The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-06-08
President of Works Board
; Outlines First Step Pur-
chase of L., III. & p. Elec-
trical Equipment.
ALL PLACES OPEN
Official Would Demand
That Kleinlnecht and All
Employees Submit to Ex-
aminations.

Repugnance to the idea Of placing
a half million dollar municipalized
electric service monopoly into politics
mas been one OF the principal reasons
voiced by citizens In their opposition
to the city taking over the electric
plant OF the Richmond Light. Heat
and Power company.
President Bavis Of the board Of pub.
lie works, leading advocate of q mu.
nicipalized electric service MONOPOLY.
today admitted that in his opinion this
was the most powerful argument
against the project the administration
Is now attempting to carry out.
Citizen Makes Protest.
Mayor Robbins injected politics
into the management OF the municipal
plant when he assumed office eighteen
months ago." citizen remarked to
the board president today 1T is bad
enough for a city to be governed by
politicians, but I draw the line on
turning half million dollar business
concern, which the municipal plant
will be If the city takes over the com
pet1ng plant, into play grounds for
men our present mayor or any future
mayor desires to reward for services
rendered him In a political way. It
would be task for a competent and
reliable business man to operate such
q business on a thoroughly efficient
and successful basis. With fncompe-
tent politicians. Of the type which
have mishandled our municipal af.
fairs in the past, at the head of such
a business. there is every reason to
believe that they would ruin it,
In the event the city takes over
the electric plant of the Light. Heat
and Power company, the first thing
intend to do Is to ask Mayor Robbins
to apply the civil service to the mu-
nicipal plant" Mr.. Bavis replied. TT
is optional with any Indiana city. un-
der the state law, to establish the civil
service for most OF the departments of
the city government.
Il am not thoroughly familiar with
this law but 1t is my understanding
that once the civil service is extended
to the employees Of certain depart
ments Of government the law provides
an effective barrier against the en-
croachments of party politics. So
long as a civil service employe per-
forms his work in a satisfactory man.
ner his position is guaranteed him. -
Mr.. Bavis also stated that if the
mayor acted upon his suggestion the
protective mantle of the civil service
would not be thrown over the present
staff Of employees of the municipal
plant, including Superintendent Klein
knecht, unless they qualified for their
positions in tests to be conducted by
a municipal civil service board. He
said that under sgch an arrangement
any citizen would have the right to
take the examination for any office in
the city's electric service department.
1t was learned today that for several
days a local building contractor and
Mr. Watts, an electric engineer en-
ployed by the city. have been making
appraisements of the electric plant of
the Light, Heat and Power company
for the purpose Of having data to sub
nit to the state commission on the
date set by the commission to estab-
lish selling price for the plant.