Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1907-02-04
Madison, Jan 81

MdOloOus jan. o4
Before the civil service commission
yesterday afternoon arguments were
made on the. application OF Secretary
of State James A. Frear for the ex-
emption of the Office of chief clerk OF
his department from the operation Of
the competitive system of appoint
ment under the civil service law.
The commission took the matter I'M
der advisement.
Secretary Frear presented strong
written brief setting forth MS reasons
for asking Ine exemption. 1t was
read to the commission by Assistant
Secretary of State A. Z. forge be-
cause the condition of Mr.. Frear's
eyes would not permit him 10 read
it himself The document was sup
plemented by oral argument by Mr..
Frear The many important duties
Of the clerk, particularly those of a
confidential nature and concerning
the handling of some 100000 of
money, were set forth forcibly and q
decision by the supreme court upon
a Milwaukee case was cited, wherein
the court held that a subordinate who
handles money for the safe-keeping
Of which the superior is responsible
and under bond is a proper office to
be exempt from civil service require
ments. Mr. Frear showed that,
wbpraac pvaDptiOnc orc Doodo in oil
departments and in all boarus of at
least one confidential clerk, such ex-
emption strangely enough was not
made for the Office Of secretary Of
state. He considered the assistant
secretary Of state as practically lden-
teal with himself, as the assistant
secretary may under the law perform
any duties which devolve upon the
secretary. He recalled the necessary
haste with which the legislature en-
acted this law, and, without withhold
ing from the Legislators due credit
for great industry in the perform
ance of unremunerated public work.
expressed the opinion that had more
this measure he would not be under
the necessity now of asking this ex-
emption. He protested against the
way his communication to the COM
mission had Deen given to the news
papers for publication, and said thai
he had not been favored with a reply
President Sparkling explained that he
wrote a personal reply to Mr.. Frear
but did not feel authorized to write
for the entire commission, as no
meeting had been held. Commits
sioner Cunningham explained that ne
had no knowledge Of the letters. Mr.
Frear declared that he had deemed
Mr. Sparlings letter confidential in
so far as it was marked personal.
Mr. Frear said that most of the
men now in the department were
there by political appointment rather
than by the operation of the merit
system, moreover, by appointment at
the hands of a man who did all he
could to prevent the election of Mr.
Frear.
Mr.. FTear said in his brief that it
the commission did not allow him this
confidential agent in the person OF
chief clerk he would have to hire
such an assistant himself at his own
expense as the law gave him no re-
course to the courts, and he was 1e-
'uctant to seek recourse in the leg
~islature.
Rev. Judson Ellsworth and Captain
l. N. Bean of Milwaukee spoke in OPP
position to the granting of the appli-
cation. Their arguments were for a
rigid enforcement of the letter of the
civil service law and resisting all at
tempts to weaken or modify the sys-
tenn They admitted that if it was
true that the granting of his applica-
ton would strengthen the law instead
Of weaken it. they would be willing
to second Mr.. Frear's request. but
they had doubts about the matter