The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-04-07

/ inc
The new proposal 10 drop three
clerks from the councils budget.
like previous proposals. OF the same
sort. Will fail. The pull OF the
clerks In stronger than tho will OF
tho council
Now, the clerks involved are good
men. Each 10 competent In his
own limo OF work. But tho fact
remains that tho clerks who walt
upon tho statesmen In tho city
council like their jobs. and intend
To keep them. They will success
fully practice abortion on the cf-
fort 10 Dust them from their emil.
nently respectable and highly com
Portable places.
Hut n council having at heart ef-
/ fieiency and economy would be res
oiuta 10 remove them 20 their prop
or positions in the several depart
menta from which they very pleas.
antly graYitated TO the council
chamber
There arc four clerks attached
now TO the council. and supposed
TO DO under the control OF that
body. This control Ii imaginary.
That II one OF the Joys OF life. for
these clerical servants OF the peo-
Pile by proxy thru the council. II is
truc they work, and are willing TO
work when there Is work to do, or
a question 10 be answered. and
work hard at times In spots or by
/ Jerks. but the rest Of the time they
are their own masters and gentle
men Of leisure. and jolly good fell
lows with themselves, the council
manic statesmen and the loafing
public.
Whence They Came
/ -Four clerks have been impercep-
tibly acquired by the council. They
each enjoy n substantial II not n
generous salary compared with the
rest OF tho salary roll. As nov
recall. two OF them properly belong
10 the comptroiler's office. ono 20
tho city clerks office and the other
10 the engineers department
Under tn. charter the comptroller
In also city clerk. IL In his duty
to furnish any clerical assistance
needed by the council. He Is also
the financial officer OF the city. II
In bis duty TO furnish any financial
I information the councilman need
This. similarly. IL true OF the en-
cheering. and. indeed, Of all the
/ Departments.
Here ia the point: These clerks
should BIO under the control of their
respective departments. IL this
& a. - .
tho council they would report back
to their departments. and would be
put to other work In the samc man.
ncr that other iess favored clerks
arc kept At work during lawful
working hourp. A. II II those
clerks are irresponsible. They en-
10y q sost snap most Of the year. |
All the other clerks ~ the city hall
know Of this fssoritisr,. and the
example 10 bad, and breeds dlssat-
isfacfIon.
As 10 tho finance clerk the case
IL even worse. He keeps one %,
full but excluded chief-tho comp.
trolier--keeps another set OF fig
ures. and the only set OF figures
authorized by law. The result 10
confusion ard friction.
Simplicity Wanted
In governmental affairs. ~ In |
private business, simplicity and
directness should be aimed mt.
These clerks should 70 back |
whence they came or belong. When |
the council needs information or
assistance. that can be forthcoming |
from any department in tho regular
way.
The council should not warp the |
charter TO please particular council
men.
Tho old sdaqs runs:
THE village would be cleanly
kept
" each before HE own door
swept"
II the council In dead earnest for |
efficiency and economy In city AZ
fairs. II Will conform its own prac.
tees to the charter.
Tho comptroller could serve the
taxpayers well by at once refusing |
TO pay the salary warrants IN
ton. AUSTIN II. GRfFFTrHs.