New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-31
CbLLECTOR PAN HORNS CASE.

In his letter accepting the nomination Tor
the Presidency General Arthur wrote
at seems to me that the rules which should
"be applied to the management OF the pup
lie service may properly conform, IN the
"main, to such as regulate the conduct OF
successful private business" There can be
no doubt that the position thus taken by Gen.
eral Arthur is correct. If the Civil Service
ever is to be purified and placed upon per-
manently healthy basis, that position must be-
come the settled policy of those who admins
Ter the affairs of this Government And yet
to agree with what General Arthur thus wrote
in July, 1880, is to condemn President Arthur
out of his own mouth for removing Collector
Burt Van Horn in March, 1882.
We have already shown by reference to the
official records Of the Internal Revenue De-
parfment that Mr. Van Horn has discharged
the duties OF his office with perfect fidelity
and marked efficiency. When he was APP
pointed in 1877 the Office was not in n salts
factory condition the records were incomplete
and the service in other respects was not
what was to be desired or to be reasonably
expected of the incumbent. Mr.. Van Horn
raised the grade of the office from fifth class
where he found ito first class, and very
largely increased the collections of the district.
The collections for the year preceding the one
in which he was appointed amounted TO
$7O6,121 90. The first year of his
service the collections were Increased
$13O,3s5 SO. The second year the increase
was $685. 7S, although the tax on tobacco
being reduced effected large reduction in the
receipts Of the district. The third year the
increase was $143,SS5 43, and the fourth
year it was $279,599 Is. Less than year
ago Green B. Raum, Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, in the light of these and related
facts wrote to Mr.. Van Horn, % am gratiiied
ito be able to state not only that your oiilce
maintains the highest rank, but that the reve-
"nue agent reports that its present condition
"and the manner of conducting business do not
"admit of criticism in any respect" Believing
that his removal was a fragrant in
Justice, Mr.. Van Horn has presented the
record he has made in Office to the Senate
committee to which the nomination of his sue
cessor was referred, and asked their judgment
upon it. And he has strengthened his case by
submitting one or two other weighty consider
ations 1t has been the rule, as he points out.
to continue in service Collectors whose services
have been efficient and acceptable to the Gov
ernment In this State it has been the invari-
able rule. No collector has been removed and
no changes have been made except for cause.
With two exceptions, MIR. Van Horn has been
in service the shortest time of all the col
lectOrs in the State, and in those two cases
vacancies were. caused by death and had TO be
filed. With these exceptions, the collectors
have been in continuous service from eight to
fifteen years, while Mr.. Van Horn has served
less than five years. Another point which
was presented to the committee by MIR.
Van Horn was that in accordance with the
recommendation of the President in his recent
message, and of the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, a bill is now pending in Congress Civ
ing fixed tenure for all Collectors to be hereaf-
ter appointed, and providing that the commits
sions of all Collectors now in service and who
shall have been in service four years or more
on a fixed day in the near future, shall expire
on that day. If this bill becomes a law the
question Of the tenure of Office of any and all
Collectors would solve itself.
We have yet to hear any course assigned
for the removal of Mr.. Van Horn save one
the fact that he is and has been an ardent
Garfield Republican, There is no flaw in his
personal or official record. The public has had
in its service no servant more trustworthy.
To supersedo such man is denial of JUS
tee, blow at Civil Service Reform, and an
insult to the dominant Republican sentiment
of the State and the country. The Senate
would honor itself if it pucked up indie
pendence enough to refuse to consummate the
wrong.