The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-29
A CIVIL SERVICE CHARTER.
CITY COUNCIL REALIZES THAT SUCH
Is THE PRESENT ONE.
Attempt TO Repeal Civil Service
Means a Great Amount of Labor
II Repealed an Suggested the La

The members OF the city council and ell
other city officials realize that il they
submit 70 the people the question or the
abolition Of the civil service Tea
ture OF the city charter there viii be
far more work involved il the preliminary
work than was ever dreamt OF BY those
who have signed the anti-c!yll service Pc
t1tioL. The petitioners asked the council
10 submit 10 the people the question OF
aboiishiug one section Of the charter
which created civil service. II the council
should do that and civil service should De
abolished by vote OF the people at the
coming election, there would be no end OF
trouble. AS matter Of fact, the city
charter as il now exists Is permeated
with civil service. There are in the neigh
borhood Of fourteen sections which refer
10 civil service in CHE way or another.
Then, too, II the particular section which
the petitioners wish repealed is repealed
the labor bureau will be wiped out or ex-
iStence. for the section which created the
civil service commission brought into ex-
istence the labor bureau. The city coun-
eli and all the other city officials want the
labor bureau TO continue and they VIII
fight any effort to drop il. The laborlng
people Of the city who are Identified with
all organized movements would under no
circumstances submit TO the abolition OF
the bureau. 1t has saved them hundreds
OF the municipal machine. laboring men
were constantly complaining of having
been feeced by employment bureaus. Re
port after report reached the council until
IL grew tired or hearing anything IN con-
nection with employment bureaus.
Since the city's bureau was established
this sort OF thing has ended. Hundreds
OF men are given work each year through
the efforts or Commissioner Grout. lie
and his assistant are on duty from morn
ing until night and there Is not a minute
In the day that the labor bureau does not
contain applicants for work. Sometimes
ono will find dozen or more there. Posi-
tons are dealt out by the hundreds with
out one cent OF cost to the applicants.
The bureau does not cost the cHy $500 a
year and the city officials are seriously op-
posed to bringing the good work to an
end. Yet. II the section Of the charter
mentioned b. the people who have signed
the petition is repealed such Will be the
effect. The more the matter Is investi-
gated the more the councilmen see that
the charter is civil service charter. In
section referring to the employing OF po-
hcemen and another referring to the en-
ploylng OF fremen, civil service provisions
are 10 be found.
If the people are to vote on the question
OF aoolishing civil service Il is conceded
that the greatest care will have to be dis
played, In the preparation or the neceS-
sary papers. The members OF the city
council, now that they have started TO
investigate, have learned the truth OF all
this
Yesterday an effort was made TO ind
out where the members or the council
stand On the question OF submitting the
matter to the people in March. But for
some reason the members are not Inclined
at this time 10 commit themselves Mr..
Rudy said he thought that he would favor
allowing the matter to go to the people
though he favors civil service. But" ne
added, Il realize that IL the people are TO
vote on this question, We Will have to be-
careful about the resolutions prepared.
The one now before the council, as
brought in by the people who signed the
petition, would not answer the purpose"
Others who were seen would not talk for
publication.