Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-04
Representative Thkham Intro.
duces Bill for Local Civil J
Service Reform. II
THINKS THERE IS NEED =
FOR CHANGE IN DISTRICT
Recent Hearings Led Him to Be-
ieve There Il Too Much Politics
in Appointments.

A forward movement in favor
Of the home rule principle for the
District Of Columbia was made
today by Representative Tink-
ham of Massachusetts,, member
of the House District committee,
who introduced a bill to place the
Districts municipal government
on a civil service basis, and to
remove political pressure from
the appointments to District Of
fees. -.--
Representative Tinkham wrote and
csfpt by him Of . letter from President
John A. Mcnhenny Of the United States
civil service commission. in which q
civil service system for the District was
recommended In plain terms. Incl
dentally, Mr.. Tinkham's mail today con-
tions ana private property owners COM
mending him for hts recently intro
duced bill to prevent the Commission
ers from assessing private property for
work Of opening had started.
The Tinkham bill ito regulate ap-
pointments and promotions In the mo.
nicipal government Of the District OF
months from enactment mo person
shall be employed to enter or to be
promoted in the service Of the munich
pal government OF the Distriod OF 20
amfnations." It ID provided that the
general civil service scheme be extend
ed to cover the municipal government.
Need for Civil Service, He Says.
Representative Tinkham. who has
been most active in the work OF the
District government since he was
placed ON the House committee. said
today,
There IL q chsnce for real construe-
leve that every American citfxen wants
to zee Warrington, the NattonaI Capital.
placed on Q basis OF sound and up-to-
~ I've seen 10 far that there is a
real need for civil sefvice In the Dis
trict building, and asked questions In
one OF the recen MAJ fhere is too much
political pressure brought to bear Tor
amendments to Offices here. I am go
Ing to push this ~! Iul. "a and a.t also u an, am
BIN. for the appointment OF . citizen OF
washington as recorder Of deed2--
think the situation Is clearly stated In
the letter from the civil service COM
miesion, which 10 . reply to an inquiry
I sent the commission only Gay or
The sisnincant paragraph In the letter
IL a. follows:
Says System Il Applicable.
,srhe question of the application Of
the merit system to municipalities has
been, settled for the country at large
nv its adoption In more than 400 cities.
counties and villages and By ten state
governments. The employees Of the
District Of Columbia government, num-
bering. July 1. 1915. 7.14S. constitute
the largest body Of public workers in
Washington who are left outside of the
civil service law.
which the executive departments have
been freed ID thus left to be exerted
largely upon the District government.
A merit system OF appointment IL ap-
piled to every city IN the eco country y hav
ton and the commission believes that
the employees Of the Capital city of the
nation should be appointed under such
a system, especially because of the nom
partisan character of the municipality
and its purely administrative nature"
Representative Tinkham is outlining
for his own guidance a. program of
constructive work whereby the prin-
ciple of home rule can be enacted as
far as possible in all legislation AFFECT
ing" this city. Representative Tinkham
Is looked upon in the House as an ex.
government, as he had Considerable ex-
perience in the government of the city
Of Boston before he ran for Congress