New-York tribune., 1911-04-20
Says Mayor Knew to the Contrary.

counta bility for every untruthful state
ment you make regarding me.
Says Mayor Knew to the Contrary
The purpose OF vour letter Is undoubtedly
20 convey the impression TO the puonc
that have sought 10 cover large num-
hcr Of exempt employees INTO the co,lPce eor,iPice
You say. Il regret that the Civil Service
Reform Association was unwittingly drawn
into the espoussl Of this application. Inc
application originated with the civil ser
vice Reform Association. II was never
eucsestcd by me or by any one IN my
behalf. and you knew this when you mace
mis- statement. When the suggestion 10
classify these places was made TO the
Municipal civil Service Commission II
immediately ordered day for a hearing
and Informed me Of the fact. could not
attend W that day. and anoiher Gay
was named by the commission. The second
hearing was adjourned by the cominiS-
zion itself. wished II Known thdt
was not averso TO arguing this question
before the commission, and therefore re-
minded President Mcclure of the TACT that
sponse TO my letter d new hearing was
named ! was notified 60 appear, and the
civil Service Reform Association appeared
Is the applicant al that hearing
have learned from those who were present
AT the hearing that opposed placing
auditors in the competitive class. Further.
that ] took the ground that | was in A po-
sitlon TO make better selections of expert
accountants than could he made from an
eligible list. and that their positions should
he in the exempt class. In regard 70 the
other places no reasonable opposition could
be entered for the simple reason that
many similar places are classified in other
departments. with the exception OF cash
iers. The whole proceeding was a volun-
t9ry one on the part Of Your commission.
II any one is 10 be reproba ted by YOU II is
this commission, vho are your appointees.
Whatever explanation 7 am making i'm this
letter IS not being made for your benefit,
hut that the public may understand my po-
sition and the untruthfulness Of your state
ments
You say: There were ono hundred and
seventy-six employees in all turned out;
few Of them by forced transfers" This
IS another exhibition of either woful iS-
norance or deliberate misrepresentation In
fhe first place. when I came into this de
partment. there were only.One hundred and
fortN-fVe exempt places one hundred and
thirty-nine were filled when | took office.
Eighteen of these employees resigned Of
their own accord Twenty-Five rendered
tEeir resignatons at my request -Four
have been dismissed under charges. one
has retired with a pension. FiftY-three
have been dismissed by me. Forty are
eti0 IN the service. and among the places
held bv them are many Of the highest sal
sried positions in this department. These
figures dispose effectuallv of your claim
that one hundred and seventy-siX people
vere dismissed.
Denies Story OF Dismissal
ou speak or ono VINO was dismissed VINO
lad. been here thrty-seven years To
y hom can YOU refer? Certainly 10 no one
IT, The flesh. because no such case exists
u YOU really knew half as much Of the
charter YOU pretend 10 know YOU would
rrd iIe thlS-tEdt any man in the Finance
Department who has been in the city ser
vice for thrty-fve years can, upon appli
cation, retire upon pension of half pay.
Therefore any man who had been here for
thirty-seven years could avail himself Of
such retirement one man in an exempt
&c
period applied 10 me for retirement aud
promptly acquiesced i'm II. Two others in
the competitive class have also availcd
themselves Of this charter privilege.
y man VINO has been i'm the city service
f"r over thirty wears found to be incom-
ictent for tno position he was holding He
rendered his resignation but asked me If
I would not give him another position for
which he felt he would be competent, and
J gave him such place AZ $500 year.
You assert that YOU have not tolerated
any dismissals for political reasons ! can
no: help recalling q few cases i'm point
which show the hollOwness Of your state
nept \ deputy commissioner in charge
of prominent department in Brooklyn
desired TO he kept In the service His
friends approached YOU and YOU snarlinsly
told them: That man worked against
The man lost his lob. Why did you
force him out? Was not the reason politi-
calr
In another board over which YOU have
absolute control the secretary had been i'm
the city service. / think for nearly fort
wears RE was put out Immediately after
you had made your new appointments I'm
that board. and his place was given TO a
Democratic district leader in Brook lyu.
The district leader Is huc Young fellow
and ! am glad he got the Job.
In another board when Nour appOintCcS
went in they found Republican secretary.
rTo was promptly dispensed with. I asked
one or the commissioners why he had been
dismissed and he Stammeringly told me
that tho secretary had been in the habit
of having people call on him on political
business Would II not be more honest fo
come right out and frankly say: I'VE
wanted his Job aud We took II from limH
7 could give two columns or similar in
stances. but ! think that these few will
suffice. Furthermore. an analysis of your
appointments and mine Will prove that !
have appointed more Democrats than you
have Republicans.
You seem 10 think that All of the posi-
flone included in tho list Of ~ places which
YOUR commission proposed 10 classify are
GUed bv appoiutees ~ mine. such IS not
tho case. Twelve arc vacant and % were
In thc service before I came here and have
rlacos - my disposal i'm this department
There arc only - filed at the present time
This reduction ! have made for reasons OF
GOOD administration and economy. The
TACT that such places have not been used
hv me dsprOves concluSively your claim
,bat am using these exempt positions for
rurely political reasons.
Reward for Party Workers.
welcome YOUR question Of my test-
81 To- "a. %