Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-28
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
HOW 1T CHANGES THE COURSE
OF THE OFFICE SEEKERS.

The Commission the Mecca Toward
Which they Must Bend their Foot
steps-Philanthropist COrcOran's In
Vestments-An Erroneous Impression
Set Right.
WASHINGTON, April 27.-The princi-
pal officers in the several government de-
partments say that they are very much
satisfied with the civil service reform
commission. No matter whether it
amounts TO much or not-and they are
divided in their opinions as to what prac-
tical good the commission will accom-
plish-it certainly does them a great SER
vice. The vast horde Of people who have
been in the habit of making life less pleas
ant to these gentlemen by their incessant
and not TO be shaken off appeals for place
are now estOpped early in their
assaults. When the men, women
or children bear down upon the
government officer now they are soon got
ten rid of. They are told that nothing can
be done for them there. 1t is impossible
Ihe ClYil Service Reform Commission is
the place TO go. Under the civil service
bill the commission is the source from
which appointments must spring. at is
no use, you see,' they say, ''to come to
us. We can do nothing" The logic of
the situation is grasped and the applicant
goes his or her way, which in nine cases
out Of ten terminates at the Civil Service
commissioners. This isia good thing for
the government officers; it rids them of a
nuisance. But it is pretty hard upon the
Civil Service Commission.
1t is said that there is but one man of
great wealth in this country who does not
own government bond. He is w. W.
Corc0ran, of this city, the philanthrOpist.
Mr.. COrcOran has very peculiar views
about the investment of his money. He
was Southern sympathizer during the
war. He believes in the South He does
not like the North very much. His feel
ings upon this point dictate the invest
ment of his money. That is why he doesn't
own any government bonds. He is very
10th TO invest in any kind of Northern
security. He prefers to go South for his
Investments. lie purchases State and
city bonds south of the line. He has
often lost money in this way, but proba-
bly, no more than he would have lost had
he invested in similar Northern securi-
ties. When he endowed the Louise Home
Tor Aged Ladies i'll this city, he did so in
great part with bonds of the CITY of Mem
phis. They afterwards became Valueless,
but he made good the endowment. For
many years the bank Of Riggs & Co.. of
which he is partner, would not have in
It's employ any but Southern people. But
mat custom has been swept away with
the years.
The star route trials have indeed cost
much more than should have been ex-
pended upon them, and they are not vet
through. But it is not right that Brews-
ter s-ould be charged, as he is in nearly
every paper in the country, with doing
something that he has not done. 1t is
printed and printed again that the reason
why the Appropriation for the Day Of iu-
rOrs and other expenses of the United
States Courts has run so low is because
Brewster has spent the money on the star
route trials. Nothing could be further
out of the way than this. The eX-
penseS for the star route trials, and
for the United States Courts through
out the country. are provided for
in entirely separate and distinct
appropriations. There is no connection
whatever between them. The Attorney
General could not get dollar out of the
Treasury for the star route cases which
was appropriated for another use, and
he certainly has not done so. All the
talk that the courts have to 90 slow on
account Of the shOTtness of funds, be-
cause these funds have been used for star
route purposes, is nonsense.
decision upon question involving
customs duties which aptly illustrates
many cases i'll which importers try to get
ahead of law, was revealed to-day by the
treasury Department. A certain man in
New ork is engaged in the manufacture
OF feather busters. The tariff laws place
pretty high duty on feathers. OuilIs.
however, are upon the free list. The man
referred to imports feathers to make
his busters. He claimed that they should
come Ill free because theV were 0uills
The Collector of Customs at New York
held that they must pay duty as feathers.
An appeal was taken to the Secretary of
the Treasury, who to-day decided that the
duty must be paid. He wrote letter TO
the ingenious manufacturer that his ouills
certainly must be feathers, as by his own
admission they were used in the manu-
facture Of feather busters.
was a witness to-day of the final settle
ment of a question of long standing. The
question involved the payment of $4,000
to the government. 1t was a compromise
case. IbayOd a. Perranaud, of New
York, have had a case pending against
them for number of years, in which the
government was plaintiff to recover thou
sands of dollars. The firm had been in
completely with a Boston man named
Bush in dispOsing of large amount of
whisky upon which no taxes had been
paid. They offered to compromise. Finally
it was decided by the government that II
would stop suit for $20,0OO. Then hitch
occurred. The firm had its money here in
safe deposit vault in the form of a 800
900 certified check on a well known bank
ing house in New York. To-day the hitch
was removed and the money accented. 1t
took just about five minutes for the check
to be put in the Treasury for collection
and the agent of the firm to walk away
with a receipt and the necessary papers,
which had in that time been signed by the
Acting Commissioner Of Internal Reve-
nue. and by the United States Treasnrer.