Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-19
PROTEST AGAINST ALLEGED
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
An Old Taxpayer Expresses His lns
dlgnaton at Curious Processes
of the Civil Service Law


LOS ANGELES Jan. 17-[Editor
Heraldl-Two years ago somebody
wanted civil service in our city govern
r,erit. 1t sounded we'll and 1t was
placed on the ballot at the city election
and was carried. 1t is safe to say
that seven out of every ten of the
voters did not know or understand the
workings of civil service, particularly
so with the middle and working classes,
of whom am one. We saw it on the
ballot. We thought the powers that
be would not have it there unless it
was for the peoples interests and we
voted for it.
But, alas! after two years of trial
it is now plain to be seen that we
voted ourselves a gold brick. Civil
service may be all right in the man
agement of the thousands of office
holders and deputies of our great ma
ton, but why was it necessary in the
little government of the city of Los
Angeles? Or what good has it done,
or how much more efficient are the em-
ployes of the city today or have been
for the last two years than they were
before civil service was infused into
our charter?
AS taxpayer for more than quar-
ter of a century l say, none whatever.
But on the contrary there is today and
has BEEN for the last two years the
most dishonest and incompetent set Of
employees in some of our offices that
ever the city was cursed with, and yet
we are told that they are under civil
service and will be protected by civil
service, not for two years more or any
other year. but for the term of their
natural lives, and we the taxpayers will
have to support them.
This is very encouraging to us and
our sons and daughters who would
like to get clerk or deputyship at the
city hall for a term of even one year
hut cannot.
We are told that the employees in
question can be removed by filing
charges against them with the civil
service commission. Now this means
something Take myself for an eX-
ample. am workingman and have
to be at my work at a. m. Now !
lcse time to go and prefer these
charges. Then 1 have to scurry
around town to collect up my wit
nesses; then we go to trial and no
telling how long 1t will last; and in the
end If should succeed in making out a
case against an employe what do l
gain? Nothing. The civil service
commission will fill his place with an
other rube of their own making, which
may, inside of two years, turn out
worse than the first; and for my trou-
lie my employers would put another in
my place who would attend to their
business. Hence no charges would be
preferred.
If this city is profiting anything by
civil service, please show 1t to me.
| At our recent city election the voters
and some of the papers advocated the
retirement and did retire one of the
most efficient mayors this city ever had
because he had been mayor for three
terms. They had enough of Snyder"
wonder what they would say If they
had him for life as Jim Hanley has all
of Mr.. Werdin's deputies in the street
department or DR.. Powers we'll
groomed band of politicians in the
health office.
No, sir, we will never see the day
when civil service in city affairs is
better than the good old common sense
way of when you find that one of your
employees Is a rogue, thief, liar or a
CRATER hand him his money and tell
him to get No charges, no expense.
no trial. no time lost
l therefore move that our honorable
doctor from the Sixth ward be re-
quested to rally his forces and start the
recall after this municipal employment
agency that gives men a homestead on
all the best positions in the city gov
ernment. lNAAk.
/