The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1914-12-22
MONRONEY FOR
CIVIL SERVICE
FavOrS Plan 10 Reduce Number
Of Commissioners From
Five to Three.
WOULD KEEP OUT OF POLITICS

Some of the leading men OF the city
favor the plan of the Taxpayers
League to reduce the number OF city
mnmlssloners from five to three while
others oppose 1t. There follows the
statement here Of one who fayors the
plan.
AT first ! was not in favor OF the
change In the city charter re-
duclns the number Of commissioners
from five to three" said A. T.. Mon
roney OF the firm Of Doc 4 Bill, but
the longer think about II the more
am convinced that II is n good thing
The more the executive authority OF
any business Is consolidated. the bet
ter the results obtained and the easier
II IL to reach conclusion On any mat
ter under consideration
"rhat Is noticeable IN II private bus
lneSs. Mr. SChweinle and can come
to conclusion on line Of nctlOn bet
ter than half q dozen men could and
II seems to me that II Is reasonable TO
believe that the same would hc true Of
the government of II city.
"Undcr the new form the city would
pay the three commissioners a good
salary which would procure the best
possible service and AT the same time
consolidate the offices so that they
could 'lSily be handled by that number.
FavorS Civil Service Board.
"Thc mayors office, as | understand
II, would take part Of the duties Of the
commissioner Ut public safety, one com.
missioner would do the work af part
Of that now included In the offices OF
the commissioner Of public safety and
the commissioner Of public property,
while the third would have the duties
Of the water department In connection
with the departments Of public account
Ing and finance. II seems a good prop
Osition"
Being asked his opinion as to wheth
er or not the civil service hoard should
be maintained, Mr.. Monroney said: IL
am In favor Of abolishing the civil ser.
vice board, but II seems to me that II
might well be- modified. one we'll dual
ified member might be employed Ia
devote his whole time to the work at
a salary of $40. then have the other
two citizens, who are honorary mem,
bers and who receive no compensation
Their main work would be In pre-
paring questions, and advising with the
chief clerk. The man arguments In fa-
vor Of retaining the civil service board
are that Il takes the employment OF
city servants out of politics and the
bias OF personal friendship and con
sideratlon. Then II is less expensive
to the city.
For Fitness Of Applicants.
"The commissioners receive approx
hnately 81 an hour. When the three
Of them are delibernting ON the hiring
Of twenty or thirty employees every
hour that they consume Is an item Of
big expense to the city.
The civil service method need not
I've any hardship In the way Of impos-
Ing standard OF theory which woulI
he difficult for the man of experience
10 meet In the particular line IN which
he seeks employment The experience
always outweighs the theory In the ex.
anlnatons There Is not 80 much
stress placed upon grammar, compost
ton and purely literary or cultural
subjects. The questions are no framed
rs TO find out the practical knowledge
of the applicant,
Under the civil service method the
board ls supposed to investigate the
character and general fitness Of the
applicant and the employe and In do
Ing this IL at liberty TO use the city
detectives II necessary. The civil ser
vice board has done good work IN Ok.
lahoma City and | believe should be
Incorporated In the new charter II
adopted
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