New-York tribune., 1908-02-11

echtsfrelin Of the Municipal Civil Service Commits
SION of New York. discussed the subject and eh-
plsined its workings. Edward X SunerWell, OF
East Orange. who is earnest advocate of the
Lcker1nan bill, urged the members OF the confer
ence take immediate action to arouse public sen
ument. which. he said. would guide the legislators
Senator Colby was the chairman at the afternoon
session He scheduled tc deliver an address on
New Jerseys ATTITUDES Toward Civil Reform,
h,,; said he would discuss the subject. as ex-
rerts would be heard However. he told an inter
esting story of how his interest was aroused and
what had been done.
Il will stale briefly why / interested and
what accomplished last year ne said In
the summer OF 1906 I became active in political
fsctional ro~-a fight that strenuous and
somewhat hitter. One evening while was alone
2 man came the office who seemed 10 be down
the heel and acted as If afraid. He said: Sena-
tor here's So. ] wish I could give you more |
a1ope you'll win ] asked him his name. He said.
J can't give it TO you, Senator: am an employe
the Newark City Department He was eTi-
oentlv man who getting $50 perhaps SO
month. / thought nothing of the matter for that
moment hut at home that evening L began 70 re-
feet seriously on the incident said Why is il
that this cannot display his real spirit-can-
rot express his mnd?' ] realized that so long as
ccnditions existed he could not have that freedom
that is guaranteed by the Constitution. Ii made a
.aep impression upon me. a days later
attended meeting of the Civil Service Reform
lesgUe-and since have been interested.
y lsaEe. however. been given great deal more
credit than am entitled to L am in public life.
and in public life invariably gets more than
s due him. The credit for this movement belongs
Nj Brown. Mr.. SumerweH and Mr.. Goodwin. 1
introduced d Civil Service bill: ! don't believe it
was ever read 1t received scant courtesy. The
year the Senate passed q Civil Service bill,
it xas killed in the House. With the institu-
1ion Of Civil Service the political leader or boss
vii lose his power only with the oficeseeker.
but also loses the privilege to sell TO corporate
3nterests Under Civil Service rule the boss has 10
yield Another instance wish to cite of the
healthy progress is that this very hour discus
sion is going Trenton a public utilities
bill Such a thing this would have been
heard OF few years ago ] believe your con-
ference is TO be congratulated You are getting be-
fore the public matters Of vital interest
The Practical Application of the Civil Service
Law" discussed by Mr. Schiefeln. who told
how the examination Of applicants practical
and gave ludicrous illustration Of the test of
applicants fer places ambulance drivers, and
only three of the thirty-seyen who had passed the
mental test survived the practical test-the har-
messing and driving of the horse. Mr Goodwin was
substituted for Samuel H Ordway. and described
The Growth and Development Of the Civil Service
Movement" II came out that Mr. Goodwin had
prepared the Civil Service bills that had been in
rroduced in The New Jersey Legislature
Richard Stevens, Hudson County probation
officer lawn tennis player and member of the Ho-
boken family Of that name, made an appeal TO the
employers Of the country for better under
standing of the worth and skill of the convict as
u mechanic and better pay for his services while
IN prison that he would have enough money to
start life
Instead Of receiving the customary s. when he
is discharged the end OF his term" he said he
should have between s200 and $500. This money
would give him chance 10 do better. and not re-
probably 10 his former evil habits, If he did
not wish remain in his town or go back to
his former home he would then have enough
money TO 60 TO some other town and start life
anew and endeavor be an honest man"