New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-19
so many million souls and square miles 1T would
be vain 10 hope for quick results.
CIVIL SERVICE REPORT.

The recommendations of the State Civil Ser
vice Commission aim at increasing the enec-
tjveness of the public service Of the state.
The Ioopholes which have been found for evad-
ing the laws would be closed by legislation
along the lines suggested. There are the con
fidentiaI" employe who is not really conhden-
tiaI and the "laborer' who goes on the pay
rolls as such and does the proper work Of a
classified clerk and lastly, up the state the
classified emplOye may be discharged arol-
trarily without hearing or explanation lhese
three methods of getting some Of the "starch
out of the Civil Service laws the commission
very properly would like to end.
The suggestion regarding "confdentiaI en-
ployes is very likely to be misunderstood. Inc
commission has no thought Of putting on the
competitive list private secretaries and other
like employees occupying places Of close personal
trust They are properly personal appointments.
What the commission aims at is the abuse thaI
has grown up through the exemption or EN-
ployes as confidential simply because trust mas
TO be reposed in their fathfuness. If an office
holder wishes to appoint a favorite he does so
under a broad construction of the word con
fdential" The close relations between the heaI
of the department and the employee may not be
very apparent to anybody else. but for the pur-
poses of evading the law they become extremely
"confdentiaI' and 'fiduciary." There is proper
limit TO these mysterious condolences ana tue
commission would like to fix that limit
Perhaps all sorts of employees will always
masquerade as ''Iaborers" on the payrolls, nut
the commission would like TO check that thrifty
device In the cities the local Civil Service
commissions are obliged TO register laborers'
and the heads of departments have to take
their laborers from that list in the order OF
registration, so that it is impractcable to ap-
point favorites as "laborers' and then give
them other work to do In the state depart
ments there is no such obligatory registration
and the commission recommends that 1t be
made permissive with the state commission to
establish such registres of laborers employed
by the state.
Another important recommendation WouIl
secure for the Civil Service classified employe
in the smaller cities Of the state the same
rights that he enjoys here in New York City,
namely, an explanation of the causes Of re-
moval before removal and the filing by the
superior officer on removal of a statement of
the reasons for removal This is simple Justice
to the employees and would operate as check
against arbitrary removals for improper rea-
sons, without allowing any appeal to the courts
but on the contrary leaving the appointing power
the final Judge of his subordinate's conduct.
The decisions Of the Court of Appeals to which
the report calls attention have strengthened
the hands or the commission. Inc Ola polltlcul
device of getting around the law by promoting
favortes through transfers has been ended by
the decision prohibiting such transfers except
to similar places without change of COmpensa-
ton The commissions decision In regard 10
matters Of classification has been held TO be
final. and the court has confirmed the com
missions power to ,nquire into and report upon
all matters touching the enforcement and eff
feet Of the provisions of the Civil Service law
and rules. These are indeed, three notable
legal victories" They greatly strengthen the
administration Of the Civil Service laws of the
state.