The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-12-31
Repeal of State Civil
Service Law BY G. o. P.
Played BY Commission
6continued from Page ID


service. Later, the employees of the
state hospitals at Middletown and
Norwich the state library, the Boys
school at Meriden, and the Reform
atory at Cheshire, as well as the state
treasurer, were removed from the
competitive service through one or
another of the several open doors left
conveniently to hand.
Zone result of his new situation
was to throw the work of the COM
mission into the greatest confusion
For instance, when advertising to OBJ
tain candidates for an eligible list, it
was impossible to assure them that
there was any certainty that the po-
sition would be filled from the eligible
list, after they had been to the trou-
bic and expense of attending a test.
Even after a group of desirable can
didates had proved, so far as they
were able, their relative fitness for
the employment, the successful candl-
date might be chosen from outside the
group upon the whim of the appoint
ing officer, regardless of merit.
I'm addition there were many OBJ
scure places in the amended statute
which were far from easy to construe
discussion before any Interpretation
was possible.
.sAs the result of these two main
factors, with others less conspicuous,
the work of the commission has been
vexing rather than arduous. and far
less constructive work has been ac-
complished than was possible under
the former statute. y
During the portion of the year
when were operating under the stat
ute of 1918, "A competitive tests were
held; 534 candidates appeared; $50
eIigibIes were obtained for the com
petitive service; and 2S1 candidates
aEafif fxra11
During the latter period, and while
amendments to the 1919 statute were
under consideration, practically no
new work was done.
During the portion Of the year we
were operating under the statute of
1915, 10 competitive tests were held !;
166 candidates appeared; 119 eHgib1es
were obtained for the competitive ser
vice; and 1875 candidates were tested
non comparatively
1.-THE most conspicuous position for
which competitive test was held dur
ing the year was that of the engineer
of the Public Utilities Commission
held on June %, This is a position
which pays $4,000 year and requires
not only engineering ability, but a
high degree of versatility The sub
jects of this test were Engineering Ex-
perience, Ability and reputation rated
at 80 points out of 100; personal re-
putation and character rated at 15
points out of 100; personality rated at
80 points out of 100; and oral answers
to questions on construction, Inainten-
ance, and operation of steam and cleo
trio railways and other public utilities,
rated at rs points out of 100. Fifteen
candidates appeared and thirteen
passed the minimum marking. The
highest rating was 97-5 per cent. OBJ
tanned by John f. Trumbull of New
Haven. who was appointed by the
Public Utilities Commission, and is re-
ported to have been a very satisfac-
tory appointee.
ga conspicuous feature of the en-
pIoyment of subordinates in our state
service has been the inequality of pay
for similar services. Each department
and institution, apparently, fixes its
payroll without much regard to the
others. Overpayment always, has a
tendency to produce stagnation and
favoritism with their attendant evils,
while underpayment tends to perpe-
tua1 shifting of efficient employees to
better places out of the service and
discourages applications from the bet
ter class of persons who might other