Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-01-09
NO PREFERENCE
FOR OLD EMPLOYEES
not ENTITLED TO NoN-coMPET-
TIVE EXAMINATIONS.
MERIT COMMISSION 5USY
Elimination of Patronage From Leg
isiatiVe Pay Roll compels Civil
Service Department TO Work Under
High Pressure-None too Many
Stenoarsphers and Typewriters.
Madison Jan

Madison, Jan. 2
Old employees of the legislature have
no preference under the civil service
law, and must compete with new ap-
plicants Tor the places. This is the
effect of an opinion rendered yester.
day by Attorney General Sturdevant.
He holds that employees Of the last
legislature are not entitled to the non
competitive examination which was
provided for the employees of the
state when the civil service system
went into effect. Ii is the opinion 81
the attorney general that this non
competitive examination was meant
only for those who had iiyed terms OF
service, that is, in positions OF some
permanelce and not merely legislative
Jobs that expire with the adjourn
ment of the Legislature.
While the employees Of the last ara
previous session win have to take
the competitive examinations if thew
hope to be again appointed, they
nevertheless have a great advantage
IN the examination over those who
have not previously done legislative
work. The commission laws mucs
Importance upon the ten OF exper,-
ence in marking the papers. This Is
one OF the elements OF the prelinip-
AIRY paper which all applicants make
out and file, and if a person is expa-
flenced in the work Tor which he an
plies, he is marked c0ns,derah,v
higher than are persons OF no exper7-
enc9 This fact is Of such import
anee that it should operate to eucour-
age many former employees to take
the competitive examination.
The commission Yesterday COM
pieted the marking of the papars q,
those who recently TOOK the examtn
alton for stenographers and TYNE
WRITES. In the stenogTapher elaqs
there were 80 who passed the re-
CURED mark of 20. u G. Crawfo,,- ~
Madison was highest with mark n,
~. Amelia Esselman OF NeilIsvili-
as second and A. J. Nelson OF Mad.
son third. In the Typewriter class
there were 22 who passed. w.
'toIdschmidt of Madison. a former en-
crossing clerk in the legislature was
hrst with mark OF SIS n. O. sser-
fli OF Sparta was second and L. I.
ICELAND of Madison third. wb,ie
there are in both classes more chg.
Dies thar there are places ayailabIe
the hsts are none too long. as IL 3.
known that a number o. students ana
others took the examinations wno
coaid hardly give I'D their schoaI
J work or other business Ia do the ~,
isiatlve work. Some took the exa,y-
nations believing hat they oonia
manage a legislative position witf.c,,
| interfering with olnt. weTK hpt 81 10
becoming known that there viii be
no Idle employees during the next ses.
sion, for the reason that the amniovee
| Vii be subject TO the merit sys1em
! VIII have to re present at regular
hours and viii not have ADVANTAGE
OF the friendly Influences of 4noti,,
cal pull 10 keep them in their posi-
Tons, a far different situation from the
time when legislative work was
merely political patronage.
Commission Busy.
The civil service commission has
| been compelled by the recent opinon
OF the attorney general to WORK en-.
ceedingly expeuitiously in the prepar
alton of the examinations which thai
opinion placed out Of the power OF
unrestrained appointment and under
the application of the competitive en-.
nation system. Announcement have
been mailed all over the state TO leg
cal examiners, members of the legs
iatnre and TO newspapers, setting
iorth the positions, their salaries and
| something OF the nature of the exam.
nations, which are to be held a week
from tomorrow While the opinion
OF the attorney general placed a great
and emergent burden upon the com
| mission, it is believed that the com
| mission is entirely pleased to take
the added duties which the attorney
| general has by his officiai opinion
imposed. In some quarters, however.
the opinion Is very macn disiked.
| particularly from those who had
hopes Of influence which would get
| them places upon the pay roll of the