The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-05-01
MANY THINGS AND
OTHER THINGS
Breezy Letter From Chicago Her Do
inGs and NisdoingS 10 Politics.
CIVIL SERVICE AND HARRISON
Street Cleaning BY the childfen and Their
Parents hoN Policeman Lost His Job
Admiring nimssli
CIVIL SERVICE AND HARRISON


Sp -cihi Correspondence.
Chicago. April 2b.--Chlcago's much
boassted clvll service reform II llmping
along IN - very one legged fashion Just
now. Tho trouble N All on accoun, OF
rhr different manner in which the pres
cnt ana the preceding administration
have construed the law. Under the last
administration the corporation counsel
hrld that heads ~ departments alone
were exempt from the operations Of the
measure and that ticlr selection was
at the sole disposition Of the mayor.
Every employee Of every department
In the city government ranking under
N" actual head was put under che civil
service inw. This allowed the mayor to
select his own advisors but the rank and
Me II the city employees were selected
According to The merit system
Now. however. II is proposed 90 alter
thir plan, Mayor Hhrrison's corpora
tion counsel has pu, "a different con-
struotipn on tn law. And his hnnor
appears disposed 10 abide by the de-
cison Of his legal advisor The law ex-
cmptrd all h.ads of departments"
trOm ~ opeIyl;ipns. The preceding
counsel held this - mean M one !ndl-
yidual l-sut,rrme-chiof ~ department
The present counsel maintains however,
that the word Is heads" and not head
u departments and that therefore
them AN many appointments through
out The city government that the mayor
has tn, right under IN, law to hll by
appointments; The assistant officer In
each department Is held to be- outside
the pale 81 the law as well as the heads
~ the various departments. Carrying
this rule through the city government
a very wide breach IS made IN the civil
service system.
This is not the only matter that IL
disturbing the advocates OF the merit
system. for the commission itself Is
sl,..,.,,,.rl,t,. . lt.,,..--, ,,4..1 - NNal.r
the only democratic member OF the
board has been appointed city comp
troller by Mayor Harrison and he has
resigned his position as n member OF the
commission This leaves two repuhll-
can members and republican set Of
under officials or course Mayor Har-
rison Il not expected to maintain the
board with fts political complexion
against him so II Is presumed that either
Commissioner Clark or Commissioner
Hotz viii be requested to step aside. II
they show no disposition 10 do this II IL
also expected that some reason for
their removal viii be found and Mr.,
Harrison win appoint board to suit
hImelf and the whole commission will
be reoi'ganZed.
In addition to these troubles the city
council proposes 70 take a hand In the
matter, Monday evening they are go
ing to try TO pass an order TO the effect
that hereafter the council committee on
civil service will Construe the law and
according to the construction placed
upon 1t by the city fathers is the civil
service commission to be governed.
That Is the commission is to be subserv-
lent to the council.
The whole matter will probably get
into the courts before the clouds now
lowering over the enactment can lie
CLEARED away. Matters are expected TO
reach a climax ON Monday when the
commissioners will have to approve the
city payrolls 1t is not expected they
will approve the salaries of any officials
who have not been appointed under the
law and the city treasurer cannot pay
salaries until they are approved by the
commission and from that point Il Is eX-
pected thar the matter win be taken
into court to decide the rights Of the
whole case.
The public has been after the wheat
market again. but the market is still
here and with great deal added to the
size of It's body by reason of the on
slaught
Expectations of trouble between Tur'
key and Greece caused a steady ad
vance In quotations throughout tn,
third week of April The upward ten
dency after such a long period of stag
nation naturally attracted the attention
of the multitude that Is always ready
TO take a little flyer in wheat. BY FIR!
day they were watching the proceeding