New Britain herald., 1915-02-16
SENATE ADOPTS NEW
 CIVIL SERVICE BILL Sea. ISbeIrS Measure Passed by
 Vote Of 27 to !. FIGHT OVER MERIDEN JUDCESH!P

Senator Bree Speaks in Favor of Present Incumbent, Judge King and Senator Heineman Uphold
 Judge Fay.-Latter Appointed. Hartford, Feb. 16.-The civil ser vice bill drawn by Senator Isbell to
 replace the present civil service law
 was adopted by the senate this after
 noon 27 to 7, Senators Bishop and Comley, republicans voting with the democrats.
 Senator Isbell in speaking of his bill described the present law as an extreme measure, adding that the gen. eral opinion was that it is too far ahead. He declared that he was in favor of a civil service law but not of an extreme measure like the pres ent law He declared the proper course to be to go back and start over again, and amend the law from time to time as the public wishes and not go too fast for the public.
 In taking up the majority report, section by section and explaining it's effect upon the present law, Senator Isbell characterized as useless the methods of the commission in certi- flying to three eligible candidates for appointment, stating that this method gave the three best possible selections for the place. Such a declaration was absurd the senator said, and no busi- ness man would dream of delegating 3 clerk to go out and look up the oI I forced to accept that clerks decision arbitrarily.
 Moves Its Adoption.
 Senator Isbell, after explaining the majority report, moved it's adoption and Senator Purcell, democrat, moved to amend the majority report by pre- senting his amendment offered last week. Senator Isbell objected to the Purcell amendment on the ground that the motion as made applied to matter which was not germane to the majority report. The chair up- held Senator Isbell and Senator Pur- cell appealed from the decision. A roll call vote was ordered on the ap- peal, the chair being sustained, twen- ty-five to nine, Four republicans SUD- ported the five demo ocrats on the ap- peal, namely, Whiton, Barnes. Hewitt and Bishop, while Senator Tatem did not vote.
 A general discussion was then be- gun on the bill.
 Relic of Barbarous Ages.
 Senator Bishop declared that he was surprised that such an eminent and learned man ''as our late gover- nor'' should have permitted the state civil service law to go into effect The old idea of "to the victor belongs the spoils'' is relic of barbarous ages and to pass this present bill would mean a return to the spells syst em. He explained this by say ing 'that the bill is contradictory one, specifying a classified and un- classified service, and then in three sentences, allowing them to be wiped out and allowing each state officer to do as he pleases. He said the bill came very near to being absurd However, he added, if the optional powers did not lie with each state officer, the bill would be a good one. He offered an amendment to the ma- l jority report making. it obligatory to follow out the rules of civil service as laid down in the first part of the re- port.
 Amendment Defeated.
 Senator Purcell moved for roll call on the adoption of the amend ment, but the amendment was defeat eds twenty-seven to six, the democrats voting with Senator Bishop.
 Senator Comley of Bridgeport said that he could not vote as a republi- can for the majority report. He said it had beSn proven by. the English government that the best results in filling an office can only be obtained competitive tests. Said the During the past campaign 1 I never heard of a single republican l On the stump who called attention l to the monstrous blunder in the pass 1 age of this civil service law or who 1 declared the republican party would 1 correct the evil. If the competitive l! test is right the commission should l not have the power to eliminate 1t, l and if it is wrong it should not enter l into the bill at all. The competitive l test is the fundamental basis for civil | service"
 He closed with appeal to retain 1 the real civil service law, as shown l to be worth while by the experience l of other countries.
 Power to Be Unfair.
 Senator Bree declared that the bill l to give the present state of l fcers bower to be as unfair as they l saw fit. If the heads of the de- partments say they do not want the 1 law, and the governor says the state , boards should be put from under his ] influence, what is there left? Said 1 Senator Bree: q suppose the bill 1 will be passed, for the party whip l will be cracked in order to pay some |