Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-03-14
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President lllyes's private letter to Collec-
tor Merritt, ln-ie public By special permits
sion, continues TO be greatly praised as one
of the most sensible and praiseworthy Of
utteranceS. Especially is the Presidents
Injunction, Neither NY recommendation
lin regard to appointments nor that of
Secretary Sherman nor Of any member Of
Congress or other Influential persons must
be specially regarded held up for aimira-
tion as IN embodiment Of sound sense and
laudable seli-abnegation, and as comprising
in a simple rule the essence Of true civil
service reform. Ii does not strike Us quite
in ;ha; way. Why, pray, should such
wide and absolute distinction be made
between recommendations for Office and
other recommendations Why should ad-
vice in regard to an appointment be of no
account, though coming from a man whose
character. experience and standing give
weigh; to bis advice in other kindred
matters? Suppose We should call up
Collector Merritt and ask him why he at
Tackled any especial consequence to the
President advice, above quoted, not to re-
gard specially the recommendations Of in
fucntial persons? lie would say, probably,
that the advice 0! tie head of the Nation in
a matter to which LIE had given special
thought, and in regard to which he rested
under grave responsibility, and IN regard to
which a long period Of public service,
crowned by two years at the very head
and fountain of patronage, had given
him much and valuable experience, must,
from the nature Of the case, be Of high
value. lie might add. perhaps, that
the relations between himself and the Pfes-
dent, to whom he owed his appointment,
were such that advice from such source
mand,-and that the President, knowing
this, woull not give him advice without ex-
pccting him to follow it, nor without accept
ing his share Of the responsibility attaching
to the resulting action. This would perhaps
be regarded as a sensible reply. But why,
in the name Of common sense, should not
the same reasons be equally good for needing
a recommendation by the President OF a
man .or an appointment in the New York
Custom House? Ii the President Is fit to
select a Secretary Of the Treasury, or
Collector Of Customs, he ought to be f; to
choose deputy collector. Ii his rec)m-
mehdations Tor appointments are worth
nothing. his advice with regard to what re-
commentators are to be regarded, and what
disregaried, must be Of small value We do
not think j. is the Presidents place II select
gaugers and deputies for the New York
Custom llOuse-his time and thoughts
should lie sayed for more important duties -
bat when he makes a recommendation be is
eatitled To the presumption that be has con-
place, AID i prepared u say that obe i fit
for the other and when he says it, his
advice stoud be specially regarded" 1t |
should have the weight attaching to the
character aai position and responsibility Of
its author Why not?
Al immense amount Of nonsense is put |
forth with regard to this matter Of official |
recommendations for cEce, and we confess
that We are sorry u see President IIaye- |
contributing t. the quantity. If man i, Of
clear head, Of sound judgment, Of acquain-
tance with men AMI thiags-cautious in
regard to his words and acts, a man of prin-
ciplc, his is the recommendation that should |
be specially REGARDED. IF he i high in Office |
and fit to be there, it IL the more to be
because Of the high responsibility |
attaching to his place and to all his acts
therein. The people who air their wisdom
on the suij ct Of evil service reform seem 50
often TO forget tia; som'5ody's recommenda-
tons for appointments must DC heedcd Gen.
Merritt cannot personally know anything
about one in a hundred Of the men he puts
or keeps in ,lh;c under hun. The same is
true Of every officer who has many subordi-
n tie places under him. lie has got to rely
on the advice Of some one. To discard the
Of heads Of departments.
Of Senators aud CDngrCs,nen, involves in
many caecs the acceptance ofthe recommenda-
tons OF persons less qualified to advise
md under smaller safeguards of responsible
ty. If the President had said to Collector
Merritt, 'Dj not specially regard the advice
Of any man who has shown himself to be
IOoiish, reckless or yenal in his choice of his
or in his recommendations of
others, though he be i Congressman or
,lbinet officer" it would have been sound
counsel. But to say that the Influence Of
my President or Secretary Of the Treasury
,r Senator or Representative is to be avoid
d in making selections of men for the civil
eryice, and that their recommendations are