Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-01-14
HENNEPlN COUNTY DELEGATION
BEGINS STRUGGLE - LABOR
LEADERS SPEAK AGAINST
THE ACT.
COMMISSION MEMBERS
DEFEND THE MEASURE
Ernest =. Smith Declares II Has Taken
Appointments Out ef Politics and
Under Present System Best
Man Gets the Joh---The
Statute Satisfies. H

Minneapolis, Jan. 1.-The attack
upon the civil service law was opened
at meeting OF the members Of the
Hennepin county delegation In the leg.
islature held In the mayors reception
room, Al bill for the repeal Of the
law has already been introduced in
the legislature by Representative
James Dwyer OF Minneapolis. Friends
Of the law were on hand TO support 1t.
Labor leaders and others spoke
against the law, criticising It's proyis-
lens and attacking the administration.
Two members OF the commission. Er.
nest Il. Smith and j. G. Mulhelland,
and the secretary, Forrest Wheeler,
defended the administration Of the
law. There were other matters pre-
sented to the legislators but most OF
the time was devoted to arguments for
and againat the civil service law.
Call Present Act a Farce.
Declaring that the present civil
service act Is d farce and should be
repealed. Dr. Menry Wuerzingar said
that some Of the best city employees
had been discharged without cause and
without having any charges preferred
against them.
The mayor or the head of any de-
partment can, under the present con,
ditions, discharge any man working un.
der him. said Doctor Wuerzinger
THE man can demand hearing after
he has been discharged, but 1t win be
of no avail. This has been illustrated
only recently, when one OF the ablest
city employees, d man who had been on
the police force for a number of years,
was sunmarily discharged and when
be demanded hearing he was told
that he could have II, but that It would
be OF no use and that he could not be
reinstated."
Unions Favor Amendment.
A. q. cambridge also spoke depreei.
atingly of the working Of the commits,
sion and while not advocating the re-
peal of the law, made clear the fact
that the labor unions throughout the
city were strongly I'm favor OF the radi.
cal amendment. The method OF hold.
Ing examinations for the different po
sitiuns OF skilled labor was comment.
ed on unfayorably by several speak
ers, many of whom cited specific cases
where they claimed the positions for
which the examinations were held
were not given to the most capable
workmeM. .
Says Bert Man Gets Job.
ut has taken kha appointments out
of politics" declared MIR. Smith, "afld
under the present system the hest man
gets the job. The heads of depart.
naents and the employees generally are
satisfied with the law as II now
stands. The only way that the city
can obtain ar efficient administration
In by having the head OF department
held responsible for the work in his
department. IL any man In q depart
ment Ii not doing satisfactory work.
then the head OF that department
should have the power TO discharge
him. The applicants for positions In
the employ OF the city are judged by
men who are competent We try to
get examiners who are capable OF
picking out the best man for the job.
but with over 900 labor applications
and more than $500 others, IL ia pos.
sible that in isolated cases the best
man does not set the job, The exist
ing law Is far superior to similar laws
in other states,