The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-23
TRENTON AXE NEARS
COLBY'S NECK ALSO
Civil Service Examiner Will
Probably Make Way for
Loyal Democrat.
NEW INQUIRY TO START

Trenton, March ?:.-With the ap.
pointment and confirmation of Theo.
dorc II. Smith Of Jersey City to succeed
20. a. X. Fordyce AS q member of the
civil Service Commission. the displacc-
n,ent Of Gardner Colby as secretary and
chief examiner IL anticipated by those
who have been watching the develop
ncnt Of the last two years IN New
Jersey politics.
\ series Of displ,cencnts began IN
The Attorney-cienersi's department when
Nelson Gaskill lost his position. Then
came the retiremen; II Custodian West.
man. Deputy Treasurer W,ldrick. As
sistant Secretary O; state Lippincott.
Curator Morse OF the museum, Auditor
Drake and hts assistants. Secretaries
Folwel! Of tho Water supply Commits.
sion. TtndsIl Of the Economy and En-.
cheney Commission. Bacon Of the she'll
hsh bureau and others.
civil service regulations were strained
IN one or two Instances and secretary
Colby did not hesitate TO protest against
what he regarded AS violations Of the
letter and spirit Of the law. Colby Is a
Republican and q cousin OF ex-senator
Everett Colby. who was the leader of the
Progressive movement In New Jersey
and the author OF tn. cIvil eivicc Law
II was 20 save Colby that Assembly,
man n. w. Hammond introduced his bill
to extend to SIX years the terms IF all
members OF the civil Service Commis-
sion. This would have carried Fordvc"
beyond GOV. FEEDERS term. The Gov
srnor had made known his intention OF
dispiacirg Fordyce because Of his course
In connection with the Capitol custodian
ship muddlc two wears ago.
Hut the Republicans were = little
scary about passing too many term ex-
tenders. They felt that they had gon"
the limit when they added two more
years to Gen. Rryant's 'cuure a. Com
missioner Of Labor IN order To protect
him from the Governor axe. and IT
took them two wears to do that. Bryant
was scheduled for decarItation. notw'th-
standing 'hs. ne has served for 'Wclv,
years through Republican and Demo-
cratic administrations and had p-t'ti-
cally unanimous support from organ
lied labor and the manufacturers OF the
state,
Assembly man Hammond was unable
20 muster enough votes 10 save fordyce
and Colby. He failed also ~ nav.ug
passed q bill prepared hy thu New
Jersey CIyil Service Association ira So
ferriug from municipal boa H. to TIE
civil Servic. Comuis>o on he power 20
enforce discipline aud !nuos- penalties
~ counties and cities that nav. adopted
the cly.l service Law.
All the Republicans did '1r riyil ser
vice this wear was 20 r-:uSe 10 pass q
nil takinv from the zoo or moro en-
r.loyecs u the public libraries ot Newark
.VN f.rg.ss ,Hsga tho Toe sc 80
Law. There Mas OF, more favorable
rt-th passage Of Tie join: rcsolu-
ton creating . committee. to inNas'i-
gate the operations and reported ,io-
lations OF the civil service law. The
Assembly tried to do that last year.
but Comptroller Edwards refused to per-
init the committee 70 spend the appro.
priation that bad been made. he 49,
he doubted whether IT had any powers
after IN. adjournment OF the Ltcis-
iature.
Now the investigation viii u" started
anew, and y j. sad that uN- -: tNe
frst matters :" h" inquired into vii
br the status OF Fr,d,Ii,k retry. wNo
Was dismissed 10y TIE Comptroller as;
November or charges Of d~ISIoyalts AID
neglect Of duty Immediately after Potry
had testified before ~, Hammond cNli
service investigation committee.
For three months I'etry's as. has
been hung NJ in the commission. two
members voting 20 rrStur. him TO duty
and the two Others "a sustain the Comp
l~rollcr's action. toriyc. was Oh. o; the
two who stood Tor sending Petry hacN
to his $500 a year job Sow mat he
has been displac.c ~ . Fielder Rcpub.
lean, p-try's chances Of restoration ago
gone unless the investigating committee
that Is TO be appointed shall md a way
10 head IN the commission and send the
appeal 10 the supreme Court.