New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
Hold Meeting and Flay
Local Board as Enemies
of Merit System.
TO PROTEST AGAINST
CHARITIES EXPERTS"
Lavery, of State Board, Says
Inquiry Revelations Aroused
Mayors Opposition.

Resolutions condemning the Munich
pal Civil Service Commission under the
present administration rs "inimic8l TO
the principle Of the merit system were
adopted last night at meeting OF the
Civil Service Eligibles' Association
This organization, which has been
formed recently, is composed OF men
and women who have qualified for ap
pointment for positions under the city
and State through examinations. It's
principal object is 10 protect the rights
of such applicants as have successfully
passed civil service tests OF various
grades.
A second set Of resolutions was
adopted. In which the State Civil Ser
vice Commission was praised for ITS
action in investigating the local board
ain behalf of fair play" The meeting
was held in the auditorium Of the
Washington Irving High School, at 18th
st and Irving Place. A committee was
appointed TO wait upon Commissioner
Kingsbury Of the Department OF Char
ties and upon the Municipal Civil Ser
vice Board, to protest against the ap.
pointment of forty-seven examiners OF
charitable institutions over the heads
of duly qualified candidates who had
passed examinations for the posts.
James f. Conway, former assistant
chief examiner for the municipal COM
mission. and former Civil Service Com-
missioner Talley told at length Of evils
alleged 10 exist in the administration
of the civil service Department OF the
citv. Mr.. Conway said that young
man twenty-one years old who accepts
a position as first grade clerk in the
citv service cannot expect TO attain
salary of $1,000 before he mas
reached the age of thirty years.
He told of having inspected the ex-
perience sheets of Commissioner
Kinpsbury's forty-seven experts, ana
stated that he had found that fifteen OF
them were under twenty,one years OF
age. On the existing eligible list, he
said, were men and women VINO are
college graduates, some Of wnom hsd
been school teachers and others VINO
had qualified for the practice OF the
Mr.. Talley told of the cxpedients en-
ployed by the present city admins
tration to get rid OF civil service en-
ployes. He cited the case OF man
named Griffith, an assistant engineer
in the Department OF water supply
who passed the first civil service eX-
animation held in New YORK City'
tventy-seven years ago. THIS man was
cropped several years ago and was re.
instated at the order of the Court OF
Appeals. He will 90 out OF Once Janu-
ary 1 because his salary appropriation
has been eliminated from the oudget:
Commissioner James A. Lavery Oh
the State Civil Service Board peiore
Albany Yesterday
afternoon took occasion TO reply TO
tbs attack made upon the state board
in PHILADELPHIA on Thursday night by
MAYOR Mitchell. The Mayor was quoted
as having said that the chief activity
Of the state commissioners had been
10 find exempt positions on the state
ravroll for their relatives. lie also
aid that the present investigation OF
the municipal commission mad oeeh
undertaken for the purpose OF dis-
crediting the administration OF COM
missioner Kingsbury.
"Perhaps the Mayor is peevish be
cause OF some of the revelations made
during the present investigation, sald
Mr. Iavery. "The reinstatement OF a
relative Of his former law partner TO
an exempt position is case In point
Then, too, the state commission re-
fusal TO sanction the exemption from
civil service requirements OF newly
created secretaryship and two assist
ant secretaryships in the Mayors once
which request was approved by the
local commission, may have irrltated
him. AS the result of the action OF
cur board in this instance six lucrative
and important committee secretary
ships of the Board of Estimate were
subsequently, denied exemption by
President Moskowitz and his COL
leagues.
the State Board, which has included
practically every city department
shows that we have not singled out
Commissioner Kingsbury for special
attack. II our investigation has re-
vealed special weakness in the Depart
ment of Charities II is simply IN Keep
ing with the recent findings OF the
grand jury and the investigation made
bv the State Board of Charities.
$50 far as the minority member OF
the State Board-myself- concerned,
the charge of the Mayor about having
relatives in exempt positions is un-
true. have no relatlve on the exempt
list. Il is true that my brother Charles
acted for me as confidential stenog-
rapher for a brief period, but this was
because no one on the existing eHgioIe
list would accept the post at the salary
available-that of $50 month:
wrote to all the twenty-one eligioles
Offering them the position and nave
their letters declining the JOB. MY
brother took il 70 help me out. he mas
not worked for me since early last