New-York tribune., 1912-02-26
ASSEMBLY BILLS PLEAD
FOR HIGHER SALARIES.
Republicans Follow Democrats
in Asking More Pay for OFF,
CiaIS in Greater City.
COURT employees AFFECTED
Kopp Would Have Stenographers
Get $4,000, Though Addi-
tional Emolument Is
Already Large.
By Telegraph to The Tribune. J

ley Telegraph to The Tribune
Albany, Feb 25.-Although the legislative
session is less than two months old, the AS
sembly has already accumulated a fine as
sortment Of salary increase bills affecting
New York City or It's subdivisions. The
fact that such legislation was denounced
violently last year by the Republicans when
they were the minority has not prevented
them from advancing many Of these bills
now that they have become the majority.
Some Of the bills are fathered by Demo
Gratis and others by Republicans.
one of these measures introduced by
Azsemblyman Kopp, who comes from the
district Of President Koanig of the New
York County Republican Committee would
Increase the salaries of the stenographers
in the Court Of General Sessions from ST.
500 to $500 a year Mr.. Kopp presented
An elaborate memorandum in support OF the
bill setting forth the belief that these en-
ployes deserved much larger compensation.
He did not mention the fact, brought out
BY ]. o. Hammitt, secretary OF the Citlzens
Union. that In the last two years these ste
nographers have each averaged about &c.
900 n year in receipts from the city Tor
iFHESGTlDtS
that probably the income OF each, MT.
Hammitt estimated would run from Ss'oVo
10 1000 year.
Asks increases for 6rooklyntes.
Assenblyrnan Hon. of Brooklyn, has a
hill increasing from 81 500 TO $4,000 the
annual salary of each Of the typists ap-
nointed by the Justices Of the Appellate d.
vision in Brooklyn. This bill has been re-
norted favorabiy by the Ways and Means
Committee.
Another interesting bill reported for pas
sage would increase from $4,000 to s4'OOO
a year the salaries Of the vice-chairmah OIL
the Board Of Aldermen and the chairman
of the Finance Committee OF the coaru'
The vice-chairman Is Colonel A. L. Kline
of Rrooklvn. The chairman Of the Finance
committee is Henry Fl. Curran. Mr.. Ahern'
Assemblyman- from Colonel Kline's district
introduced the measure. He and Assembly,
man Stoddard, from Mr.. Curran's dlst1cI
were its advocates before the Assembly,
Cities Committee.
Mr.. Stoddard argued for the increase on
the ground that Mr.. Curran had given up
his business and was devoting all MS 'ithe
10 the work Of the Finance Committee
There is nothing IN the bill to prevent ei'her
~ these aldermen from engaging IN pri-
vate business II their salaries were IN
creased.
Two nav roll bills reported out OF COM
nIttee affect District Attorney Whitman
office. One. introduced by AssemDlymah
Kopp. inserts the following provision III
the New York City consolidation act:
Process servers In the office Of the Dis
trict Attorney Of the county or New loIS
shaIi roceiye a minimum annual salary OF
si 200 The District Attorney or tne
county OF New York may. however NJ ny
withstanding the provisions OF any oi. osme
law az the salary of any process serye a
"a a GTeater amount. not TO exceed $1,000
per annum, and the salary or the Snler re.
process server at not exceeding sE'oVo pei
annum.
Tbere Is no such connection between
this provision and the. context as wouiu
lead n lawyer TO look in this section TOT
anv provision regarding salaries or proc
oss servers. There appears to be some
Justification for the complaint that the
rrocess servers are underpaid, but the
local authorities have power TO increase
these salaries. Assemblyman kopp plead
ed for his bill before the committee
which reported It on the ground that II
would be useless TO ask the Board OF Es'
innate to provide for the increase.
This talk about violation OF the nome
rule priuciple." said Kopp, rs all poppy
cock"
To "EouaIize" Clerks Salaries.
The other payroll bill affecting the
District Attorneys Office was introduced
by Assemblyman Brooks, who comes from
Colonel Abraham Gruber's district IL
rroyides for the equalization" of the sal
aries of clerks in grades s. I, s, and ~
I'm the District Attorneys office. The
Capitalization" moves the salaries upward
although there is no evidence on the race
OF the bill as to what the present salarIeS
are II provides that the clerks In grade'
& and shall each receive &,CUc year
and those In grades 3 and 10 shall receive
$500
Assemblyman McElligott, one OF the
Ta,nmarv members. has obtained favor
obla COMMITTEES report on his bill provid-
ing that the Board OF Aldermen sup]eet
to the approval of the Mayor, shall IN
the compensation of employees In the laoor
class. Mr. McElligott In support OF tnis
bin pointed cut that there was no proVl-
sion for fixing the salaries OF these en-
ployes in the usual way HIS oiil' now
ever. provides for fixing them In very
unusual way. Salaries are usually hxed
in the city by action Of the Board OF rs
innate and the Board of Aldermen,
MANY bills which attack the merit sys-
TEN in the civil service have been IN
,roduced Most of them have been de-
feated I'm previous Republican legislat-
,ras One OF these bills however. intro
duced by Assemblyman Campbell, has
heen reported out of committee. 1t pro-
hIbits the consideration. in The examina'
ton for promotion Of members OF the
uniformed force Of the Fire Department
OF black marks against these firemen for
delirouencles which occurred more than
three years prior TO the examinations
The advocates OF the merit system have
always maintained that a fireman's entire
record ought to be considered when ne
comes up for promotion