The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1903-12-25
CIVIL SERVICE
SYSTEM HAS
many DEFENDERS

Ralph Cook. chief fire department
The abolition 81 the eivil service
system woaid work a great hard
ship un the fire department. and up
on the ahule city government I'm
der political rule 81 b. impossible "a
maintain efficiency tn a fire de-
paftment. The aballshment 81 the
evil arfvi'c system would mean that
.nHufahs rates on ali buildings
would advance None know bet
difference between a fire depart
ment under civil service and under
an administration 81 pop4iticians.
and II = chang. In made. insurance
rates viii hs advanced, and ! DO not
think the business community viii
stand r.
"a "a Vincent councilman I
ara unaitefahly In favor Of civil ser
vice ~ a HYatrfn. although / realize
that " may have ttn lmpcrfecttons
IN construction oF application. As
a principle In municipal government.
Il cannot be rcfuied The arguments
% those who are At present circu-
iating a petition TO have the qucz-
ton Of It's abolition submitted To-
the voters at the next election. APP
pear 10 me Go be groundleHa.
" G. Giii. councilman Third ward
II do no; believe " wis. 10 do asSnl
with thr system. bat think that
certain qualifications would he al
visahle. Just y hat these mod flea
tons should be IN detail I cannot
state until ! have thought the mat
isr over carefully. For one thiue.
though. I think u should be more
easy. II possible. 10 remove inoorn-
potent men, Especially IA this true
IN the police department where the
chief should b. gwen full power 10
remove man after certifying his
reasons. Under the present System
u h. quite difficult Ia get an ineorn
potent OF charaetcrlcHS man into Of
Zee. huf u il more difficult to get
him out when he once gets Their.
ON general lines. however. think
the civil Eervice system as carried
cut IN Seattle is satisfactory.
~ Il, Rude. councilman. nj -iargs.-I
believe the sfHtem IL al right u prop
etiy handled. As o. whether or not II
r. being properly conducted ln Seat
tie a. the present time l cannot say
unti ] have Investigated the subject
on ita merits.
J. A. James. councilman from the
/
the sphirct this morning.
Ellia Morrison. councilman Fiftb
f Wara--In measure ! am IN favor Of
+ The system and IN measure I am op-
+ posed 10 a. ] am IN favor 81 having
the question % its abolition submit
! ted 90 the voters al next election. n
the people 80 desire. The Hytcm has
f it, good points and lis bad points Just
F what these are. however. do not wish
T 90 state. for fear that my ideas might
be miaunderstood. unless / went into
/ the question in detail"
J. ". elise. President of the Cham
Der Of Cumfueruez-Sp Speaking IN a gen
erai way ! should say that the doing
away with the present civil service
law IN this city would be a atep
backward. | understand. however
although I have made no investtRa
ton. that there are some defects M
( the system. but whether those de.
fects are In the law itself or the an
plication OF the law / am not pre-
pared to say.
Joseph Shipper. chairman confer
cuce committee local Improvement
cluhs---I believe that the abolition OF
the civil service system would be a
I step backward. n In an aoknowi-
edged Improvement on partiaanahip
which otherwise prepails. I suppose
I the system is not perfect. No sys-
tenn ~.
Frank A. Rust, secretary West
I ern Central Labor union-I am IN
Z favor OF the civil service system at
any and all times. OF course the
& politicians do not want Il. Its en-
/ forcement puts political pull AT n
minimum and IL does away with
many fat jobs that would he cstab-
Z lished under the spoila system.
J. ". Meikle secretary Chamber
OF Commcrce-Ahout two years ago
the proposition came up hafanA -" A.