro c~sevelt, Fhhu Root,
Edward NJ, Shepard, Oscar S. straus and
Everett p. Wheeler; executive committee,
Jacob F. Miller, r. Ross Appleton, Henry
De Forest Baldwin, Theodore NJ. Banta,
Charles G.. Birmingham, Edward Carey,
Charles Collins Horace E.Deming, Samuel B.
Donnelly, Homer Folks, j, Warren Greene .
George j. Greenfield, A. jacob, Franklin
B. Lord, George McAneny, John q. Milburn,
Samuel 81. Ordway. George Foster Peabody
n William Jay Schieffelin.