New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-02
THE CTSJCM UOCSE.

The clearing out OF the 'uh'om ilo"7'' III
accordance with the recommendations oil the
Pres dents Commission, has begun III dcad
earnest. and to-day over one hundred and h.ty
superhuOus civil service patriots are waihlis
about with their heads under their arms.
There can be no complaint that Collector
Arthur is not faithfully executing his irStruc-
lions. He is by no means the worst OF the ola
school of Custom House place-holders. lie IN
beritrd a tremendous load of abuses from his
predecessors in office, and it can be said OF HIM
not only that he added nothing to the mass, but
he did begin some vount Try reforms, and made
himself much more acceptable to the merchants
than any collector who had presided over the
politics and commerce of the port of New
York for number of years Considering that
he did what he was set to do as dccently rs
he could, it seems only proper that he should
be allowed an opportunity to try his mana at
reform under the new order of things, and so
long AS he co0perates faithfully ana efficiently
with the President and Secretary III their I'M
dertakng, we see no reason why he should be
molestod.
The Naval Officer is another functiOnary who
ought to have chance. Nobody finds lault
with the manner in which Mr.. Cornell dis
charges the duties of his place, or has any
thing to say against his private character. lie
has been the object of a great deal OF political
luminosity on account of his close friendship
for one Senator. But friendship does not fur
nish a caus5 for removal under the new Civil
Service rule. The administration Is not In Il
condition to offer gratultouS aiirontS To any
one; and besides, the rivalries of the two
New York Senators are of course to he ex-
tingulshed when the New-IOrk Custom House
goes out of politics. and the Cmei Executive
takes to minding his own business.
The present Surveyor, however, appears to be
an officer of a somewhat different stamp. lie
has been so cOnspicuously and exclusively
a working politician, and has been Kept III
places onotolously for the sole sake OF his partl-
san labors, that it seems little less than absurd
10 undertake n reform winch does not reform
him clean out. Ii will not do for Mr.. Hayes to
furnish the Custom House merely with a set
of rules and expect it to drift into efficiency
without other help. He must make some
changes in the force and Gen. Sharpe appears
TO be an excellent subject to begin with. And
when it comes to filing the vacated place we
trust that the President will make 10 mistake
He needs 10 IniuSc new DlOOu lHID tHt htp'i'-
ment, for one thing; TO give it not mere
doctrinaire, but practical man of business;
and for another thing he needs to convince
somewhat skcptical and pcrverse public OF the
reality of his reforms, by selecting man OF
the highest character, whom even Islander has
not assaled and whose name Will ne sufficient
guarantee that nothing in the nature of po-
litical Job is concealed under the change.
Such a man, for instance, would be Gen. +. a.
Merritt who filled the naval office to the
entire acceptance of the mercantile com
munity seven years 90, and was re-
moved in consequence of a political feud,
leaving reputation for zeal and efficiency
which seems to entille him to be recalled to
the service Of the Government, now that
political feuds are ont of date. We do not
urge Gen. Mciritt's appointment, If President
HAYES knows OF better man; we only mem
ZION him as sample of the kind Of Sur
veyor New-York ought to have. 1t Is fur
ther and very important point i'll his favor,
that he has the confidence and good will of
all the Republican factions. Pray let us have
no more domestic broils at the Custom House.