Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-02
EDWARDS RAPS
CIVIL SERVICE



preparations Il is unbusiness-lil1e.
This method, in my judgment. has
been responsible for much of the in
creased cost of the States living
This practice was brought to the at
tention of the Legislature by me at
the end of the fiscal year of 1918 so
forcibly that acts were passed in
1914 which enabled me to prevent this
Illegal practice, and / have done so.
Naturally this has resulted in much
complaint from those who We're
brought up under the old system of
unchecked extravaganza. No depart
ment has resented this check more
than the Civil Service Commission
''In 1905 when the commission Was
created, the Legislature expressly
prohibited the expenditure by it, Ter
salaries and expenses, in any year
thereafter, more than $4,000 DAVIS
1908, D. 1887, and the appropriation
was limited to $4,000 for that year
Since that time the cost has in
creased to $51 900 per year-or four
fold in six years. This does not in
clude the election department, under
the Geran act, for which special az
preparation of $4,000 is made. I would
not object so much to this increased
cost if the state was getting the
DtItlll Vi H. he ODii6dliOllS nv III
CURED almost entirely by Gardner
Colby, the secretary and chief exam
liner of the commission, whose salary
has risen from $4,000 to $4,000 per
annum.
Civil Service scope small.
1.-THE provisions of the act apply 10
positions in the service of the State
and of those municipalities which
have adopted the act. Only four coun-
ties out of twenty-one and only seven
municipalities out of the whole State
have adopted the provisions of the
act.
In my opinion. those municipali-
ties accepting the benefits of the act
should be required to pay their pro
rata share of the expenses. IT is not
fair to make the State pay the en-
tire expense.
THE commission itself. if economic
ally inclinde, could reduce the cost
very materially. Let me give one ex-
ample. A few days ago a requisitiop
was sent to me for approval, provid-
ing for medical examinations of APP
plicants for the. fire and police de-
partments in Newark, Jersey City and
Paterson. This requisition provided
for the payment of $3.50 in one case
and SS40 in another, for the services
of one physician for one day in each
instance two days in all. Besides
this medical examination the commits
sion provided a physical examination
at fifty cents a. head. with a clerk to
the physician. at 81 per day, and car
fares and meals for both. Each of
these cities has police and fire sur
geon of their own, at salary, who
| will later on have to pass on the sue
cessful candidates.
Under the requisition act was
able to stop this expenditure. which
should be taken care of by the mum
uicipality through it's paid physician
before the service had been rendered
and the obligation incurred.
THE commission has been paying
for the use of public buildings in
the municipalities (town halls and
schoolhouses, etc) wherein to con-,
duct examinations for the place it.
self These buildings should be fur
nished or paid for by the municipali-
ties.
I'm the administration of the Geran.
act alone acquisitions have been
made covering 1900 hours of extra
services for clerks. ! am sure that
not one hour of this service has been
rendered for the benefit of the State.
lIt has all been for the municipalities.
No other department in Trenton has
80 many bills for extra services,
after hours, as this commission, al
though other departments arc often
busy, without charge, after hours. Z
ut may be that the manifold duties
imposed upon Mr. Colby are so great
that he does not have time TO check
up the claims for extra services. but.
simply signs what is presented to
him In my opinion. civil service has
worked better in every department
OF the State than in its own DEPART
ment
THE record Will show that ] have
made no special. target of this COM
mission. In the hope OF economy j
have made similar objections to
extravagances and unbusinesslike
methods in other departments. ! am
against the States high cost of
living wherever | can find it.
THE dual policy of retrenchment
and increased revenue adopted by
the last Legislature will result in the
States meeting all of its obligations
and performing all its duties without
the necessity of a State tax. This is
my last word on the subject