The San Francisco call., 1899-12-03

all the deputies, clerks and employees first
appointed Will be exempt from examiTt1-
ton and may hold on 10 their places n
spite or the civil service law.
lie reaches this conclusion by Simply
ignoring section 10 OF the civil service
law, which L have quoted, or which -
the same thing, saying that 1T does not
apply. Let us quote section 10 again.
1t is as follows:
ITO prevent the stoppage OF public
business or TO meet extraordinary sner-
gencies the head OF any depaI -ment Or
office may. with the approval OF The COM
missioners, make temporary appoint
sixty days and only until regular ap-
pointments under the provision OF this
article can be made
Mr.. Squires suggests that section 10 re-
fers TO the classified" service provided
by the charter: that the Commissioners
are given authority over no other SER
vice than the classified" service: that
the Commissioners can grant permission
TO the heads Of departments and officers
10 appoint temporary clerks, deputies ana
employees without examination only In
the Classified service. and he argues
that, inasmuch as the service is not and
cannot be classified" on January 5. 1900,
the first day the Commissioners take their
seats, therefore they will have no au-
thOrity 10 grant their approval 10 the
heads Of departments and officers TO
make temporary appointments
From what source does Mr.. SqutreS
learn that the Commissioners shall have
no power or authority 10 grant their ap-
proval TO the making OF temporary ap-
pointments by the heads OF departments
and officers until after they shall nave
classified" the service2 Does section 10
say anything OF the kind? Is anything OF
act? On the contrary. does the act not,
by its very terms, provide for the emer-
gency which will surely arise at thu
coming into being OF the new city govern
service will exist or can possibly exist:
when it will be necessary that some ar
rangement shall be made for temporary
appointments (pending classification and
examinations under the civil service rule)
Ito prevent the stOppage OF the public
business" II was for Just this ener-
gency that section 10 was Incorporated
into the civil service act. II provides N
terms for action before the ''classihca-
tion" can be accomplished. and provides
that the temporary" appointments shall
cease the very moment regular ap-
pOintments are made under the act.
Mr.. Squires lnnOcently asks, How can
the commission grant permission In case
OF emergency 10 make temporary appoint
ments 10 any other than the classined
service?" To which l reply: They do SO
by virtue OF the authority expressly con-
ferred upon them by section 10 OF the act.
in which there Is nothing said about
classification" The very object and pur-
pose OF section 10 was 10 provide fer the
emergency OF there being no classification
and ito prevent the stOppage OF public
business" by disregarding IL until classt-
ficatiOn apd regular" appointments
Hereunder could be made II would be a
waste of time and insult to our InteIli-
gence to elaborate" the point any fur
ther.
II the heads OF departments or officers
shall attempt 70 evade the civil service
law by refusing TO REMOVE the clerks.
deputies and employees whom they are re-
quired TO appoint temporarily on January
S, 1900, at the expiration OF sixty days to
make way for the regular appOintees un-
der the civil service law they will be
guilty OF a fragrant violation OF law, and
any officer who attempts 10 evade the
plain provisions OF the law will not only
receive the merited OpprObrium and con-
hut will also be proceeded against accord
ing TO law. Section % OF the civil service
law gives full power 10 the Commissioners
70 institute and prosecute legal proceed
ings FOR any violation OF the provision OF
the law.
The politicians and spoilsmen who may
succeed in getting temporary appoint
days" after January S. 1900. will not by
that means secure any lien on sO-called
political jobs. The civil service law does
not recognize them as political positions.
Those who may receive temporary ap-
pOintments Will have no more right TO re-
main at the close Of their temporary ap-
pointment than any one else. IL they want
service examinations precisely as other
people do that have no pull"
Mr.. SquireS evidently questions the va
Ndtty OF that part Of the civil service law
which provides for non-remOval OF faith
ful appotntees during good behavior
When that question Is raised II will be
time 10 meet II. Respectfully
San Francisco. Dec. 1.