New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-17
MERIT M|TCHEL'S |DEA;;
NOT A SALARY OGRE"
Fusion Nominee Assures Civil
Service Employees He Is
Their Friend.
TAMMANY CHARGES FALSE
Port Collector Denies His
Principal Delight" Is to Run
Around Reducing Pay Of
City Workers.

John Purroy Mitchell the fusion can
ddate for Mayor told a delegation of
civil service employees yesterday that II
he should be elected Mayor he would not
do anything nimical to their best inter-
ests. He declared he was strongly in
favor OF the merit system. and said that
what he would do to improve the service
would be for, the benefit OF faithful and
efficient employees.
Standing In the centre OF his reception
room at the Fifth Avenue Building
headquarters he received the delegation
and answered the questions propounded
to him by the leader His declarations
are of importance in view OF the stories
circulated by Tammany that he is in
favor of reducing the salaries OF those
In public employment.
The questions and the answers in part
are as follows:
Q.-What changes, if any do you ad-
vocate In regard to the salaries % city
employees? Al believe that a corpora
ton which pays out sl00OOO.OO0 in salaries
and wages should have some standard
plan Of compensation for its employees.
No man or woman should have an adj
vantage over another because Of politi-
cal influence. An engineer. a clerk.
stenographer OF a certain grade and OK
perience In one department should re-
ceive the same compensation as an en-
gineer, clerk or stenographer OF the
same grade and experience In another
department. These principles. however,
cannot be applied wholesale and indis"
crminately without regard to individual
efficiency. / firmly believe that special
ability and peculiar conditions should
carry with them special rates.
Q.-The resolution creating the Sala-
ries Standardization Committee directed
promotion and retirements. What is
your position on these subjects? A
You are correct | want a promotional
plan that will give men chance for
steady advancement. Every year the
city should review its salary lists and
grant increases where employees show
themselves efficient and faithful. This IL
the practice Of great corporations II is
not merely Just il Is economical In the
true sense of the word. II makes IL
worth while for city employees TO serve
faithfully. apd this promotes depart
mental efficiency. / believe under "A sci
entilc plan OF compensation the average
city employees. especially the lower paid
ones, will receive better pay than they
now receive. because the payroll para
sites will be cut off and work will be so
organized as to be more productive. |
believe in a proper retirement plan for
aged city employees. and ! shall press
this important matter II elected Mayor
Q-Would you invite the cooperation
OF city employees In reorganlzing the city
GALAXY lists? Al know that no i'm
provement In city administration can be
accomplished without the help OF city
employees should certainly confer with
representatives of city employees at every
stage OF this work. City employment In
New York should be made as permanent
and honorable career as II Is now In
Germany.
Q-You have been frequently quoted
as saying that you believed millions OF
dollars are wasted by the city. Do you
expect II elected. 70 stop this waste by
cutting salaries? A.-No. believe the
greatest waste is in bad organization
and defective method Nine times out
OF ten the reason for waste is not that
men are paid too much. but that they are
employed In the wrong place.