The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-15
MAYOR FANC[TT PLEASED.
PROPOSITION To ABOLISH CIVIL
SERVICE RULES SUITS HIM.
He Frankly Announces His Oppose
tton TO the system-Thinks That
the Proposition To Abolish VIII

speetaf dispatch 20 the Post-InteilEFencer
TACOMA. Jan. 1s.-E5ne IF TIRE best plezz-
ed Of the city officials by tire council <
action IL preparing 20 resubnts civil ger
vice 70 vote % the people IS Mayor Fax-
Eett. ard he IS quite positive the proposed
amendment 20 abolish ire merit sys-
tsr ~i.l BE adopted By practically unan-
srsous vote. In discussing the question
both members Of the council and % the To-
cal Civil Service League pad the mayor
several ieft-hznds! compliments on the
score CT his appointments on the civil ser
wire cornuisssan. bur Mr.. Fawcett does no.
seem 20 nsiad taie phase % the question so
long as the people are 20 get a chance 10
oBee more express thsir views for or
against further operation o. civil service.
When questioned today as 10 his indorse-
nfent OF the councils step. The mayor re-
piled:
Indeed / am pIsased-hlehiy satisfied
- for the best and viii meet with general
aspr0baticn- 81 far as J am concerned, IN
the past two Years of the merit system
every one knows I have never from the
the start. but when ! found the people
wanted it-aad 50 declared by The II votes
/ did al / knew how 10 cooperate In the
operation OF the system and 10 give it full
sway.
'-'rhere are several good reasons why
civil service is not the proper thing in a
moi discuss Them IN my opinion all he
exsnEna tions held by the old commission
were favorable TO applicants of the same
political complexion as the board OF ex-
ansiners. | make TO secret Of this, but /
want 70 aid that believe the same cordf-
tons would exist were any other political
party or faction IN charge Of the admin
istration % civil service. TIE whole sys-
teaa Is wrong. as applied here and / am
glad ne shall have an opportunity 10 Kill
ssrt's all . mistake this tying the hands
OF The chic. executive in the matter Of his
appointments. A good mayor, an honor
able and ca pabis nan. can certainly select
lust as good subOrdinatss In the several
departments as he can men 10 serve as
civil service commissioners. A good mayor
needs no civil service. and a poor mayor
thereon. which would not give satisfaction.
This is nay view Of the matter, and as
have already said. I am pleased with the
council fer "a King the initiaToTy toward the
abolition Of this so-callsd merit system
In defense OF his appointments on the
hoard OF civil service commissioners. May
or Fawcett said he selected representative
men in accordance with the charter
amendment: that when he found he had
made bad selections he reredied his error
hy removing such appointees. On the
point OF the inactivity OF the present board,
ht. holds that an attempt by the present
board TO check up and right the mistakes
and wrongs of the old board must result in
scandal and Law suits without end. For
this reason the mayor incorses the idle at
tjttIds, of the board. and believes II Is Tor
the best that only the most perfunctory
obilgations prescribed by amendment -
should be performed by the commission.