The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1903-12-26
CIVIL SERVICE
SYSTEM HAS
MANY DEFENDERS

Ralph Cook. chief fire department
The abolition ~ the civil service
aystsin would work "a great hard
ship ga the IRE department. and up
on the whole city government Tn
der political rule II II impossible 20
maintain efficiency ia fire de-
partmcnt The adjustment 90 the
civil service system would mean that
Insurance rates on all buildings
would advance None know bet
ter than Insurance men. the vast
difference between a fire depart
ment under civil service and under
an administration Of rsopliticlAnn.
and II q change he made. insurance
rates will be advanced. and I DO not
think the business community viii
stand H.
W a. Nlne~nt. ex-couneiiumn-
arm unAitsrRbiy In favor OF civil scr
vice a. = system. although | realize
that u may have itH imperfectionH
In construction oF application. A.
a pstbciple In municipal government.
u cannot b. rcfuted. The Arguments
of those who are at present cirCu-
lRting a petition 80 have the quca-
ton ~ itH abolition submitted TO
the voters at the next election, ap-
pear "a me 20 be Rrounalees-
III. &. Glll. councilman Third ward
i do not believe Il wiHe 90 do Asns
with the system. but I thlpk that
crrtAin notifications would be adj
vtssbic Just what these modifica-
tons uho-dld be- In detail I cannot
state until ! have thought the mat
ter over carefully. For one thinR.
though. I think lt should be more
easy. u pssaible. 10 remove inoon-
petrnt men. Especially II this true
IN the police department. where the
chief should be given fun power Go
remove a man after certifying his
reasons. Under the present system
u IL quite difficult go get an ipcom
petsut or chaFRctoficsa man into Of
fee, but Il u more difficult 10 get
+ him out when be once gets there.
ON general lines. however. I think
f the civil service system as carried
out in Seattle IL satisfactory.
II. 4. Rude. councilman az large
+ believe tn. system IL al right If prop
! eriy handled A. 90 whether or not IL
r. being properly conducted in Seat
+ tie at the present time I cannot say
+ until have investigated the subject
on is merits.
+ J A James. councilman from the
I'eurih ward don't want 20 taik or
the suhIrct this morning
II Ellis Morrison. councilman Firth
Ward~iu n measure ! am In favor oi
the system and In a measure am op-
posed 20 IT. I am In favor % having
the question Of tia abolition submit.
ted to the voters At next election. Il
the people ~ desire The Hytcm has
lie good points and lite had points. just
what these are. however. DO not wish
10 state. for fear that my ideas mighi
be misundsptood.h unless I went ints
the question IN detail"
]. W. elise. President OF the Cham.
Der Of CONNIE rce--spcakinE IN a gen.
cral way ! should say that the dolne
away with the present civil service
law In this city would be q stet
backward. l understand. however
although ! have made no inveatiga
tinn. that there are some defects IN
the system. but whether those de.
fcctH are In the law Itself or the ap.
plicatiou OF the law / am not pre-.
pared tn say.
Joseph Shipper, chairman confer.
enee committee local Improvement
ciubs-f believe that the abolition OF
the civil service system would be 4
step backward. II is an acknowl.
edged Improvement on partisanahip
which otherwise prepails. l supnos,
the system Is not perfect. No sys.
tenn Is
Frank 4. Ru@t. secretary West
ern Central Labor Union-.I am n
favor of the etvil service system al
any and all times or course tn,
politicians do not want g. Its en-.
forcement puts political pull at 9
minimum and II does away with
many fat Jobs that would he estab'
llahed under the spells system.
j. H. Meikle. secretary Chamber
OF Commerce two years age
the proposition came uD hsfsr. az a