New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-02
NEW ATTACK ON CHARTER
Step Backward, Declares Civil
Service Reform Association.
SEES BLOW AT MERIT PLAN
Calls State Supervision Essential
Check Against Local Parti-
san Influence.

In statement issued last night the
New York Civil Service Reform Associa-
| ton. after pointing ont the radical changes
made in the administration Of the civil
service law by the proposed new charter
for New York city. declares that few of
these changes are calculated 10 bring
about any improvement. and that only a
few of the amendments to the original
Gaynor charter suggested al the hearings
In June have been made.
IF the new charter becomes law the
association asserts. 1T is safe TO say that
the security of the merit system IN New
York City will he decidedly weakened
Drawing attention 10 the chapter on
Municipal civil Service Commission. by
which the administration Of the civil SER
vice law IS placed under the complete CON
troll Of the local authorities. the civil Ser
vice Reform Association contends that
these sections do away with the super
vision Of the. Municipal Civil Service Com
mission by the state Commission.
The association says that state super
vision constitutes an essential check
against the introduction Of local partisan
influences into the administration Of the
merit system. Mayor Gaynor. il Is said.
at the hearings on the charter In its first
form took the position that state super
vision was a violation Of the principle Of
home rule for cities and would not consent
10 it. Bv the terms IF the new charter. II
is pointed out the Mayor will have the
deciding voice as to the strictness or laXlty
with which the civil service law shall be
enforced by the New York City commits
sion.
Section 30 of Chapter VII. entitled of
ncers and Employees according TO the as
ISOLATION. lis so broad and sweeping in its
character as to make possible an almost
indefinite extension Of the number of ex-
empt positions in the city service This
section reads as follows:
appointments and Removals: Except as
otherwise provided in this act or I'm the
public officers law, the head Of each de
partment, board, body or office Of the city
and each county shall without restriction
or limitation appoint ana may at pleasure
remove each subordinate whose appoint
ment is directed by this act or other
statute, and each head Of a bureau. unless
the incumbent he a member Of the uni
formed force Of the police. fire or street
cleaning departments and shall. in accord
ance with the provisions Of the civil
service law. appoint and remove all other
subOrdinates
This section is Of extremely doubtful
constitutionality. according 10 the asso-
citation, and the power given to heads OF
departments, boards bodies or offices to ap-
point each head Of a bureau without com
petition extends the effect Of this vicious
section" still further. the association SAYS.
The sections providing for the suspen-
sion and reinstatement of employees and
for the retirement of superannuatcd en-
ployes are severely criticised. The retire
ment system is called utterly unstientifc
and inadequate, and has little 10 commend
il. even from the point Of view Of the en-
ployes."
The chapters dealing with the police and
fire departments relating TO promotions
contains AN iniquitous proviso,' accord
ing to the association. I'm that II provides
that a candidate shall he credited I'm but
one examination for the same acts OF
bravery or mertorious service and shall
not be charged with the same delinquencies
I'm more than one examination or with de-
linquencies which have occurred more than
three years prior to such examination
BY this ruling. says the statement, # "A
man credited with meritorious acts fails
to secure appointment as the result of one
examination, his meritorious acts would 20
for nothing. nor would his bad conduct be
again counted.
After touching upon other provisions in
the proposed charter the statements says:
The proposed charter represents a long
step backward in the administration Of tho
merit system in this city. For these
reasons the New York civil Service Reform
Association has decided vigorously 10 op-
pose the proposed new charter by the use
of all legitimate means within it's power.