New-York tribune., 1910-12-29
WANTS PENSION SYSTEM
State Controller Says 1t Is Need
ed in His Department.
WORK OF OFFICE HAMPEREO
MIR. Williams Favors Extension
Of Civil Service Principles
in Department.

Albany, Dec. estate Controller VIII
Jams in his forthcoming annual repors
calls attention TO the fact that In tho do
veIopment of New York's State Civn Ser
vice system no provision has yet been
made for those who have long since passed
their maximum Of efficiency and who ho3d
their places because OF faithful service
In the past. This is unfortunate, IN the
opinion of Mr.. Williams, who calls the At
tention of the Legislature TO the necessity
for such a provision now existing IN the
Controllers Office The lack Of 1t. he says.
prevents the appointive power from main
tanning maximum working cap2cfty und~
appropriations for the purpose.
''UntiI proper remedy be found in q
recognition by the state, by contributing
pension or otherwise. Of its obligations TO
those who have given the best OF thear
lives to It's service, the departments OF
state government will be increasingly ham,
pered in anOrding effective administra-
tion," says the Controller He recommends
the adoption Of some means by which
provision may be made for retirements-
so that this condition, now increasingly
affecting the economy of state govern
ment, may be relieved
At the present time there are 245 PER-
sons connected with the Controllers de-
partment subject to his appointment Mr.
Williams says he Is informed that those
holding 10 places not protected by Civil
Service were removed In the change OF adj
ministration In 19G, and that 10s were simi~
larly removed in the early part OF 1893
Commenting on the moral effect of this
uncertainty in office based on political con-
tingencies. the Controller says it is destruc-
tive of discipline and efficiency and dis
tracing from the main purpose OF the
work. He adds:
There would seem 10 be no better way 20
reduce automatically to a minimum the
efficiency of an office force than by Great
ing this uncertainty in tenure of office de-
pending wholly on extraneouS conditions
/ am convinced that unless there can be a
vice rendered, with the assurance of per-
manent employment when the service Is OF
a satisfactory standard, the service must az
length lapse into the mere perfunctory ois-
charge of an official task. | cannot but
feel too. that the actual loss 10 the state
in working energy oy the retirement or
those possessed of at least two years eX-
perience is most serious. and IL the prac-
tice were applied in general business IL
would result in complete demoralzation.
This evil may be necessary incident OF
our system of party government, but from
a. business STANDPOINT the result OF mex
perience and unfanllliarlty M With tns WSrk gaS
narfnents greatly reduces the efficiency
Of government and in the aggregate is a
factor of large Importance in It's ehecL on
the economy of the state
In the last year fifty places In the Con-
troIIer's office have been classified under
Civil Service, including the auditor to tho
Controller. twenty-five transfer tax ap-
praisers, eight court and trust fund ex-
aminers, thirteen stock transfer tax ex-
c1s
in the state prisons
MIR. Williams calls attention to the fact I
that the volume of treasury transactions
for the last ten years has increased by
more than 100 per cent. This. however.
does not adequately represent the increase
in the amount of detail work and of admin
strative responsibility, of which the Con-
rroller says:
The conclusion Is Inevitable that thiS great
should be transacted oy an organ
zation of the highest efficiency. and on
taking office I Immediately addressed my
self to the problem involved IN the organi~
sation of the department
The Controller and his deputies were per
forming their duties under the limitations
1f the law enacted nearly a century ago.
and although provision for two assistant
deputies had been made adequate authority
vas not given them to effect material re-
ief I'm the administration OF the depart
nent Legislation was secured permitting
he appointment Of three additional depu-
les those acting as assistant deputies sue
,eeding 10 two of these positions in Al
lany and a deputy was appointed In ths
New York office. Provision was also made
'or the appointment OF a special deputy
rom the clerical force of the department..
With authority 10 aff1x- under proper re-
;trictions, the official SIGNATURE. which NUS
10 s+enei by the Controller or his deputies
lot less than 125.O 600 times curing each wear
The Controller and his regular deputies
we're thereby relieved in large part of tho
-erformanCe of this mere clerical duty and
10 devote their tine to the more
Important administrative functions or the
,fTice
TIE appOintments to my Cfficiai stan Were
made with the view of obtaining for th~
rate the services OF those en1ineDtly quail
led to master the problems OF organization,
md accounting which were at once appar-
mt. and it is reason for sincere consrat-
,Iation that the Controller was able to Sc
.ure their experience and ability. which
IA w, largely contributed to the accomplish
nents of the past year