Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-21


Gals. they are likely to take little in
terest in their work If we are con
tinually nagging and hampering them
they will soon drift into an attitude Of
indifference in relation 10 their du
ties; II we allow selfishness and greed
to determine our attitude toward
them, they are liable to let down their
sense OF moral obligation 10 the pub,
lie; If We By our behavior toward
Them show that we hold our officials
lin contempt, they are quite likely 10
become contemplate.
In the management Of public bus
mess the public has duties as we'll
Jas the official II will not do to put a
good man into office and then aban-
don him to his fate The forces of
evil will continually harass him; the
forces OF righteousness must help h.m
/ If he is to make good. We can help
him by removing some of the restric-
lions which We have prepared and
adopted with the idea that he may be
more or less vicious, and some OF
| these restrictions are extant In most
of our cities N their civil service reg
lulations.
in most cities which have civil
service regulation. applicants for
places are required to pass an exam
nation adapted 10 the duties of the
position. Those who reach fixed
percentage of correctness usually 10
or IS per cent? are said to have pass
ed. and when the head of a depart
ment wants an assistant in the class,
three who passed highest are certified
to him. He selects one. and that one
is mi to work ON six months proba-
ton If his services are satisfactory
for that length of time he becomes
permanently installed.
am to ms ,point civil service per-
forms q very useful function. particu.
larlv in savine the administration of
ficiaf from the opportunities Of place
hunters. and In wedding ont the OBJ
viously unfit from among the appH-
ca1lfs. incidentally. they prevent the
building nj, of a political machine By
any officer who might be 90 disposed.
Some citizens seem to believe that
this is the chief benefit of civil SER
woe hut this would be trnes only on
the supposition that your officer is a
rascal: and this assumption is fatal to
good results in government.
Records az Efficiency.
4sThe usefulness of civil service laws
msy 20 further. BY recurring or max
inc records OF efficiency for each pub
lie enlploye. but, beyond this point, in
INV sopinion. under, the commission
form of government the civil service
Should not 90. Most cities which have
II carry Il further so as TO forbid re-
rnoyals without a trial. leaving the
final decision in the hands of the civil
service commission: and this. in my
Judgment. is wrong.
1T is wrong because II carries the
presumption of dishonesty and fneffi-
cheney on the part of the public off.
cial too far. II is wrong because it
frequently protects the inefficient en-
Move who is able to put I'D plausible
defense. Under the old form of city
government 1t was easy TO pass along,
from one official or department to
another. the blame or responsibility
for any action: il was difficult for
they citizen Ia. locate the official who
was responsible. Under the commits
sion form, in which someone is direct
" RESPONSIBLE for the conduct of each
department, the citizen can put his
finger upon the man. You expect that
man to do his work faithfully and
well: will YOU insist that he keen in
his employ some assistant who is not
in sympathy with his policies. or one
who fails in efficiency or loyalty to
his work?
at is ridiculous to demand direct
responsibility without giving direct
authority. It is folly to say to your
public official. We have placed you
in this position of responsibility. and
we expect from you intelligent and
efficient work, and then in the same
breath say. You cannot be trusted.
and you must 20 to your task with
the suspicion of the community upon
you. and with your hands tied by res
trictive laws If we would get good
results in government. we must treat
our officials as honest men. and not
as criminals.