The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-24
HITS TAGGART HARD
REPORT TO THE INDIANA CIVIL
SERVICE COMMISSION.
says the Present Mayor Has Grossly
Violated the Charter-Cites Cases
I'm supper Of the Charges.

regard TO civil service has made the follow
ing report 10 the associations:
Your special committee. appointed to in
ouire into the present condition of the clas-
sihed service Of the city OF Indianapolis, re-
spectfully report as follows:
Section 4 OF the city charter provides as
follows:
1T shall be the duty OF the Mayor to call
together the heads OF departments Except
OF assessment and collecfi0n for cOnsulta-
ton and advice upon the affairs of the city,
be kept OF such meetings above provided
for and rules and regulations shall be adopt
ed thereat for the administration OF the af-
fairs OF the said departments not inconsist-
ent with any law or ordinance, which regu-
lations shall prescribe a common and sys-
tematic method OF ascertaining the COM
~parative fitness of applicants for office. po-
sitIon and promotion and of selecting. APP
pointing and promoting those found 10 DE
best fitted except in the department of pub
lc safety without regard TO political opin-
ions or services"
The heads Of the departments OF finance.
law. public works. public safety and public
health and charities constitute the so-called
cabinet" to be called together once a
month. whose duty Il is 20 establish these
regulations for admission to the civil serv-
fee.
1t VIII thus be seen that the city charter
does not simply pe-mit. but 1t absolutely
requires the adoption Of regulations for adj
mission These regulations must prescribe
a systematic method for ascertaining the
comparative fitness OF applicants. That is.
the test must be competitive, and the rules
must provide for the appointment OF those
found to be best fitted, without regard TO
political opinions or services. All appoint
nents. therefore,. on the ground OF political
opinions or services are in violation OF the
rules prescribed by the charter. ANY regr-
Idlons winch would allow such appointments
without competition would be equally a vio-
latOn or the charter. Section As provides.
~ SUP saDst5nSe' mat no appointments or re-
ciVh service rules adopted by the cabinet.
An additional check is made upon arbitrary
removals oy the provision that after the
head or a department has been in Office for
thirty days, written reasons must be as
signed for such removals..
In pursuance of the provisions oe this
Snarter, the cabinet OF the late admin
Istratlon OF Mayor Denny adopted on Feb.
IL 1871, Il series OF rules classifying the
wi service. providing for a board of ex-
aLnlners, Tor admission to the lower grades
OF the service by means of competitive ex-
aminations and for promotion TO the higher
grades by means OF a comparative
monthly record of conduct and eficien-
tors. hospital internes and. in fact ali civ
enpioyeeS. except laborers and teamsters,
were TO be selected in this way.
III examinations were to be practical in
their character, so as TO test the relative
capacity and fitness of the persons to be
-A4i " AlG StfNlCc WHICH IDGN SOUGHT
graded according to their excellence and
nn = whose standing was more than 65
OF eligibles. and the three highest names
UPON this list of eligibles were certified
10 the appointing officer whenever a vacan-
cy. occurred which IL was necessary to fill.
Applicants for labor were to be registered
IN tne order OF their application by the
secretary of the board of examiners. And
whenever laborers were needed. they took
their turn in the order of registration.
S0In10FC hnrnnEnH " ~ 49, - -
largtst families dependent upon them were
entitled TO preference. If their service was
satisfactory they might keep their places
upon the register and be called upon again.
II not they were to be dropped from the
register. Any. person in the service of
the city who INSTRUCTED an applicant in
Office.
WOULD EXCLUDE POLITICS.
Il will be seen that these rules if enforced
would exclude all political reasons for ap
pointment to- any place in the city service.
These rules were similar to those which
have been satisfactorily applied for many
years in the city of Boston. where they
had done much toward the elimination Of
the more dissraceful features of ward poll
tics.
The legality of these rules was expressly
passed upon by the Supreme Court of this
State in the case of William c.. Newcomb
VS.. The City OF indianapolis, where the
rules were held to be valid and made in
pursuance OF the requirements of the char
ter.
It is clear that these rules are still in
force and are part of the law governing
utes OF a State nor the ordinances of a
city become void because a new admin
sSrauoh comes INTO power Inc Mayors
cabinet. for the purpose of making these
rules. was invested with the same kind of
power as a City Council in respect TO the
making of ordinances authorized by the
charter. The adoption of these rules was
the corporate act of the city duly performed
by those agents of the city who were au-
very thing. They are therefore the
law OF the city: and neither the Mayor
nor any of the heads of departments had
any more right 10 disregard them than to
disregard the city ordinances or the pro-
visions Of the charter itself.
The board of examiners was composed of
the Mayor. as chairman, Mr.. Herrick. Sec
retary. and Mr; White ~ al III of pSsn of the
zens of Indianapolis not in the city service.
When Mr.. Taggart became Mayor Mr..
signed their places. Mr. Herrick. the secre-
tary of the board, who has charge of the
eligible lists. still remains. If Mayor Tag
provisions of Section - of the city charter
as he was to distribute the spells of office
among his political supporters he would
have filed these three vacancies just as he
filled the vacancies in the heads of the
various departments in the city. But he
mas not appointed a Single person, and the
board OF examiners is. therefore. without
a quorum. But even IN tnlS cOnQltlOn the
eligible lists remain. and Mr.. Herrick, the
secretary of the board. could at any time
furnish from these lists the records of per-
sons duly qualified tor appointment TO most
OF the positions in which vacancies have
occurred. No such appointments. however,
have been made. The secretary of the
board has not been called upon TO certify a
single name. Large numbers of employees
have been removed and others appointed
without the slightest regard either TO the
rules or the charter. For example. in the
city engineers office the field force num-
bers about Twenty-Five. There have been
twenty removals for which no reasons have
been assigned and the vacancies have been
filed by Democrats. A considerable num-
Der OF men have passed examinations and
are still upon the eligible list for appoint
ment 70 these positions. No requests what
ever have been made for the fertilization of
any of these men,
CITY'S WELFARE IGNORED.
The recklessness of the city's welfare In
these dlsmissals is shown in the case OF
John Owen, an inspector. He had per-
formed his duties with such zeal that it
brought an attack from a contractors man.
For his course he was praised by Mayor
Denny and was allowed police protection
I'm the performance of his duties. He was
dismissed as Incompetent"