Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-21
Opposition to Civil
 Service Change
DEVELOPED AT A HEARING HELD
 BY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
+FARNAM QUIZZES ISBELL
Former Comptroller Dunn Would Have Commission Abolished and Thus Save $1o,ooo for the State.

Hartfor5, Conn, Jan. 20.-Opposition to amendment of the present civil ser v1ce law as outlined by Q bill intro duced in the legislature by Senator lsDeu was voiced in no uncertain terms bE' the members of the civil ser vice reform association and others at a hearing held by the judiciary com mittee in the house chamber at the capitol this afternoon.
 Taft Sends Letter upholding Civil
 Service.
 Prof. William T. Taft was unable 10 be present, but a letter sent by him to President W. H. Farnam of the as 5ociatiOn, in which he upheld the principle of civil service and expressed his hope that the republicans would not make a mistake and destroy the law, was lead. Mir. Taft said tat the adoption of civil service merit sys- tenn was a great step forward in gov ernnent and politics. He told of his practical experience in the operation of such a law in Ohio and in the Philip pines and in the national government.
 Gunshanan in Approval.
 The proponents of the bill or of any amendment were given opportunity first to be heard. John Gunshanan. formerly a tuberculosis commissioner, claimed that those in charge of saua- tOria ought to have the right to hire
 
 tain employees who. in the first place, were adapted to the peculiar duties of the positions available and, in the sec ! ond, to get rid of such employees who break rules intentionally or prove to De unfit for positions, He cited nu- merous instances where summary &C., ton had to be taken with employees, and he argued that it was wrong to compel the head of an institution to wait until the commission could get around to sancuoning action or holding examinations to fill vacancies. Advocates Application to State Police. John H. Perry of Southport. who as senator last session drew the present i law and secured it's passage. said he was at the hearing out of justice to l himself As a member of the state l police commission he had believed with i other members that his force was ex- | empted from the law, an opinion con- ! tTary to that held by the civil service 1 commission, but upheld by the attOr- | ney general He claimed that in pas i sage Of the bill in the closing hours of 1 the session "a small part of q man. 1 could have killed the bill, @ claim which gave rise to questions being put 1 to the senator as to whether or not l this was O. the bill having been ent i down from the senate to the house and passed after being read by title after rules had been suspended in or der to facilitate business. Professor Farnam's Views. l Professor Farnam said that the bill might seem to be a small matter To 1 him it was a trench on the battle line. ] If the trench was carried it would | mean that the republican party would 1 pour through, bent for the spells. The l bill is part of a movement which is ] successful would put back civil ser 1 vice reform thirty years Civil ser 1 vice reform stands for clean govern [ -1-EV | in government Partisanship is not ! an issue.
 isbell Replies to Farnar. Mr. Farnam asked Senator Isbeu f l this was really his bill or a bill which l had been dropped at his door, and if 8 i phlIanthTcpic man had taken it iu and i had given it sufficient clothing to bring l II to public attention. He asked the 1 question as he did not desire to be ! ure. Senator Isbeu replied that he did | not Shirk responsibility for Introducing 1 the bill. IL was drawn up in order to 1 get an opinion on the merits of the law | and in order that every officer, com mission and department who had 8 ! grievance or thought he or it had over i operation of the law. it was decided to | draw the amendment so as to cover ! everything from the higher 10 the minor offices, and the opportunity was l offered for a general airing of the sub 1 jeet.
 1 Mir. Farnam then criticized the pro- i posed amendments, saying that if pass ! ed they would make the law worthy of l a place among the exhibits in 2 Par | mum gallery of freaks
 Experience of c. L. Beach of storrs. i Among other speakers were Presi- ! dent c. L. Beach of Storrs olIege. who 1 told of experience under the law in 1 trying to secure man to fill a va ! caucy, claiming that the law took no ] account of personality. Q qualification ! essential to success in selecting mem i bers of q staff.
 1 Former onptroIier Dunn Wants Law Repealed.
 i Among other speakers were Horace 1 Continued on Page Six