The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-04


James scores >ome Members.
Il 60 nor oTsr this motion new" said
James. but shan later on. and I am
frank 70 say thar my reasons for egTeving
it are thar I want tae presence q certain
other members Of the cou1csi~ As thare
were only two 2bssztees. James irnner-
sCnal STA aseTnsat was rendered rather PER
So0ai. There are son1e men ne con-
t;nuei. who have been doing 4 deal e
talking here 5n he subject Of civil So
vice and anri-c;vii service. bur as soon as
there II = prospect of a test vote they
come up missing don't think Or
Chapman and I hsve ever rendered our
selves very couspicuous fer that sort -
thing For nay part. I am tired of this
do3ging business. These gentlemen can.r
very We'll be absent from tbs counciil
meeting. ard NY motion viii BE that Il 6e
brought up then.
Meanwhile several visitors had come into
the room. including William ToIgt, Dr, n
E Titus and Judge John :. Mc(ilvra. II
vas suggested that as tbs session of the
council was likely 20 be busy one. these
gentlemen he given an opportunity ~ speak
during the afternoon. The privilege was
As his speech WIS the 5rst public express
sion since ne sci On foot the petitions for
aNolishing the civil service system II was
listened 70 with close attention by most
OF the councilTen. According "a NJ.
Foigt. he i not an opponent of civil SER
vice al all On the contrary he X 4 strong
advocate Of Il. But he has peculiar notions
~ 70 how civil service ought % ~ admin
fstered. and he is opposed 20 the system
as established in the charter % the City
Of See-attle.'' as he called L. with his OH
characteristic accent on the first syllable.
Soigt Gives His Reasons.
Mr.. Vojgt declared that ne actually hes!-
taxed about coming before tile eomm3ttss.
He thought members Of The council better
judges Of thsir own business than ouss.d-
ers. and Il they Who had been studying the
intricacies Of civil service at close range
did not kaow what was best 10 hs done he
could hardly hone 10 anhghteu them. lie
gave history OF his getting up the pe.i-
ton stating that he rad complied fully
with the charter provisions. and that the
legal features of the petition had been
duly approved by the corporation counsel
Notwithstanding he opinion just EXPRESSED
by tha latter that the adoption of the pro-
p0sed amendments would throw the char
ter into chaos. Mr. Eoigt disclaimed for
himself and the signers Of tho petitions
any impurity of motive saying that their
sole purpose was 10 helm toward getting a
charter which In thsir Judgment would be
for the best interests OF the city. RE was
reared in a country. he said in which civsl
service was the very ''funJaUeptum Of
government and he ought 10 know some
thing about il. He coptended that the
present charter. instead Of restricting had
enlarged the number Of elective Officers
He read from section II of Article XVI t1e
list of officers exempt from the civil ser
vice rules. and contended that the long
list OF exceptions Jeff virtually nothing bat
the police and fire departments. the very
two departments which. in his Judgment
had least need Of the rules. He contenaed
that the board OF public works the eitv
engineer. the city comptroller. the corpora-
tion counsel should all come under the
operations OF the civil service rules. He
read from section . 20 show that the
heads OF departments are authorized 10
grant leave OF absence 70 employees. and
that under the present rules there Il no
guarantee that these heads viii not use
this power TO further political ends. and
that the vacations 70 employees came out
az the taxpayers pocket Calling the spe-
ciai attention of the corpors tfon counsel
and the -Inte!ligencer reporter To ne
vast weight OF the climax he was about to
perpetrate. and asking that his words be
taken down. Mr.. Vosgt said: eff yon viii
Just reverse the case. II you viii exempt
those officers that are row put under civil
service and put those under Il that are now
exempt. then we will have a good civil
service That would De a simple amend
ment." Then. saying that he was willing
10 be Judged by his record. and begging
pardon fer having spoken so long Mr..
Noigt took his seat. and James motion
was made ana carried. liking the further
consideration OF the civil service amend
ment as 4 special order Of business Tor $50
O'Clock .. m.
The Closing struggle.
~ night the council hurried through
with its regular business. IN the course cf