The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-23
CITY HALL ROW ON
Mayor House at Outs With Civil
Service Board.
One Member Says Mayor Is Not
Bigger Than Law.

A merry scrap is promised between
Topeka's civil service board and Jay
E. House, mayor. The mayor has de-
clared that civil service sis flapdoodle
and that he pays no attention to it.
Right there is where the civil SER
vice board puts chip on its shoulder
and intends to make the mayor pay
attention"
October is the time set for the
row to begin. The civil service board
fixed the date by announcing that at
that time applications will be received
and examinations held for the posi-
ton of stenographer to the city attor
ney, and for stenog-apher and clerk
or the police court. Miss Nellie
Montgomery is holding the position in
the city attorneys office, and Mrs.
Georgia Hall is police court clerk.
Neither has ia ken the civil service eX-
animation, and Mayor House has said
they DO not need to.
The issues. in all probability, will be
drawn on the question of whether
these two positions will continue to be
filled as at present or whether some
of the successful applicants passing
the civil service examination will get
the jobs.
Garrett Complains.
I. B. Garrett, a member of the To-
peka civil service commission. pays
his respects to Jay E. House, mayor.
concerning the mayors attitude to-
ward civil service, in the following:
Jay E. House, mayor of Topeka
enforcer of its laws, says he does not
believe in the civil service law, and
will pay no attention to the recon-
mendations of the board of civil ser
vice commissioners. As we'll might |
we have elected Emma Goldman for |
our mayor.
lowing to the fact that the supreme |
court of Kansas declared that patrol |
men were public officials (not en- |
ployees) the civil service board has |
not commended any applicants for |
patrolmen.
"At the special examination in July |
no applications were received for the /
position of clerk of the police court or |
stenographer to the city attorney.
The board hopes to receive a number
from persons thoroughly competent,
men or women, FL years of age or
over, at the next regular examination,
which will be held in the city hall
Monday. October 4, at o'clock. APP
plication blanks may be obtained at
the office of the city clerk.
Bang! Zip! Hooray!
The mayor is quite strong on flap
doodle and twiddle-twaddIe; also
quite profuse with the first person.
singular. as: I think I had I
would I pay my Judgment etc
We organization Evidently Mr.
House has not been reading much
about that effective organization in
rerre Hauta. Ind They We're SO EFF
'ectively organized that quite a num-
Der of them are trying to get out of
he federal peritentiary.
Organization used to be the thing,
1ut the taxpayers these days are de-
handing competent and efficient SER
yice rather than ability to swing an
election. The public wants its en-
1Ioyees to measure up tC the stand
lrd of employees of private corpora
ions.
THE legislature of the state of
Kansas passed a civil service law for
titles the size of Topeka or for cities
smaller or cities larger. The other
of Topeka obey the
state law. Mr.. House must do the
anne, or he must prove himself bigger
han the law.
(Signed) ct B. GARRETT"
The statements of Mayor House, to
which Garrett takes exception, were
n reply to a letter from r. P. Van
Hook, secretary of the civil service
of Colorado Springs.
Mayor House said:
"Our support for the civil service !
commission is 500 a year. 1 think it
$ too much. If 1 had my way about
t. 1 would abolish Doth the commits {
ion and the appropriation. In my !
department 1 pay no attention to rec
'oard.
The man who wishes to build up a ,
oval and effective organization, must !
elect the material with which to do
t. The civil service idea as applied to
tiles of this size is. in my judgment.
l.