New-York tribune., 1910-01-17

ocrats, and in Kings County Democrats
were elected to succeed Republicans. I'M
mediately requests We're made TO the COM
mission by outgoing officials in both coun-
ties in behalf of incumbents of exempt
petitive class. Among the applicants was
the County Clerk of Kings County, who
two years TO secure the exemption OF an
assistant cashier. asked that the still more
responsive anu confidential position OF as,
sistant deputy county clerk. which had
been left TO him as personal appoint
ment, should he made competitive. for the
sake of protecting his appointee: The state
crate with the municipal commission OF
New York City in making similar reclassl-
fcaticns in the city Finance Department.
All these requests were denied. The COM
mission might have collected an interesting
series of testimonials from appointing oifi-
GERS as to the practicability of compeu-
ton for positions concerning which it has
hitherto been considered doubtful, but IL
is believed that even extension OF the COM
petitlve class merely to safeguard patron
age already distributed though requested
hy officials of both parties. would be as
improper and tend as lnuch TO oiscreulC
the merit system as the granting OF eX-
enptions for the creation of patronage.
The abolition of exemptions which may
he found unnecessary is desirable, even
though il incidentally covers into the COM
petitive class persons appointed by favor.
hut the commission declines to use It's
cal changes. or for any purpose but the
Improvement of the public service.
REVISION OF EXEMPT LIST HERE
The state commission advises the appoint
nent after competition of permanent chief
examiners in all small cities 70 secure con-
tnuous expert work. In New York City,
on the recommendation Of the state COM
mission, a revision of the exempt list was
made. which resulted in the transfer of
eishtysiX places to the competitive class.
The state commission also approved of the
establishment in New York City of a COM
piete grading system. abolishing the lons
existing fayoritism in the increasing of sal
aries for a large number of positions in
which before a person appointed at low
salary could be advanced TO any compen-
sation which his appointing officer was
able 10 secure for him from the city ad-
ministration regardless of the character
OF his duties or his merits as compared
with fellow workers The stale commits
sion is contemplating the extension of the
rules to the larger villages of the state. 1t
says:
There are in the state thirteen villages
having population OF more than nNe
thousand and less than six thousand, &C
cording to the census of 1905: four villages
having a population Of more than SIX
thousand and less than seven thousand:
and eight Villages having population OF
more than seven thousand The largest OF
these, PeekskilI. then had a population OF
ZOE. and White Plains is now said TO have
more than twenty-five thousand. Ihere
are twelve cities with municipal Civil Ser
vice commissions ana Civil Service rules
having smaller population than Peeks-
kill. and five cities having smaller popn-
lation than the five larger villages II Is
believed that the classification OF villages
having more than six thousand or perhaps
seven thousand persons would improve
Iner service and oe Of great h gsetnneTS thaT aH IN
receive city charters and be obliged TO ad-
minister the Civil Service law through local
commissions.
If the merit system were once well in
operation under the direction of the state
commission administering the law as IL is
trained body of public servants might be
secured and experience might be gained
mnt of law which would lead TO better
start with city government than can ne
expected where the enforcement of the
Civil Service law is with the granting of a
persons. Comparison of the results of VII
lage administration on this plan with those
secured under the local commission system
in the third class cities is also likely to be
of value in the study of methods for the
extension and development of the merit
system.
UNIFORM VACATION PLAN.
The commission has also undertaken to
secure a uniform plan for vacations in the
state service and announces that other
state departments have agreed TO join with
1t in a conference on the subject.
In 1909 206 open competitive examinations
were held and completed, with 7.0lS candi-
dates; ninety competitive promotion exami-
natiens with 500 candidates; two open COM
petitive examinations were held in 1908 and
completed in 1909. and two open competitive
examinations. with 113 candidates, have
been held in 1909. but not vet completed.
During the year 1,1S3 appointments have
been made from open competitive lists and
1S9 promotions. as the result of competitive
ratings: ninety-eight appointments to nom
competitive positions have been made, af-
ter examination by the commission, and
3,153 have been made after examinations by
boards of examiners in state institutions,
these being lower grade positions in state
hospitals and charitable institutions The
classified service of the state and counties
under the jurisdiction OF the commission
now numbers in the state service S7S un-
classified, 661 exempt mot including deputies
who are by law appointed on the nomina-
ton Of party committees, and additional
deputies. in the office of the State Super
intendent of Elections). 1896 competitive
5,6l5 non-competitive: In the county service
22l unclassified. 361 exempt, 1.Sl1 competi-
tive and 100 non-competitive.