The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-18
WORK FOR THE CITY
Century Club Discusses the Oppor-
tunity for Reform.
Application Of Civil-Service Rules and
the Boston Labor System Upon
Street Work.

tractive, and brought out nearly every
member who feels an interest in public af-
fairs. Charles w. Moores opened the dis
cussion in a brief and pointed talk. He
said
"The subject announced for discussion is
the Opportunity for Civil-ServIce Reform
IN our city Government Inc opportunity
for reform in our municipal government Is
never altogether absent. The fact that the
city of indianapolis has been given new
charter which requires the selection of Its
employees for personal fitness regardless or
political connections, and that the new
Mayor has been elected upon Tissue Issues b, en-,
majority made up largely OF members Oh
the defeated party afford abundant rea-
son for seizing the opportunity which mas
come for civil-service reform.
1.-The statutes of Indiana provide that it
shall be the Mayors duty TO call together
the heads of the departments for consulta-
ton upon municipal affairs at monthly In,
tervals that at these meetings rules ana
regulations shall be adopted for the ad-
ministration of the affairs of the city de-
partments, which regulations shall pre-
scribe a common and systematic metnou
of ascertainng the comparIauve 5tn 1r OF
ton, and Of selecting, appointing ana pro
noting those found to be best ntted eX-
cept in the Department of Public SAFETY,
without regard to political opinions or
There never was a better time for the
enforcement of this law. than at present.
The Mayor has been chosen under such
circumstances to make him lndepenu-
ent of personal and partisan obligations.
The closing OF factories and the depression
in business have thrown thousands OF men
out of employment and enormously IN
creased the number OF appncants l1p R Se
sitions under the city government. In the
police and fire departments alone there
are on file no less than 1,1Vo applications;
As soon as the street commissioner anu
the city engineer shall have been appointed
like number will seek employment In
their departments. Many OF the men thus
xrt,,rr xrril1 ha WI
gagged at skilled labor in the factories OF
the city, men of family and of industrious
habits. Selection can thus be MADE out OF
the very best material
service methods have been adopted else
where in every conceivable department. Oh
public service, including the departments
of common labor. The fact that these
methods have been adopted and their scope
increased during a period of ten years, In
| Massachusetts, demonstrates that the
scheme is practicable in the departments
Calling for higher grade of mental quail
] ication and education. The practical work
/ ings OF civil service in the higher depart,
known to the club The methods employed
| in the selection of common labor IN Bos-
ton and the other large cities OF Massac T,
system ma be briefly stated thus:
| Men and women desiring employment file
publications with the civil-service board at
| designated periods. These applications are
registered, and soon as enough have been
received to meet the proper aemands regis {be
| candidate furnishes certificates of his char
acter, health and physical and mental ca
pacity for the service desired, signed by
| other citizens: but recommendations of
| Senators, Representatives, aldermen or
| councilmen are not to be received except as
| to the applicants character or residence.
The applicant must state on oath his name.
| physical condition and occupation during the
past five years his EDUCATION Shd bs sI T
| CURED touching his fitness for the public
service Whenever employees are needed,
| the head of the department maks a requlsi-
| ton on the Civil-service Commissioners for
| the number of laborers desired, and states
the kind of sefv fo donbe
| the number called for, giving fun particu-
| lars in reference to each applicant. Prefer
! soldiers and sailors Employees, if dis
I charged for cause, are ineligible for regis
tration for six months thereafter: II dis
| charged for drunkenness, for one year
| thereafter. second discharge disqualihes
| from further employment, except by special
| vote of the commissioners.
Second. Civil-service methods are desir-
| able. The published reports OF the opera
| ton of civil-servics laws In municipal gov
| eminent indicate that the constant tenden-
| cy is towards permanency In the service.
| This is demonstrated by the report or the
| Massachusetts Civil-Service Commissioners
| for 1892, which shows that fewer men weSe
| employed and discharged during that year
| than during any previous year since the
| Law went into force. Where the test APP
| piled in making appointments is the test OF
| effieiency. instead Of political influence, and
| where men cannot be discharged except TOT
| cause the inevitable result is a permanent
CORPS OF laborers subject TO continually d.
| minishing changes in its personnel. The
| published reports snow that, IN consequeuicte
| of the permanency of employment which
| the civil-service system guarantees 10 ap-
| plicants the men appointed have been men
| in the prime OF life, the average age II an
| departrnents being thirty-siX. The quality
| chosen is shown by the fact that out OF d.s-
charges during any one year put uns
| on account of bad habits: The examiners
| are not permitted to question candidates as
| to their politics, and. any VIOLATION OF tnls
| requirement is severely punished.
THE system is desirable because Il guar
antees to the city better class OF en-
| ploves 1t rids the service of adventures,
/ who between campaigns, have no settled
| occupation but are satisfied to ADOPT new
work and temporary WORK, irseea ~, u ins,, y
| ing fair wages and permanent engage
| ment to applicants, it offers an inducement
| to young men or good hapits W 30 iiieo TIC
"It is of inestimable advantage to the ex-
ecutiye officer himself. 1t rids him of the
| responsibility of choosing employees by IA
voritism, and makes it impossible for him
| TO offend political or personal friends
through a multitude of appointments ana
| ciiate enemies and reward 1rlenus ne is leIt
free to make record in office based solely
! mon his executive ability, and his re-eiec-
| ton or defeat is made dependent on the
| merit of his public acts rather than ON the
| .'nuIT' of his appointeeS or the hostile poiltl-
! cal influence of those whom he has been
| unable to appoint o..
the enormous opportunity for bribery when
| now exists In Indianapolis, during nor
| NAL periods the pay roll for laDor eInpioyeo
| ON streets bridges and sewers mas averaged
! from 800 to 500 per week during the
| weeks Immediately preceding the Demo
| cratic city convention the pay rolls went
| To over 81 co., and just before the late Slty
| election this pay roll was expanded from
| uA
| Colossal system Of bribery. The mere pup
| lication of the statistics constitutes an IN
| dictment to which plea of not guilty is
"Third. 1t is good politics. 1t is the gen.
! eraI belief by politicians that, as poltlcai
narties are now balanced IN TINS country,
the patronage which is controlled by the
nrevaiIine party Is an almost certain guar
| anty of defeat at the ensuing election. III
in municipal elections the nominations are
RI he made and the issues fought upon the
nublic record of the candidates and or the
parties which they represent, instead OF
through the manipulation of men whose In
neigns of the future Will be freer from the
faint of bribery and the intelligent voter
will have an oportuniIy 10 express ms
oninions on municipal questions when he
casts his vote, instead OF doing 80 10 repay
/ personal and partisan obligations. 1t will
be easier for the party tnat Is IN power py
GOOD conduct to remain in power. and carry
ont its reforms and its theories or govern
rnent If its success Is not lnperlled Dy the
enmity of precinct statesmen whom IL has
failed to bribe by municipal appointments.
Fourth. 1t is required by law. The Sec
tions Of the statute which nave been re-
ferred to imply conclusively civil-seryice
a.,