Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-13
CIVIL SERVICE
REFORM REPORT
New Legislative Bills to Be In
froduced by State As
ISOLATION.

The New Jersey Civil Service Re
form Association held its annual
meeting IN its headquarters in the
Essex building today. The annual
report of J. Frank Cornelius was
read and accepted by the association.
Il was announced that the assocla-
ton intends to introduce a number
Of bills into the State Legislature
next winter, which. if passed, viii
improve the civil service system.
The report of Mr. Cornelius in part
is as follows:
The association renewed its actiV-
fly Just in time to prevent the pass
age of two of the most Objectionable
hins which have ever been intro
dnced in the New Jersey Legislature
One Senate bill 24S) removed from
the protection of the civil service
law number Of positions for which
eligible lists had already been estab-
lished by the Civil Service Commits
sion and sought to place in the eX-
empt class such positions as clerks
and stencgraphers in the prosecutors
office and custodians in the State or
municipal buildings. The other (Sen-
ate PAD provided for local unpaid
civil service commissioners in munic-
qualities throughout the State to be
appointed by the governor. The
Passage of this act would have
forced upon thirteen municipalities,
which have by popular vote adopted
tue present civil service system, an
entirely new and dangerous system.
Through the efforts of the associa-
ton only one of those bills was re-
ported out of committee. Late in the
session an obnoxious substitute for
No. pa appeared providing for civil
service commission of two members
10 be appointed for overlapping
terms, the governor acting as the
third member This substitute was
also squelched after an active cam
psign.
Whether Comptroller Edwards was
responsible for the introduction of
the bill providing for local civil SER
vice commissions is not matter Of
public record, but it is a fact that
Ia September he gave out a public
statement attacking the State Civil
Service Commission as too great an
expense to the State. and stating that
In his opinion the law should be so
amended as to provide for a local
examining board for each municipal
ity that has adopted the civil service
system in order that the expense may
he borne locally. He intimates that
he will be instrumental in having
another bill introduced in the COM
ing Legislature providing for local
civil service commissioners. This
should be sufficient warning for the
association to be prepared for the
attack.
The association opposed the action
of the State House Commission in
appointing John A Smith as GUS
odian of the State House. without re-
gard to the civil service law. the
position being in the competitive
classified service of the State. Attor-
ney-General Weseott rendered an
opinion regarding the classification of
the position, and. instead of passing
upon a question OF law, he dwelt par
tieularly upon an act of discretion Of
tbs Civil Service Commission. The
association contended that COM
petition was practicable, the duties of
being chiefly those of a
head janitor. At a hearing before the
Civil Service Commission in Trenton
President Colby appeared for the as
ISOLATION in behalf of the COM
petitive classification of the position.
the extraordinary
opinion of the attorney general and
the general demand from friends of
The merit of the system that the
position be continued in the COM
petltve class. the Civil Service Com
mission on October p adopted a reso-
luton placing the position in the
exempt class. The effect Of this action
was to validate the appointment of
Mr. Smith Notwithstanding It was
made regardless of civil service regu-
lations.
The association plans TO draft and
have introduced at the coming session
Of the Legislature various bills that
tend to improve the civil service, and
encouraged by the result of the recent
election, hopes to see them enacted
into law. For the successful perform
ance Of this important function the
association needs a larger annual in
come and a greater number of earnest
individual members from all over the
State. and particularly from the sec
tons of the State which have not ev-
hibited much interest in the cause Of
civil service reform.