Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-06-01

The Commission of three prominent gen.
tlemen. who have been investigating the
New York Custom House, have made
partial report TO the Secretary of the Treas
ury in which they recommend that the
force in the Custom House, Naval Office,
and Surveyors department, be reduced
twenty per cent. The force now employed
is pronounced inefficient, having secured
their places through political influence,
which is declared TO be an unsafe and i'm
proper way TO conduct business the prac-
tice which prevails, of levying assessments
upon the officials for political purposes, is
also strongly condemned. Secretary Sher-
man in officially calling the Presidents at
tention to this report, says that as its sug-
gestions relative to appointments to Office
upon political influence involve questions
of general policy which affect other depart
ments OF the Administrator, he desires
instructions as TO the rules which the Pres
ident wishes adopted on he subj t-matier,
so that they may be applied in the reforms
proposed in the New York Custom House.
To this Mr.. Hayes replies as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
MY DEAR SIR: have read the partial
report of the Commission appointed to ex-
anime the New York Custom House. /
concur with the Commission in their rec
concentrations. 1t is my wish that the col
lection of the revenues should be free from
partisan control and organized on a strict
ly business basis, with the same guaran-
tees for efficiency and fidelity in the selec-
ton of the chief and subordinate officers
that would he required by prudent mer-
chant. Party leaders should have no more
influence in appointments than other equal
ly respectable citizens; no assessments for
political purposes on officers or subordi-
mates should be allowed no useless officer
or employe should be retained no officer
should be required or permitted TO take
part in the management of political organ
iZations, caucuses or election campaigns.
Their right to vote and express their views
on public questions, either orally or
through the press, is not denied, provided
ii does not interfere with The discharge of
their official duties.
Respectfully, RIB. HAYES.
The Hon. John Sherman.
In this letter Mr.. Hayes briefly and Wig
orously condenses the whole question Of
civil service reform. Political trimmers
must step down and out, custom houses
must be conducted on business principles,
inefficient and superfuous officials will not
be retained because Of their party services,
and no assessments for political purposes
will be permitted. Tho letter is complete
vindicaton of the sincerity of Mr.. Hayes's
declarations on the civil service question
in his letter of acceptance, and is an assur-
ance to the country that his promises are
to be fulfilled and new order of things is
TO prevail. The President understands per-
fectly that the enforcement of a rule of this
kind will cause a complete revolution, es-
pecially in the New York Custom House,
and knows that ii will meet with OPPOSE
ton from influential politicians, but it is
his determination at least to try the exper-
iment of conducting the business of the
government on strictly business principles,
and in this his efforts will be seconded by
those of the Secretary OF the Treasury and
all other department officers. They will
certainly be cordially endorsed by the peo-
pie at large.