The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-10
CIVI4 SERVICE IDEA
SENATOR OZMUN'S BILL FOR THE
TWIN CITIES TO COME UP
TODAY.
1T is ON GENERAL ORDERS
AND NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST,
RIPE FOR SPEEDY
ACTION.
Practical Politicians Seem to BE
Interested in Defeating the
Measure.

No. on senate general orders today
Is Senator Ozmun's bill for a civil serv-
Ice system in cities of over 100000 pop
ulation, and it is promised that it may
come up for discussion today. 1t has
been thus close to the top of the list
for a day or two, but has been laid
over from time to time pending the
examination by Senator Morgan of
some of its provisions. The Mime
Gpolis man has now finished his in
quiry, it is said, and when it went over
again yesterday it was understood that
1t was only until today.
The bill provides for the appointment
by the mayor of any city which shall
adopt the act of three commissioners
for one, two and three years respec-
lively. Thereafter the terms shall be
three years uniformly. Not more than
two shall be of the same political
stripe. Incompetence, neglect of duty
or malfeasance in office shall give the
mayor power to remove any sitting
commissioner. They shall classify all
offices and places of employment I'M
der the city government, except such
as are provided by the city charter or
whose incumbents are subject to con-
firmatiOn by the city council, judges
and clerks of election, members of
school boards and school teachers and
superintendents, members of the city
legal department and the mayors pri-
waite secretary. The commission shall
make its own rules as to the eXamina-
tions, which shall be public, competi-
tive and free to all citizens of the
United States, with specified limita-
tons as to residence, age, health, hab-
its and moral character" The exam
nations shall be practical and appro-
pirate to the positions for which the
examined is an applicant. Political or
religious beliefs shall not be ques-
toned. Expert examiners may be
chosen by the commissioners. Pro-
motions shall be upon the basis of
seniority and ascertained merit, and
three names of those having the high
est rank in the examinations shall be
submitted to the appointing power.
Removals shall only be for cause and
after fair trial Each commissioner
shall receive $1,8O0 annually. and the
one of the three who shall be chosen
secretary shall receive 81 900 additional
for such services. The commission
shall be allowed $4,000 annually for
expenses. Several sections of the hill
prohlblt the payment or levying of as
sesSments on employees for political
uses, ana provide penalties for the yiO-
Iatlon OF the same. The commission
snail nave the right to investigate
al employees or applicants, and in such
Investigations shall have the power 70
demand and compel the attendance Of
witnesses, with papers, if desired
The final sections of the hill ,ro,-;a.
Tor its adoption by the community
whenever 500 of the legal votors .1,o,
ask Tor the submission of the o,,or+;o,,
OF adopting the civil servica idoo 80
vote, 1t shall be so submitted % 49,
next succeeding general state cit,, ~
county election. The defeat of
piopOsltlon at the election is no har
u us similar submission thereafter
mere is quite a strong lobby uo,l,i,,.x
Tor the passage of the bin and y -, mig nilIs
Der OF St PauPs more nroroi,o+IIi+
TI1IAehS are doing considerable bI1e+
ing among the members of fine cerat1
~ me other hand the practical noIiti.
th toiS, those who make the fight durInp
rneae1Ira pelislS, are opposed to the
mat those who are urging the naseoero
~ 'ne OH are not fully advised as fo
Inc result which would follow itS o.,
forcement us en-
What do I think about the civi,
service bill?' said Republican offinel
HoIdeF' repeating the question n11t m
MN by Il 0 b e reporter yesferdaU
afternoon. L think it is all rot that
what L think, and these people who ara
running around and insisting on its
passage don't know what ails them
Uon pretend to be the smartest nnrson
IN the city, but if that bill should mass
tne JIG would be up for a whole lot of
people who are now holding good iohc
It's all right for a lot of Old fOorie 49, -
get IN room and resolve and whereas
put It's another thing to get out and
hustle the votes and get your mar
elected. You watch the men who are
IN favor Of the civil service bill and
you'll notice some are looking for q
SOFT JOB at s., 800 year as a civil serv-
Ice commissioner. l was I'D to the
capitol today and dash me if there
WASH a Whole gang from the chamber.
OF commerce doing the best thew knew
now to get the bill through What do
them kind Of people know about what's
good for city. Civil service is all
rlght during campaign to howl about.
but when you come down to having
any such thing enforced it's different +,
1t might be all right to have the thin Q
apply to country towns, but when If
comes to cities like st. Paul and Min
neapolis that's making the play a little
too strong. You understand the hill
Will pass, do you? Well, don't Won
think for a minute it will. There are
too many smart people in the Iegis-
lature to stand any such work"