The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-11

| local geography. The professor then
gave a number of Illustrations of diff
ferent men who had been examined,
and spoke Of the college professors
not being always sure of an examl-
nation being able to bring out the true
character of the man, but the civil
service reform is but the means to
an end, a means for protecting the
| city, and he fe.t that thus far 1t nao
| been very successful.
| He then showed the method to be
taken by any city to adopt civil SER
vice, under the law passed by the last
| assembly, pointed out how this law
would work out, and what must De
done to get full advantage of the law.
Concluding, he was glad the bust
ness men of the city were taking it
up, and felt sure that they would be
repaid. He spoke of the international
| adoption Of the merit system in all
| the great countries, and now, because
ent countries, it was necessary TO keep
every employee at the highest e1n-
cheney.
| President Davis than announced the
! professor to be ready to answer any
uestions:: Samuel E. Vincent asked se
curate comparison between New Ha.
ven and Bridgeport or other cities OF
the State, in regard to what had neen
or could be done with the merit sys-
tenn He was told that such COM
parison would be very hard to make,
records of efficiency. He said that
Chicago is preparing such a chart;
whereby at a glance any one can tell
just what each man is doing, what
he ought to do, and what any other
man in the same place would pc ex-
pected to do. It would require an
expert to make an accurate compari-
| son of that nature
Mr. Vincent then asked what lis
done if after g. man has passed the
examination and been appointed, he
is found to be incompetent. Prof
Farnam answered that IN New ia.
ven six months probation on the job
is part of the examination, and every
man is given that chance to make
good. He spoke Of the ability OF the
appointing officers to eliminate. those
who might be unfit for position BY
the rule of three. it not being neces
sary to appoint the highest OF the
three eligible. If the highest seems un.
} fit for the particular place.
He further remarked that some o.
the charges against the merit system
were not due to the system; but tt
the rigidity Of the law. Government
service is much more rigid than sucf
a system might become in private
business, saying that the required
number of men must be kept on the
job, whether or not there is work fol
them or not.
A vote Of thanks was then extended
to Prof F>arnam.
Joseph Stoehr was then given the
floor and made a strong plea for sucf
J a system as the professor had ouflin
ed, saying it would exclude OUTSIDE
crooks or unfit men from the offices
} and further would take care OF TIT
nan on the job, so long as he was
1 1t a~1, In no
ed attention to the recent remova
Of a man in this city, merely becaus
he did not please the man higher up
md also put himself on record as De
J ing much opposed to the practices o
going outside the city to get suitable
men for city positions.
| Percy Wallace, president Of the Wa
terbury association. was then give1
the floor, expressing much pleasure a
being able to be present, and asklns
a few questions. He asked in thu
event of a city adopting the meri
ne thrown out. or given a chance tt
stay by passing an examination, o.
be allowed to stay on their past rec
ord He asked these questions be
cause he felt that Waterbury needed
civil service, and referred to recent
actions taken by the Mayor of Wa
terbury, when nearly every city EN-.
ploye, down to the ten dollar clerk
was thrown out for political reasons.
Mr.. Vincent answered both Ques.
lions, saying it is usual to allow goo6
men to keep their places, but making
The new rule apply to all future ap'
pointments.
i A. K. Chataway, Of Waterbury, ther
spoke briefly.
/ President Davis then closed the
meeting by speaking OF the long fight
made by Mayor Hunt Of Cincinnati
hos nd
he business men were already making
endeavors to have Mr.. Hunt presen
to give an address in the near flu
ture.