The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-17
Rhode Island Ends
 Era Of Spells System
Lttles State" in Union Adopts Strctest Merit Sys- tenn on RecOrd-GovernOr Vanderbilt Speaks

Providence. R. l., March 17-(Spe- ciaD-Rhode Island is about "to wit ness an end to the spells system" and the inauguration of new era in government, Governor William H Vanderbilt declared here today in commenting the general assembly for enacting civil service law that will make government service a career and remove the threat of
 the political axe-man."
 Speaking before representative New England business leaders, gath cred here today at the Providence Biltmore hotel for the 54th quarterly meeting of the New England Coun- ell, Governor Vanderbilt prophesied that the law will restore efficiency to the state government and enable 1t to provide better service at less cost to Rhode Islands taxpayers"
 Strictest System
 Although many other states have passed laws inaugurating the merit system, he said, Rhode Island has the distinction of having enacted the "strictest, severest, toughest and the fairest system of civil service yet passed in the country. Our bill IS unique in that 1t does not freeze into office one single state employe, but as soon as it Is put into effect 1t will force all who wish to work for the state. whether they are em- ployed by the state or not, to take competitive examination. Under our bill, the appointing authority cannot select one of the top three who qualify in the exam-he is given no choice, he must select the top man or woman as the case may be in any particular classification Neither office holder nor ex-office holder can be especially savatlt. Be- lection rests purely and simply on the basis of merit, which is as it should be-" he stated.
 The act specifically prohibits the soliciting of sums from or by state employees. It allows state employees to belong to political clubs but pro- hibits their taking an active part or becoming officers or directors of such clubs, he pointed out.
 ordinarily only citizens of Rhode Island will be eligible to take civil service examinations but exceptions may be made in the case of techni- cal persons and specialists, when the type needed is unavailable within the state. There is also in our law a provision for five per cent rating for veterans and a 10 per cent rating for disabled veterans. These preferences, however, take ef- feet only after the veteran has ob- tained passing mark. Once ratings have been determined, all vacancies within the several classifications will have to be filled from the eligible lists. Future positions that may be set up within departmen. auto matically will come within the clas- sified list and must be filled by competitive examination.
 We rejoice in the fact that we are about to witness an end to the spoils system in Rhode Island and nowhere in the country has the spells system been used more fiagrantly in an attempt to gain purely partisan ends. These abuses have not been limited to any one party, but in the future, regardless of which party is in power, merit and merit alone will be the basis of selection of the vast majority Of state employees. Surely the general assembly deserves the thanks and the commendation of all citizens for