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

II ROYAL asnSs pcspss CO.. ssw Scsg- Il
left. three days according TO the charter
provision. makes it utterly impossible for
the amendments 10 be put into proper
shape. As has been repeatedly pointed
! out the civil service idea and civil SER
/ vice provisions rermeate the entire char
ter. Mr.. Preston has estimated that il
would require az least sixteen separate
| amendments to adjust the charter to the
adjustment OF the civil service system.
Now, when you take into consideration
/ the fact that a body OF our wisest and
best citizens, composing the charter COM
mission, spent three months in construct
ing the charter, how would IL be possible
for the council in the short space Of three
days TO reconstruct the whole texture Of
that instrument? But there is hardly any
use of arguing the question. l believe
that the members of the council them
selves see the absurdity of such an eff
fort. and 1 have no idea that they Will
attempt it,
Labor UnionfYts' View.
W. Fl. Middleton, secretary of the local
Labor Union. said: when I sat as a
member Of the last charter commission |
am free TO admit that / took no particu-
Seattle civil service. There were other
matters before the commission in the
shape OF provisions for the new charter
in which l was more deeply interested be-
cause they were, as l believed, of greater
interest to organized labor in this city.
/ viii say. however that l believe in civil
service. / further believe that there are
defects In the system. 1t is carried on
at present in connection With the city
| government 1t may be that these defects
! are due to failure of those in charge
OF civil service TO thoroughly comprehend
its full meaning. These defects should
be remedied. If, as the charter provides
twenty-five per cent. OF the registered
voters al the last municipal election have
| come forward and asked that the ques-
ton Of abolishing civil service be sub
mitted to the people next March then
favor submitting 1t. But il they do not,
then l do not believe that ii is necessary
for the council TO so before the people
with the proposition. l still maintain,
however, the civil service as IL now exists
, here is defective and that these defects
should be corrected"
Democrats Say No.
Let the civil service system alone,
said l. A. Nadeau, general agent of the
Northern Pacific and one OF the best
known Democrats in the city. 1T is in
line with the best and most progressive
favor of 1t. If there are defects in the
system as applied to our local municipal
government, they should be remedied, but
the principles OF civil service are right
and just and conducive TO the best in
terests of the city. AS to submitting the
proposed amendments now. l do not see
how the council can vote for submission.
especially after the petitioners, with all
their efforts. failed TO get the requisite
number of signers."
For seiishness or spells.
ITO begin with" said f. o. Graves.
president of the Washington National
| bank and president of the Chamber of
Commerce. these people who went about
getting up the petitions failed to get
enough signatures to their petitions, and
In my Judgment that should pat an end
to the whole matter The trainers of the
charter evidently thought that one-fourth
of the actual voting strength of the city
| was wise minimum for submitting IN
| amendment and I think the minimum
| was made small enough. Now the cry
| that these people are raising that they
| are entitled TO consideration because they
| got a good number of signatures, although
! not up TO the required number. is ridicu-
! lous. If l.4e1 people can call for a vote
! on amendments. why not 1@1? II 100,
| why not 500? II S0D. why not handful?
| There is no force In their argument and
| appeal to the council. They have used
! their best efforts and have failed. think
/ the city has been saved a lot of needless
expense. because | think the amendments
would have been voted down anyhow
/ fatter myself that ] have a rather large
acquaintance In the city and I move
/ among and talk with our representative
! business men every day. and in oil nv
] intercourse with them have never heard
single syllable of criticism against our
] civil service system or its administration,
I As has been brought out by the Post
| Intelligence III connection with pre-
| vious interview with MIR. Graves. he is
( entitled TO speak with more authority
! concerning civil service than perhaps 1ny
, other man In Seattle on account az the
! prominent position he occupied as the head
/ OF the national civil service examining
board Recurring again last night in hts
/ conversation 70 the national and general
phases of the system. he continued:
Il have Infinite faith in The stability and
/ pernanence Of the American government
hut II there he one rock on which II can
. ever split and founder Il Is the cursed
I spo!is system. No matter how excellent
, our theory ~ government may he, no mat
I ter how perfect our Institutions II cur
/ methods Of Administered ton are corrupt .he
{ whole fabric becomes rotten. People who
/ have not been in Washington City. and
| even residents there who do net see the
! inside OF the national administration can
! hardly conceive OF the fearful pressure that
! is brought - bear on the president and the
! heads OF departments on account Of the
/ saolls system. Particularly Is this TRUE Of
| the president Day and night summer and
| winter. he is beset. 50 that instead 81 being
I able to give his time and attention 10 tho
| welght:er affairs If state and public policy.
/ ne is compelled TO minister 70 a horde Of
! hungry office-seekers. who press upon him
! with every influence aud appeal to every
( motive that human ingenuity can think Of.
| Never can I forget an expression which
/ Mr.. Cleveland once used in speaking 20 ne
! Of the evils OF this system Said h.:
| When take of my clothes and so 10 bed
/ at midnight, / am compelled to marvel A.
/ how little 7 have heen able TO accomplish
during che day. And this IS onIy IN Inc
/ with what he said or another occasion 70
/ Henry l.. Nelson. who Is now the editor OF
| Harper's Weekly. I had the conversation
from Mr.. Nelson himself. said Ar. Cleve-
/ land 70 him;
Before I came into Office there was
one departmen. % the government OF
/ whose abuses and corruption ! rad beard
FROM many sources When became prest-
dent resolved that II accomplished u0th-
ing else / world reCtlfy those abuses and
purge away mat corruption u was the
! Indian department I an sorry to sly
! shat despite my most d!ligent efforts, !
/ honestly believe thai department is IN 2
worse Tx to-day than Il Mas when took
/ hold % e.
Then. coming hack from his reminiscent
/ ces Mfr Graves sad, on. no, / hope tAe
Council viii noy order these amendments
/ submitted II sincerely think tHat the -
Fort 70 have sneml submitted has been
/ mere political mausuvRr. arising eitaeI
1 e-s.vz, rtsrAlv - ssh motives eg from he 2e