The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-25
Civil Service Advocates Take
House to Task.
Calling System "FlapdOodle"
Starts a Rumpus.
MRS. RHODES AIRS VIEWS
She Says Voters Alone Can
Pass Judgment.
Van Hook Suspects Mayor
Wants Political Machine.

When Jay E. House, mayor, IN an
swer to letter of inquiry from n,
Van Hook, secretary of the civil seiN-
ice commission of Colorado springs
Colo, replied that in his opinion a
civil service for cities the size OF To-
peka is all fila doodle," he caused
quite a stir. T. B. Garrett, a member
of Topeka's civil service commission,
was the first to reply to House. but
comment has not stopped with what
Garrett had to say.
Today the mayor received reply
from the Colorado Springs man III
which Van Hook said:
Il thank you for your frank reply
to my inquiry, and 1 am conVlnced
from your letter that in Topeka CIVIL
service is all flapdoodle.' However. L
assure you that such is not the case
in Colorado Springs. Our charter
which was submitted to a vote OF the
people requires it, and our city OIL
cfals comply with the law, whether or
not it meets with their personal APP
prevail"
Nhat-A Machine:
In a letter to a personal friend Van
Hook says:
ct like Mr.. House, but he is either
deliberately trying to build up po-
litical machine and take care of his
friends. or he doesn't look into the
operations of civil service enough to
know what he is talking about. l don't
know how far your charter reads, but
if it and the ordinance are similar to
ours. the civil service board can make
him eat out of their hands if they
want to-"
Mrs. Howard n. Rhodes. chairman
of Topeka's civil service board, writes
the following to the Topeka State
journal:
NO refined nor well-poised person
enters into a quarrel for the simple
love of the argument, nor for the pub
licity involved. We believe that every
citizen, out of loyalty and patriotism
to his city. should support all public
servants in so far as they act with
legality. 1t is for neither of these
reasons, therefore, that the civil serI-
ice commission takes its stand in OPP
position to Mayor House A principle
is involved, and 1t would be A viola
ton, not only OF ones conscientious
duty, but of his oa tn of office, to allow
the matter to drop.
Duty Must Be Done.
Upon assuming the duties of their
office, the members IF the civil service
commission, like the mayor, took an
oath to fulfill their duties, not ac-
cording to their own egotistical inter-
probation of them, but according to
the law governing their office. Until
the civil service law is repealed, or
until some authority higher than that
of the mayor elects it otherwise, they
will continue to do their duty The
civil service commission did not ere
ate itself, nor was it instigated by
Mayor House. 1t came into existence
co-incident with the commission form
of government. 1t cannot be abol-
ished except by the votes of the same
persons who, 4 few years ago, unan-
imously voted for it.
anarchists and law breakers of a
certain type justify their activities on
the theory that the laws in which they
do not believe do not need to be obey
ed. Law is law, whether it comedies
with ones theories or not. In all
probability the pickpocket and the
jointfst, whom the mayors police |
claim they have been so vigorously !
prosecuting recently, believe the laws
curtailing their personal liberties to
he mere 'flapdoodle.' Yet Mayor |
House supports his police chief in the |
law enforcement and we glory in it.
Mayor Can't Be Despotic.
1T is good to know that under the |
commission form of government there |
can not be one despotic mayor There |
are now five mayors each one a ser1
want of the people and each one amen
able TO the law, as it expresses the
will of the people whose votes placed |
them in office and whose taxes pay
their monthly wage.
MRS. HOWA RID n RHODES