REPORT

ALBANY, N. Y., February 15, 1900

To the Governor of the State of New York:

The State Civil Service Commission herewith submits its annual report for the year ending December 31, 1899.

Composition of Commission

On the 1st of February, Wm. Miller Collier of Auburn was appointed state civil service commissioner to succeed Hon. George P. Lord, who had resigned. This is the only change in the Commission, its organization remaining the same as during the past year.

Civil Service Legislation

The year of 1899 was the high-water mark for the cause of Civil Service Reform, in so far as legislation was concerned. On the 19th of April of that year, the present civil service law, commonly known as the White law, went into effect. Even those persons who question the wisdom or practicability of the system of civil service appointment provided for in the constitution of the state and in this statute generally concede that the law is broad in its scope, fair in the method of administration which it authorizes, and virile in its provisions for enforcement. However worthy may have been the motives of those who brought about the passage of the former civil service law, commonly known as the Black act, which authorized a system of dual exami

nation-one by the Civil Service Commission to ascertain merit and another by the appointing officer to ascertain fitness-the administration of that law not only resulted in failure but was accompanied by much that savored of partiality and unfairness. The present civil service law was consequently hailed by the best informed citizens not only as a repeal of the previous law but as an enactment which gave promise of examinations free from the suspicion of unfairness and which conferred on the officers charged with its administration ample powers to procure an upright and strict enforcement of its provisions. The Commission rejoices in this statute as the expression of the legislative intent and is encouraged in its work because the support accorded to it by the citizens of the state indicates that it is the crystallization of a growing sentiment that appointments and promotions in the civil service of the state and of its cities and civil divisions shall be made according to merit and fitness, and that servants of fidelity and capacity shall be retained so long and only so long as they possess especial fitness.

City Rules and Classification-Increased Work of the Commission

The passage of this law has imposed upon the Civil Service Commission of the state great responsibilities, because it has given to them vast powers. The work of the Commission has increased manifold, but it has endeavored by meetings, so frequent as to be almost continuous, to do that work with promptness, with fairness, with fidelity and with an appreciation of the difficulties of administration in the various departments caused by the changes in the statute. We take great pride in reporting to you that for the first time since the passage of the civil service law in 1883 every one of the many cities of the state possesses

regularly prescribed rules and a classification of its civil service. Comparatively few of these were presented within the two months required by law, but by means of repeated requests and admonitions all of the cities, except Middletown, finally presented rules and a classification which, with amendments suggested by the State Commission, were approved. The mayor of the city of Middletown having refused to appoint civil service commissioners, the State Commission, under authority given to it by the statute, appointed municipal commissioners for that city and prescribed its rules. In the case of the great municipality of New York, rules and a classification were submitted for approval, but the State Commission refused to approve unless certain changes were made. After a two days' conference with the municipal commission of that city, an agreement was unanimously reached, but the mayor refusing to approve the amended rules and classification, it became necessary for the State Commission, under the statute, to prescribe them and largely to assume the responsibility therefor. Some idea of the vast amount of work imposed upon the Commission may be had from a contemplation of the great number who are either in office or in employment in the many municipalities of the state. In Greater New York that number is approximately fifty thousand, and although perhaps there are not proportionately so many in the other cities, still the whole constitutes a vast army, an army which without doubt, in number, in variety of duties and in amount of compensation, equals or exceeds the present standing army of the United States as recently enlarged.

The passage of the law commonly known as the uniform charter for second class cities necessitated an entire reclassification of the civil service of these four cities, viz, Rochester, Syracuse,

Albany and Troy, and a revamping of their rules and classifications. In accordance with one purpose of that law, namely, the securing of uniformity in administrative work, it was the aim of this Commission to be uniform in the classification of the various offices and positions in those cities. Notwithstanding the Commission endeavored by every possible means to secure uniformity of classification and of rule and of regulation for all cities and especially for those of the second class, the local conditions and special statutes made this impossible of perfect accomplishment, and it can truthfully be said that there is not a single position in any city of the state, great or small, or in any department of the state, which has not been carefully considered by the Commission, the duties of which have not been ascertained, and the classification of which by the Commission has not been arrived at except after due inquiry and reflection. So with the rules and regulations, inasmuch as the former, in so far as not inconsistent with the constitution and the statutes, have the force of law, and inasmuch as public policy and the administration of the civil service is affected by them quite as much as by the statute, and inasmuch as important individual rights and remedies are based upon them, the most careful consideration has been given to each rule and to each section and clause thereof.

Provisions of the Law to Secure its Enforcement

The success of the Commission in obtaining rules and regulations and a classification for every city of the state has been due unquestionably to the power given to it to appoint commissioners in case that power is not exercised by the mayor within a limited time, and to prescribe the rules, if not prescribed by municipal commissions, and to amend them by unanimous vote. Not only