The San Francisco call., 1899-11-25
CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
Henry N. Clement Declares as Erroneous
the Conclusions Concerning ApEOintees
Reached by Attorney squires.

The Call publishes communications in
which subjects of general interest are
discussed or containing information that
VIII be or interest TO its readers, without
holding itself responsible for the Opin-
ions OF the writersl
Editor Call: In your yesterdays issue
there appeared a communication from
G. ID. Squires. an attorney-at-law Of this
city. who takes the public into his con-
hdence by telling them through the col
umns Of The Call that he has been pro-
fessionally consulted by numerous men,
bers OF ''the push" as 10 whether the ap-
pointees of the officers who take office
under the charter on January S, 1890. can
hold on 10 their positions In spite Of the
civil service law, and that while he ad-
vised his push" clients that they had bet
ter buckle down" 10 the study Of
arithmetic, geography, spelling and read
ing" he is nevertheless convinced" that
they need not do so for the reason that
he has, after carefully reading the civil
service law, arrived at the conclusion that
it does not apply TO the appointees who
will be appointed by the officers who take
office on Janury ), 1900
In order that the public shall be IN
formed Of the important fact that ne was
absolutely forced by the resiSteSS rules
Of logic TO the conclusions announced by
him, and not by the persuasive influence
OI a pOESlDlt retainer lee liOl4l his push
clients, he hastens to assure US that he Is
"a civil service reformer' himself, ana
that il is therefore with deep and heart
felt regret bordering we may infer on
extreme anguish of mind. that he is COM
PEELED TO yield his unwilling assent TO the
legal proposition that his clients, the
push" will be able, in spite of the civil
service law 10 hold on TO their positions
until they either resign or die, and he
then dOlorously eXclaims: Few die and
none resign
Alas, for the civil service law! 1t is too
bad that after all our long and continuous
struggle to incorporate IL in the charter
il should now prove to be imperative,
| am however, exceedingly re1Oiced TO
be able to assure my learned legal friend,
whose transcendent abilities have so rec
commended him 10 "the push that there Is
yet hope and that his conclusions are en-
tirely erroneous. In the poignancy or his
grief at the very tl-Dught that the civil
service law in the charter might be In
operative his eyes seem 10 have been so
blinded by the tears which flowed from
his grief-stricken heart that he could not
see to read the provisions OF section 10, ar
ticle -, of the civil service law in the
charter for IL completely answers his
consolation TO his heart and JOY to his
soul. The following Is the provision which
Mr.. Squires overlooked and OF which he
makes no mention in his communication,
to wit:
ITO prevent the stoppage of public bust
ness, or TO meet extraordinary exigencies,
the head of any department or office may,
with the approval of the Commissioners,
make temporary appointments, to remain
I'm force not exceeding sixty days. and
only until regular appointments. under the
provisions of this article, can be made
HENRY n. CLEMENT.
San Francisco. Nov. "a. 1899.