Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-06-07
CIVIL SERVICE.
Commissioned Eaten Makes IN Exc
plaiation Of
THE SELECTION or OFFICE HOLDERS.
A Reply to Criticisms Made Ia Certain
Quartes-The Advantages Which
the Commission Hope to Gain
by their Action.

wAsHxeroy, June 6.-Mr. Dorman d.
Eaton, Of the civil service commission, has
replied to criticisms which have been
made upon the action Of the commission.
ers in selecting local examiner from Old.
GERS already in the public service, and In
answer 10 doubts which have been express.
ed with regard to the justice and impartial.
ity of examiners 80 selected.
"Such criticism" Mr.. Eaton says. "is
superficial and LARGELY based on q misrcp-
resentation Of facts. The thind section OF
the the civil service law requires all the
examiners 10 be selected from smong those
in the civil service Of the United StaLes.
branch OF the criticism. Salaries would
have been necessary for examiners, II not
In the public service; and ten years might
have elapsed before public opinion would
have forced Congress to
Vste such sAlarieA
The competitive examinations already
held, not only at Washington, but at the
New York custom house, naval otiice and
post.ofsice-the latter Of which especially
having been the educating and salutary
examples by reasen OF which. In
large measure the enactment Of the
present law was made possible-hsve
all been conducted by examiners selected
from among the officials Of the offices
where the examinations were conducted.
Ii was the reform thus achieved which first
convinced the friendly critics that any re-.
form was possible and which first conyin:.
ed the hostile critics that there
spoils systen 10 - Peril.
A common criticism from two such oppo.
site quarters is at least amusing. The
merits OF q theoretical criticism, which
thus distrusts the future only by ignoring
or slanderipg all that has been good ia the
past. seems TO be apparent
But aside from all necessity and practi.
cal justi itca;ion of IL, there are great ad-
vsntages intrinsically, in selecting the
examiners from the officials at the ofices
to be reformed. Who 80 well N they know
the secret abuse, the defects OF character
AMI capacity among their associates, or the
better qualiicatio Ms required in those
ut.ices? Who N Or than they have Q pride
and interest In improving the office with
The character OF which their own reputa.
tions are identified? Reformers have been
charged with doing injustice TO the public
service by reason OF not admitting that
many examples Of
Worth and ABILITY
are TO be found In every large office. But
the criticism referred to goes much further:
for IL denies to the public service not only
the sense OF justice toward those seeking
TO enter il, but all patriotic aspiranu for
better system or more competent oiiicers;
even raising q presumption OF fraud and
fayoritism upon the bare fact OF the exam
ination being taken. though ~ the best,
from that service. the charge is too
sweeping and damnatory TO he raised even
sgainst the disastrous effects OF the old
spoils system.
'"lf that system has done much toscreen
abuses and TO suppress the expression by
officials sf those
seutiments witch Demand Reform.
Il has vet neither extinguisbed such sen.
timents nor made the abuses acceptable. In
every large office there are competsnt,
high.toned officials. who are humiliated
when they see official favor and
partizan influence give TO Hun
kes and henchmcn the place
which are due 10 capacity and character.
These better men at least. welcome the
new rules. In the safety which the rules
assure and the courage they inspire such
officials see the first opportunity Of 90.
in that vast public service OF which they
are part and to reform which they hold
TO be q
Shall such men he denied . participation
in the work of reform? Shall they be con.
demned by interference and strange eI.
aminers be put over them Are they 70
he utterly rejected because scheming poll
ticisns and patronage monEering legisla-
tors. who fix their salaries and threaten
their removal, have made oil erpression OF
their disgust and aspirations ~ psrilous ~
IL would have been useless? Are We 10 Tor.
get that u has been those serving at the
post0fiice, naval offioe and custom house st
New York who have conducted the admir-.
able examinations there which the nation
has approved? II wss for the purpOse OF
boporiny this worthy class of officers by -.
l,cIins the eSSminers from among them
that the commissioners have visited all the
offices where the examinations are 20 take
place and hsve had interviews with those
Whe viii hs Made EHs0tasss.
mo snsIble man supposes thst oil
pieIud ice or fsvort tlsm can Be elimlnaiSf.
II is not perfection but reformation which
isexpecied. Stringent penal provisions IN
the new law forbid examiners fnvoring sp.
plicsn,s Any discrimination by them on
political or religious grounds 10 declared
cause OF removal; sn effective forcs for
Justice which could not b. applied 70 Q
non ofiicisI examiner. The examinsrs have
no liberty for selecting favorites. Eyssy
one must be examined In the rder OF his
application; every one must Be- ersdsd In
the order OF bis merits, ~ discIossd on hts
application papers. and every one must b.
certified for appointment in the order OF
bis grading; and each act 10 matter OF rec
ord.
These PsDess
remain on fle. and the marking can be re.
,ised and corrected - well year - Day
sfter the examination. Aoy pefson exam.
med who feels sggrieved may appeal Tor
justice 10 tie civil service commission, up
on which both parties are represented. The
number OF partisan hsaohmsn tnd
Official fsvorites who VIII mees
the higher places on the :om.
petitiye list will be very fsS. IL 10 thsy
Where they sre not found there IL small
inducement - thsre 10 small oppostanity
under the merit system, fer any discrimi-
nation on political grounds In making sp'
pointinsns.
has shown that competitive slAfnlnstione
make IN end Of political proscriptioa and
partisan fsvorftism. Il 10 fsss in the
New York Offices that the polihes oi tboss
appointed are even Known. "A cojlsctof o.
postmaster cares little for ths politics d
ihoss be appoints, uhsn be 90 10 !osgef
pick out Lvorities % cosvsss sshoeeiasses
The civil service commiaiooefs and The
chief examiner Will probably leeSs Wssn.
inetou about the middle g the preesnt
montS, and make visits tes ssaees q eis
iss 1, various parts Of ths eeentsy. e:sh
ofiicer falling . particular circuit, tos tes
nurpose Of suecrvinps ths exsmtnsfions
made bp the local exsminins ooesas.
HIcxEasoN's DIVORCE.