OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC OFFICE
There are many opportunities in public office in every city, and county in the United States.
Many a man with a dark outlook, if familiar with the many opportunities in public service, might find awaiting him just the kind of work he likes best.
In this field there is work from the most ordinary labor to the professions. Activities of the city, county, state and national government each year create opportunities which should not be overlooked by those who desire employment or who already have employment and desire work more in accord with their tastes. There is, perhaps, no more ideal work one can be engaged in. In public service you work under the best conditions and the workers do not sacrifice their liberties, and the hours and pay are good. Civil Service is now used by many city governments, which insures permanency. The Government every year offers great opportunities to workers through Civil Service which is set forth in Plan No. 217.
As space in this book will not permit me to enumerate the many opportunities given by governments in all cities, counties and states, I have taken the City of Spokane, County of Spokane, State of Washington, as an illustration and from this it will be easy for you to check up the opportunities in your own locality.
This brief of public affairs will be suggestive to those people who desire to enter public service as a career, as from this they can determine what work best suits their abilities.
The City of Spokane has been for a number of years under the commission form of government. The people elect five men at $3,500 each to run the affairs of the city. These men direct the affairs of the city much like the manager of a business. The salaries encourages good business ability to contest for these offices. Each commissioner is given a department and each department has a certain number of divisions, which are as follows: Those with a star before the name are either named by the commissioner at the head of the department or by the five commissioners together. Those names before which no star appears are covered by the Civil Service Board. If the office is appointive the thing for you to do is to get in touch with the party who gives appointments. Each division in the city departments offer opportunity for various kinds of service, the nature of which is shown. Your city offers like opportunities.