The morning journal-courier., 1907-12-20
Connecticut Civil Service Re- form Association in An
 nual Session.
HENRY FARNAM HEADS LIST
Report for Year Reviews the Recent Civil Service Dispute on Anthony
 Carrolrs Paper.

""o ASiN 1lSl evening III e4lAS NAty NN the rooms of the Chamber of Com- merce at which were elected the off, cers for the year to come. The follow ing choice of officers was made:
 President-Henry w. Farnam of this city.
 -presidents-Jo P. Elton, Wa terbury; William F. Henney of Hart ford, John H. Perry of Fairfield, Will liam G. Sumner of this city.
 Treasurer-Benjamin R. English of New Haven.
 secretary-Charles c, Morris of New Haven.
 Executive committee-Will!am G. Ai- ken of Norwich, James Kingsly Blake of New Haven, Augustus H. Bullard of Bridgeport, Charles Hopkins Clark of Hartford, William H. Corbin of Hartford, Harry G. Day of New .Ha- ven. George A. Driggs of Waterbury. Henry W, Farnam of New Haven, George F.. Hill of Bridgeport. Arthur R. Kimball of Waterbury, Frederick J. Kingsbury, jr., of New Haven, Nor ris G. Osborn of New Haven, William s. Pardee of New Haven and Horace D. Taft Of Watertown.
 The annual report of the association was read which reviewed at large the progress and prevailing conditions of civil service. In regard to the Federal offices it is held that as far as general rules are concerned there is little con- structive work remaining to be done. Along this line the report says.
 Further review of the general situa- tion is made as follows;
 "It will be necessary, shortly, if the custom of making special excep- tions to the civil service rules in creases, as it has during the past few years, to urge some more efficient in quiry into the cases presented than has recently been made. These spe~ cial exceptions have increased from twelve in 1902 at a rate which will produce a total of about 100 in 1907.
 Mot the least encouraging sign of the times has been the election of Governor Hughes of New York and his firm stand for the fundamental principles of the merit system. He was known as an active civil service reformer before his election. This in itself is encouraging, for until recently civil service reformers have been con sidered by those who controlled the party conventions, very undesirable candidates for office"
 Executive officers and bureau heads are becoming used to the work ings of the civil service rules, and, while there are and always will be evasions which will require constant supervisory work by citizens the prin- ciple is so thoroughly established in the federal service that practically all subordinate positions are assumed to 1 be competitive In the higher ottices which are as yet n-competitive, such as collectors of internal revenue and other senate-conhrme appointments the situation is far less satisfactory"
 Coming down to the more local mat ters. the report contains an interesting summary of the recent civil service dispute in this city which arose over the agitation stirred by Anthony Car roll On the more local end the re. port speaks thus:
 In our own state the record of leg islative failure Is complete and dis graceful. Hartford for the second time asked the legislature for a civil service amendment to her charter ane for the second time, one or two indi- viduais, headed by Senator McGoyerr defed the expressed wishes of the mayor and the entire common council as well as of large body of the clti' gems in general who are in favor oi good government.
 Less comprehensive measures were asked for by Bridgeport and New Brit tain, but the fate of all progressive civil service legislation really hung or the outcome of Hartford's petition anu fell with it.
 In New Haven an interesting ques. ton has just arisen as to certain oi the rights of an unsuccessful appli- cant for a civil service position, A can dldate for the position of building in' spector. who is a mason by trade, was reported as having failed in the exam. linatlon. He thereupon demanded Of the board that his marks on the indl' vidual questions should be shown him and subsequently expanded his demand to requirement that he be permitted to see his own paper and those of the two successful candidates in order tc compare them. This was refused and he then presented to the board of al- dermen a petition for an investigation A special committee of the board of aldermen was appointed which ob' tained an opinion from the corporation counsel declaring that the records ol the civil service board made in ths performance of its duty as required by the charter are public records and aS such are open to public inspection This covered his claim to see hi' marks.
 AS to the right of candidate to re view his own papers the corporation counsel declared that to be a matte entirely within the jurisdiction of tn CIVIL StINlC6 OObt tO pSll UT TeIuS as they saw fit, The candidate thel demanded that he be allowed to exam , inc his own paper with an expert ii order to determine whether or not hi markings were correct. The board con sistently refused to show any candidat any paper except his own or to alloy , any other person than the candidate t examine his paper, and the aldermani committee finally gave the petitione leave to withdraw, This appears have settled a question which presente . opportunities for future trouble so com ] pletely that it is not likely to aris , again.
 Our membership is still increasing i , satisfactory manner, being about S9