The Detroit times., 1910-09-28
VERNON BILL HAS IT
ALL OVER Gilman
MEASURE
Former II Laid Upon Broad Lines
and Aims at Real Civil Service,
While the Other Il Marrow
and Partisan.
Fear Expressed That Submission Of
the Two at Same Time Will Result
In Defeat Of Both.

II is pretty well established that
the voters OF Detroit are In favor VI
municipal civil service, but II IL not
half so well established that they Will
be able TO get II This fall, notwith-
standing the fact that TWO measures
providing for civil service will be
submitted to them at the election.
In the opinion OF those most interest
ed, both measures will fail to carry
because the vote Will be divided be-
tween them.
There Is q widespread impression
that q threefifths affirmative vote Is
necessary to pass charter amend
ment under the new home rule law.
This IL an error q simple majority
OF the votes cast. being all that Is re-
Quired. II both measures carry. 1t
would then be up TO the courts to de-
eide which was law, and II would be
likely to result in both being thrown
out and new election ordered.
One of the chief differences In the
measures IL as to the proper officer
TO cast the deciding vote In case the
civil service commission becomes
deadlocked. The Vernon bill. which
was rejected by the council. and Is
submitted to the people on a petition
which had over. $4,000 signatures,
provides that the mayor shall have
the casting vote, and the Gilman
measure, which Is offered as a suoss
tute, by the council. provides that the
president OF the council shall have
this authority.
There are two facts that bear upon
this difference. The first Is that the
mayor is sometimes q Republican and
sometimes q Democrat. The second
IL that the president Of the council
mas not been Democrat for 10,
these many years. AS both bills pro-
vide for q non-partisan board--two
Republicans and two Democratic
is the political faith Of the ffth NOM
Der that is really important. giving
the political color to the board and
establishing to some extent. at ,leAgt.
the political complexion OF the civil
service. The Gilman bill establishes
II a. Republican. while the Vernon
bill gives the ions-negleeted Demo
crat q chance. -
The other point which has been pre-
sented to the voters as being the
most important difference. but Is
really merely minor complication
for the purpose OF befogging the main
issue, Is the question OF including la
borers under the provisions Of the
civil service system. The Vernon bill
provides that laborers shall file APP
plications with the commission show
ing their Atness to earn their wages
iust as other city employees will be
compelled TO do. As department
4 L. In UNnld O.
lected from this list. there would
thus be a check on the number of men
hired and the commission would be
nble to certify TO the payroils. Pad
ding the payrolls Is one OF the abuses
which the civil service bill Is ex'
pected to render impossible. There
Ia no intention that the laborer shall
be required to pass an examination In
organic chemistry or political econ
omy to get q job, although this Is an
impression that the opponents OF the
Vernon measure are trying to create.
The Gilman bill excludes the Ia
borers from the civil service pro-
visions, and allows them to be hired
by the department heads. as at
present.
The Vernon bill also provides for
the appointment OF cniel examiner
n accordance with the provisions OF
the act and makes him subject to
strict supervision by the commission.
He IL also to act as secretary OF the
board. The Gilman bill provides for
a secretary, who is to be appointed
by the commission, but is exempt
from examinations as confidential
officer. II IL probable that he 10 In
tended to be chief examiner az well.
There are also no restrictions on the
manner Of appointing additional ex-
aminers.
So far as general provisions go the
bills are very much alike, but the
spirit Of the two IL entirely different.
The Vernon measure, which was re-
jected by the council. is laid along
broad, non partisan lines with a view
to getting as many city employees az
possible entirely out Of the reach OF
politics. On the other hand, the Gin
nan measure, which was acceptable
to the council, is q party measure and
ties the civil service TO the party In
power in the council by as many
etringa aa "A can while seeming TO