Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-01
MERIT LAW VOID
ON STATE PLACES
Lucey Bases His Opinion on
Failure to Print Amend
ments Before Adoption.
RULING ON LAW OF 1911
Senator MaeiII Asserts Bill Followed
Same Routine as in Other
Measures.

Springfield, Ill, March lin a for
NAL opinion given the secretary of
state Attorney General P. J. Lucey
last night held that the 1911 state
civil service law is unconstitutional.
The opinion caused a sensation in
view of the fact that the jobs of ap-
proximately $500 state employees who
have been held over under civil service
from the former republican admins
tration are placed in jeopardy.
The basis of the opinion is the same
as that on hich the supreme court last
week held void the Cook county civil
service act-namely, the failure to
print the amendments before the final
adoption of the bill by the legislature
WOODS TO DISCHARGE 80.
Secretary of State Harry Woods is
expected TO take advantage of the
opinion by discharging 60 or more
employees who have managed to hold
over
Whether most of the $500 employees
D
are removed to make room for demo-
cratic job hunters depends upon Gov
ernor Dunno. The governor last
night declined to comment on the
opinion.
| 1t is presumed that the constitution
ality Of the act will be passed upon by
the supreme court in cases which are
certain to be instituted as soon as the
wholesale discharge of civil service
/ employees is begun.
| MAGILL DEFENDS LEGALITY.
Senator Hugh S. Magill. republican,
who was active in obtaining the pas
sage of the measure, came to the de
fense OF its constitutionality.
The record of the state civil service
record of every other house bill that
was amended and passed by the sen
ate,' he said.
The Cook county civil service act
and the University of Illinois medica
school bill were passed on the fina
day of the session. The conference
report was not printed in either case
The state bill was not passed on the
final day of the session and there was
no conference report. The bill wa!
passed in the house, amended in the
senate and the senate amendment!
concurred in by the house"
WOULD REVERT TO 1905 LAW.
II the 1911 civil service act Is in
valid the 1905 law is the only one il
existence. That act, however, applied
only to about $500 employees of tn
II state charitable institutions. Th'
1911 act applied to between 1000 ant
$500 employees of penal institutions
state boards and departments, includ
= ing nearly all state employees eXcep
those who appointments require tn
confirmation of the senate and fey
I clerks and watchmen in the state o1
; fees.
. The list of appointments at the dis
5 posal of Governor Dunno, eXcludin
: those which may become available
> the civil service act is unconstitutior
5 al, numbers scarcely more than 16(
| More than 5000 persons have apple
2 to him for jobs.
NUMBER OF MEN AFFECTED.
Among the state employees place
y under civil service by the 1911 &C
: were three in the Office of the stat
y treasurer, nine in the office of the a
2 torney general seven in the office {
s the state auditor sixty in the off,,
of the secretary of state and three i
= the office of the governor. besides hun
- drads of others under the control {
/ the executive.
T Among other employees affected b
the act are the following: