New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-04
PRESIDENT HAYES TALKS 10 4 BRIToM
From, The Whitehall Perie,c.


was received in the apartment in which the
President meets his Cablnet-a room lighted by two
large od-fashioned windows. affording distant
glimpses of the silver Potomac. The furniture is in
walnut upholstered in grayish-bue raw SIX, ana IL
sngulary plain and unpretentious Over the man
tel and English fireplace IS very fine mirror; on
the mantel a clock with three dlas. portrait Of
George Washington in uniform adorns one wall,
while rolling maps almost conceal the others. Two
bureau-desks. with geOn- holes crammed to burst
ing silently tell their own tales; while at standing
desk full in the light of one window, the President
gets through great deal OF his heavy work. HIS
pr yate secretary bureau is approached by three
steps, a bust of Washington surrounding the door
way. The table at which j found the President
seated used at Cabinet meetings the Secretary OF
State taking the bottom seat facing the President
Ii is choked with baskets of carefully enveloped
and dOcketed papers, teleGrams, letters, cards and
books of reference Some flowers made an oasis i'll
this desert of official table-land. The President
dresses with severe republican simphcIty-trock-
coat, waistcoat, trousers and tie, ell black. lie
wears no ornament whatsoever. only q wedding
ring The Presidents hobby is Civil Service Re-
form, and upon query OF mine he plunged IN
medals res
the Civil Service" he said, have, in the MAN,
been quite satisfactory. Under such circumstances"
continued the President, &" the popular public
opinion does not seem 10 be as much attracted to
the necessity for reform as 1t would II the conduct
of the Government in the several departments was
less satisfactory. And yet suspect that, If the
general conduct of our Civil Service
satisfactory it has been at some periods m our
history, IL would be fOnDd that there would be
people in favor of what is called civil Service Re-
FORM
do Won expect to be practically aided by Con-
Qress in endeaYOr TO reform the ClYll Service,
Mr. President
II have no doubt that Congress will have an
important part III the accomplishments of the re-
fOm' -
what direction would legislation takep
LEGISLATION should take the direction of entirely
relieving Congressman of the responsibility OF
what is commonly called the distribution of pat
IOnage,"
- DO you regard this step as of vital import
ance I"
" | have always regarded il as an essential step,
If not the first step to be taken in orr progress to-
ward complete reform"
Referring to the competitive system, the President
SAID:
"In view of the facts that during a considerable
period the Government OF Great Britain has been
dealing with administrative problems and abuses,
in various particulars analogous to those presented
in this country, and that In recent years the meas
ures adopted understood to have been effective
and in every respect highly satisfactory, thought
II desirable TO have ruler upon te SUP
jrct, and accordingly requested the chairman OF the
Civil Service Commission to make thorough In
vestigatlOn for TINS purpose The result mas been
an elaborate and comprehensive report. The report
SETS forth the history of the partisan spOils system
of Great Britain, of the rise and tall of Pariamen
airy patronage, and of official interference with the
freedom of elections 1t shows that, after long
trials of various kinds of examinations those which
competitive and open on equal terms to all, and
which are carried on under the superintendence OF
single Commission have with great advantage
been established conditions OF admission to al
most every official place III the subordinate admin
istratiOn of that country and of British India.
While the reform measures of another Government
are of no authority for us. they entitled to III
fuence to the extent TO which their intrinsic wis
dom and their adaptation TO institutions and
social life may commend them to consdera-
tionD
In conclusion the President said:
d" am convinced that If n just and definite test
of merit is enforced for admission to the public
vice and In making promotions, such abuses as re-
Aap t1llta pFIg tli gnI
interference with the proper exercise of the appoint
ing power will, IN large measure, disappear"