The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-13
HORTON WILL NOT
ABOLISH 1900 JOBS
But Many Sinccurcs will Be
Cut Out in state Pay
roll Revision.
RAISES IN PAY FOR SOME

ALBANY, Dec. 12.-AdeQuate salaries.
regular promotions and a pension fund
for faithful State employees will form
the outstanding features of the report
which the Senate Committee on Civil
Service will submit to the Legislature,
according to a statement made yesterday
by Senator Clinton T. Horton. chairman
Of the committee. The committee has
been engaged since last May on a re-
view Of the entire State service. and its
examiners have inquired individually
into the services rendered by every
one of the States $4,000 employees.
Tn pay promotion and records OF every
employee have been or are being ana
lyzcd.
While II is true. Senator Horton ex-
planned. that recommendations will be
made In some cases for the reduction OF
manifestly excessive salaries. III other
cases Il will be recommended that in
sufficient salaries h. increased and these
increases will affect hundreds and In
time thousands OF State employees.
through a graduated system OF promo
tions for merit carrying with them au-
thorized salary increases.
In many positions, IL has been found
the iucunbents render little or no SER
vice Eur their salaries. and the committee
will suggest that such positions be abol-
ished. But II would he far from the
truth to say that these additions would
affect 1000 or 1900 positions, as has
been suggested.
''rhc purpose OF the investigation now
being conducted" said Senator Horton.
"is not to reduce salaries. regard
and the other members OF the committee
regard reductions OF salaries as unde-
sirable and unfortunate even where In
evitable. We will furnish such prot &C.
ton as is consistent with sound admins
tration even TO overpaid employees who
have been faithful and eficient. The
reductions of salaries among the large
numbers of low paid Government en-
ployees will he few and the net result
~ such reductions will have but small,
significance as compared with the gen.
eral payroll.
Reductions ia Re Made.
reductions will be recommended only
where the committee has been thorough
~ convinced that the public welfare
demands them. The investigation has
been general in its application and en-
tirely impersonal in is nature.
The primary object is TO solve the
employment problem OF the state. which
spends SEQ. 00o.0 0 or thereabout an
nually for salaries and to work out
an equitable and efficient system of
civil service control. The New York
State government controls or has GUS
tody OF resources exceeding $500. 000.-
600. II s~upervises the operations of
public utility corporations whose re-
sources aggregate many millions OF dol
lars. II IL expanding annually about
$3.50. 000. 900. including the current out
lay of $40. 900. 900 for.the barge canal.
.One ~ tho most iynnnrfAnf racnyl.
mendations will be the installation Of
q system Of practical tests which will
enable department. heads 20 obtain
trained workers for the many technical
and responsible tasks in zach depart
ment. The present practice has loaded
down some OF the departments with
inefficient workers and the result has
been that the efficient and capable en-
ployees have had TO carry the burden
OF the inefficient.
Promotion by Accident Vow.
ct is admitted hat promotion Is gen
! orally a matter OF accident. working
great injustices to many employees who
deserve recognition. Analysis has shown
that the average annua salary increase
for certain classes OF employees is sew
eral times as rapid in some departments
ts Z . : W 'AAA'A - ' ~ hAN "a tthA .
of the present Civil Service Commission
OF which Samuel II. Ordway is chair
man. improvements are rapidly being
worked out in this direction.
THE committees recommendations
will provide a plan for the proper rat.
ing of efficiency. The result will he
to furnish every employee with an OPP.
%portunity TO increase his salary and &c
he promoted IN accordance with his abil
ity n efficiency.
'Except in the case OF institutional
employees the State has done nothing
toward providing a retirement plan fol
employees who ave rendered faithful
service until old age or disability over
takes them. Our committee propose.
to consider this problem from ever,
angle and will submit in concrete form
a plan for the consideration OF the Leg
stature which will assure to those wht
spend a lifetime in the state service q
proper recognition for the faithful per
Torrance of their duties"
Conferences will be held between tn
committees examiners and the heads o.
the numerous state institutions durinf
the next two weeks in the committee
rooms in the Capitol, Subordinate EN-
ployees in these institutions will also b.
invited TO give their views. Senator
Horton and other members OF the com
mittee will attend the conference ant
personally discuss all the features o
institution work with those who conn
before them,