The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-03-30


commission form city charter is
being disseminated from the plat
form these nights and on the
streets by partisans who have re-
markable imaginations and mis-
conceptions concerning the NUM-
cipal government.
Mr.. Seymour is reading at his
meetings letters from men who
helped frame the charter, deplor-
ing the Way the charter is being
abused by the city commission.
The Times has from time to
time pointed out the failure of the
commission to measure up to ne
cessities in the case, but truth
compels recognition of the fact
that the charter itself Is not the
acme of perfection.
Ordinance Follies.
An instance of the follies In the
charter: 1t requires that all
monies paid out, whether five
cents or $5,000,000, shall be by
ordinance That is, after an or
dinance has been passed making
an obligation and creating a debt,
another must be passed to pay It,
The council has to pass an ordi-
nance to meet the regular payroll.
And every ordinance has to be
printed and the printing bill
amounts to thousands OF dollars
year in Tacoma.
A resolution to pay after the
debt has been created by ordi-
nance would have done just as
well, safeguarded the city just as
we'll and been a saving In printer
bills.
In the main 1t is good. The
commission plan was approved by
the people. The system provides
for the quick dispatch of business
but it is not perfect.
Seymour and the charter people
are making a great howl about
civil service, declaring the COM
mission made a farce of 1t. 1t
was the charter committee that
made a farce of it. At the time
the Times pointed out that the
new charter as being framed
would kill civil service. 1t was
put in by Ernest Lister, H. J. Nc
Gregor and other members of the
charter committee opposed abso-
lutely to civil service. The real
civil service men on the charter
fought against It but were beaten
by the aggressiveness of the op-
ponents of civil service.
The Times raised cry OF warn
ing at the time but the people did
not protest and civil service was
killed. 1t was killed by a pro-
vision in the charter which gave
the commissioner over any de-
partment absolute right to lop off
the head Of any employe at any
time with or without cause. All
he has to do is go through the
perfunctory red tape of pretending
to give the man a Hearing" be-
fore himself.
The city commission was slow
in putting this farcical civil SER
vice in effect. 1t was six months
after they were elected before
they got the board appointed. The
board has not protected single
man in his position since 1t was
and never can. 1t is
not In the charter to do 1t.
Mr.. Seymour made the state
ment Tuesday that Peder Jensen,
one of the appointees, had quit
the board in disgust, giving the
that because the city
was opposed to civil
service he had resigned.
Jensen's Resignation.
Peder Jensen was running for
the state senate. This same char
ter compelled him to resign or
stay out Of the senate.
The city commissioners have
enough sins to answer for with
out putting more on them and it
is desirable that the people get
the absolute truth in this crisis.
Another wall from the inform
ant of Mr.. Seymour who says he
was a charter maker Is that the
and mayor have
made no monthly statements and
had them published as the charter
provides. Mr.. Seymour is making
capital of this from the platform
every night.
These statements could be-
avoided VI Seymour or his charter