New-York tribune., 1912-02-19

orired an intimate knowledge with the
places where the various court papers
dockets and other papers filed ana re-
corded In this Office are deposited, as
well as the courts To which messeh-
ger has to go. He therefore asked lo'
a special exception for Cannon auu'hS'
THE other position VIII, OF course "e
filled I'm the regular way from the pres
ent custodian messenger hst. Inc
commission granted the exception. oe-
claring a laborer to he a person 'ot hlsh
and recognized attainments,' with qual'-
dcations of a peculiar and exceptonal
nature and "of sciertiiic, professional VI
educational character
The case OF James T.. Lennon ap-
pointed under special exception as GUS
todan in the office of the Surrogate VI
Kings County. where Boss McCooey IL
the present chief clerk. is similar TO that
Of Cannon. He had been employed as "
laborer from September ]. l'n4 In
letter dated June % Mr. Bergen then
chief clerl, Of the Surrogate's Court
wrote the commission, stating brehN the
facts about Lemons employment, and
said that Lennon had been very ell
cient man and that he thought there
could be special examination held Ior
him in order that he might qualify for
the positon of custodian, owing 10 his
long service in this office.
Mccooey Man Gets Job.
! The commission informed him that 1t
knew of no way to promote man from
the labor class to the competitive class.
/ on July %. however. upon the recon-
mendation Of Commissioner Burton. Mr..
NcCooey's man In the state board, the
commission adopted resolution allow
/ ing the appointment without eNamina-
ticn of Lennon az custodians on the
ground that this was position requiring
peculiar and exceptional qualifications
Of a scientific professional or educa-
tional character" and that Lennon was
"person Of high and recognized attain
nents in such qualities" and that com
petition was impracticable for filing tho
vacancy.
Governor Dix in his last message COM
.plained bitterly Of tho covering into the
competitive class by his predecessors of
persons who had not passed competitive
examination, ignoring the fact that only
by so doing could the merit system be
| extended and future examinations bc
provided for positions for which compc-
ttion was formerly not thought prac-
ticable. Yet In the face Of that complaint
his commission I'm 1911 put large num-
Der OF men into the competitive class.
| with oil the rights and privileges per-
| tanning thereto. under the subterfugc
that they were persons Of high and rec
ognized attainments" of scientific,
professional or educational character
The Eight Factory Inspectors.
II Is also interesting to note the use
which has been made Of the exemptions
recently granted in the Department OF
Labor The law provided for eight gu
pervising factory inspectors. The Civil
Service Commission exempted them all
in spite Of the Civil Service Reform As
sociation. An appeal was made to the
Governor. who in November last wrote
giving the explicit pledge that all these
appointments should be competitive in
stead OF exempt. The commission. how
ever. delayed in carrying out this policy.
| The Governor weakened. and finally
agreed TO their splitting the difference,
giving four Of the places to the spols-
men and four 10 the reformers. though
the duties Of all are the same. and If
competition was practicable for any II
was practicable for all. and the mandate
of the constitution in favor Of competi-
ton where practicable was applicable to
all. OF course. the plea was made that
bv exemption OF these four a higher
type Of man could be secured than from
n competitive eligible list. The appoint
mefts actually made were as follows:
Edward A. Bates. No. 25G South
street. Utica: James J. Murphy. No. 800
Fast 18th street, New York City; Ed
ward ]. Pierce, No. 10 Front street
New York City. and jeremiah j. Flood
No. 1S5 East 93d street, New York City.
Rates is In the Utica district. and the
other three are in the New York City
districts.
Bates and Murphy are organized labor
patronage; Pierce and Flood are Tam
many patronage
Bates was secretary Of the State Fed
Grafton of Labor, which appeared before
the Civil Service Commission in Decem-
her. nv its executive committee and op-
nosed the placing OF the supervising
factory inspectors in the competitive
class. Murphy is printer by trade and
has been several times president Of big
Six"
Pierce is a Democrat of the I'd Assem-
blv District, appointed for "Al' Smith.
the Tamfnany leader in the Assembly.
smith was present at the hearings be-
fore the state commission and showed
q oraat deal of interest in the case. No.
1to Front street Pierce's address. is an
old building at the foot of Wall street.
tho ground floor being occupied by coffee
brokers Pierce lives on the top floor
and Is the janitor. His wife stated
IN an investigator that his previous oc-
cunation has been that Of jantor and
that he has been in the real estate bust
} ness.
Jeremiah j. Flood is Senator Fraw-
lo,,s man His business is that of
r,un,her Under Borough President
Ahearn he was superintendent OF con