The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-04
Vote No on Amendment No. 2

believe in the merit system. |
have worked Tor IL for several
years and have urged others TO do
so ever since it has been before
the people Of this state.
II is because | am for good
merit system that am against this
amendment which claims 10 be
aimed at establishing civil service
| mcrit SYSTEM for the state of
Michigan.
We already have a civil service
in this state !, is not perfect, II
has been abused; it should be
GRADUALLY amended by the legis
laure: and 1t will be if you tell
your representatives in the state
Legislature that you want ii
amended These folks always do as
they believe the voters want them
| TO do
If the amendment carries It will
again upset all the employees of tie
state for more than a year. II will
absolutely destroy some OF the fin
est departments We have in the
state. For example. the State Police
| and the Department of COnsCrya-
tion have been many years in build
ing up their fine group Of employees.
They are not changed with every
new administration. Don't let any
crank tell you otherwise. Many
other departments have likewise
been well established and are not
subject to the spois system.
II this amendment carries these
departments will le under the new
civil service system. Every position
will be open to a competitive exam
ination. These examinations must
be given for more than $1,000 posi-
tions in the state. If they are like
the exams Of the previous one. they
will contain lot of silly and If.
relevant questions. Personality,
character disposition will count for
nothing Many good and competent
men will be thrown out and their
places taken by new and untried
men. At the very least these good
and competent employees Will be
subjected 10 the annoyance and
W
doing the work OF the state. Why
upset the whole work of the state
for another two years when it is so
absolutely unnecessary and so ter
ribly harmful TO good government?
There are many departments Of
the state which should be under
civil service and many should not
be. A good system will never be
established by going into II whole
sale 1t should be established by
department and such changes made
as are found necessary. We tried
making prohibition state and nation
wide and see what a mess We made
of it. | was for that. but now know
We would have gotten farther to
take il more slowly.
This amendment provides that
commission of four unsslarisd
men shall select one man vho shall
have complete charge of appoint
ments and OF all salaries OF every
employe under civil service He will
not be subject to the Legislature, the
Governor, or to anyone else. Money
is power. No one man should have
this power. Michigan is not yet
ready for a Dictator hope.
1t also provides that total OF
one per cent of the salaries OF the
state shall ard must be appropriate
ed for the use of this new depart
ment. each year. whether the de-
partment needs 1t or not. This will
mean about 100000 a year 1t is
absolutely unnecessary. This part
Of the act must appear silly to even
grade school pupil. II is more
evidence OF the loose drafting of
the act.
Because OF such loose drafting
large numbers OF local employees
will automatically be included I'M
der state civil service control Do
you want your local election board
and your public school teachers I'M
der control OF State Civil Service?
Competent authorities on state
constitutional law say that this will
be the case If this amendment be-
comes law In case OF a vacancy in
an elective office. as this amend
ment is now drawn. the vacancy
would be filled by the Civil Serv-
ice Director. o no. The drafters OF
the amendment did not intend it
that way, but the loosely drawn act
provides for II,
The worst part of the amend.
ment is that when mistakes are
found ii will be very difficult to
change them. As the amendment
will be part CT the constitution 1t
will be almost impossible to
change: and if it is possible to
make a change, it will be very slow
and costly
Let us build up our civil service
in the state slowly and carefully.
II this amendment is passed the
people Of the state may soon be-
come so disguised with civil serv-
ice that they win throw it all out
just like they did prohibition and
then we will revert back TO a spells
system much worse than we have
ever Seen Retain the civil service
system we now have and improve
II as we 20; don't ruin II.
Vote no on Amendment No. >.
Don't ruin the State Police, the De
partment OF Conservation and many
other good departments OF tie state
government