The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-04-15
State Board Calls Local
Body to Account for
Having Secret
Rules.
A SHARP COMMUNICATION
Executive Committee Forwards
Pointed Document to Lo
cal Men Regarding the
Printing of Rules
Also.

The executive committee of the
Connecticut Civil service reform as
sociation held a meeting last might in
the Graduates club and among the
important matters discussed was that
pertaining to the printing of the rules
by the New Haven board for the ben
eft of candidates for examination un-
der that board. The state board pre-
vlously had called the attention OF
the local board to the fact that cop
les Of the rules had not been given to
candidates, but no action had been
taken. Tho communication framed
up last night and sent to the New
Haven board accuses that body with
measuring the fitness OF candidates for
subordinate jobs by what is, In effect,
a secret set of rules. The communi-
cation in full follows
April a. 1908.
To the Civil Service Board of New
Haven:
Dear Sirs: In letter mailed on or
about June II. 1907, this association
formally called the attention of your
board to the fact that for several
months no copies Of the rules Of the
civil service board we're to be had by
candidates for examination under said
board. There had been informal con-
versatlons with several members Of
the boaiil during the preceding
December, 1905. calling their atten-
ton to the lack OF copies of the rules
and urging the immediate publica-
ton OF such rules. Subsequent to
June IL, 1907. there have been many
other Informal conversations with
members Of your board on the same
topic, and on December 10, 1907, IL
appeared that action could only be
obtained by fopnal remonstrance. At
a meeting on that day this association
called the boards attention to its
earlier request and urged your board
to have Its rules printed at once.
Nearly four months have passed with
out apparent action on the part Of
your board and we desire to call your
attention again to the injustice which
! this omission occasions to candidates
for examination, and to the impress
sion which cannot but obtain that
such omission Is not wholly accident
al. The candidates for subordinate
! places in the city government are
measured to-day by what is In effect 4
set OF secret rules.
! This Is not the spirit of the merit
system, which stands for open, impair
tial and equal tests of the capacity OF
each candidate for public administra-
tive office, followed by appointments
restricted to those who have shown
themselves best fitted for the work
to be done.
We realize that your board hac re-
Gently been reorganized and a new
member added to succeed one de-
ceased and that consequently the con-
dtions prevailing in the past are no
sign of what will appear in the future.
We urge your board to Immediately
take action upon this.
Those attending the meeting we're
John p. Elton Of Waterbury, the t.
ing president; Secretary Charles G.
Morris, Colonel Norris G. Osborn.
James Kingsley Blake. Frederick J..
Kingsbury, jr., and William S. Pardee
of New Haven; William II. Corbin OF
Hartford. Arthur Reed Kimball and
George A. briggs of Waterbury. Will
liam A. Aiken Of Norwich and Horace
D. Taft of Watertown.