The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-28
THE FIGHT ON CIVIL SERVICE.
Il IL Conducted by SpOiIsmen for
Their own Ends.

Seattle, Dec. %. 1897.
To the Editor: As q member Of the last
charter commission and the one who first
introduced a resolution TO have 1t a part
of the charter. l may be pardoned for adj
dressing you in It's behalf. At the time
We had the adoption Of civil service exam
nation up tor discussion in the commits
sion. there was a vote in favor of 1t Of
thirteen out Of the fifteen members. The
committee went 10 work to investigate Its
merits with great care, and cities which
We're known to have adopted it We're cor
responded with throughout the United
states, careful inquiry being made as to
the results. We received a large number
Of letters commencing it wherever 1t had
been tried. and had no letters objecting
to il, or any knowledge OF = city abolish
ing II where once tried. ! sincerely hope
that Seattle will not be put on record as
the first to do away with 1t; especially at
a time when the eyes OF the world are
upon Us and our neighboring cities seek
ing to beiittle us in every way possible.
We today stand before the people Of
the United States as a city Of modern
ideas and first Ia the state of Washing
ton. To take a backward step at this
time would be great mistake. The
strong and timely editorial In this morn
tngs issue Of your valuable paper Ia q
strike for the side Of right. and. II the
business men OF this city are consulted
you will find that they stand for the con-
duet OF the city's affairs on strictly busi-
ness principles. Civil service examina-
lions are only what is needed to give US
good and worthy officers In the work Of
our city. and the man who protests
against the easy examinations that our
present civil service board exacts Is GER
tainly unworthy the Office he seeks.
No doubt there are numerous changes
that could be made 10 improve the sys-
TEN, but that the system Is wrong as
principle no honest man can prove. The
men who seek to abolish the civil service.
In not only our city. but in the affairs Of
the government. are universally tho men
who can only hope to attain office by
promise OF spells to their supporters. No
where do you find the heads OF depart
ments Directing 10 1t unless 1t be from
personal motives, the root OF which Is tho
desire to promote their own ends regard
less Of the interests OF the people. The
man who has started the petition to ahol-
ish civil service Is one who has been
anxious to serve as mayor for the past
four or five years. and can only hope to
attain 1t by promises of office to all that
gather in his ranks. The men who are
fighting against the civil service in the
affairs at Washington are politicians who
have axes TO grind and must make prom
ises or Jobs" 10 pay the way or fail
Every president from Grant to Mckinley.
Republican or Democrat, has Endorsed
civil service, and each one from it's pas
sage as law In 1873 has strlveu to IN
crease its hold on the Offices OF the ma
ton. Wherever there - cause for objec-
ton TO the system, IL Is found that the
law Is not in the wrong. but the abuse OF
IL at fault. An interview with our civil
service board might reveal to our people
a few facts that would tell us why Mr..
Foigt and associates are so opposed to IL.
CHARLES E. CRANE.