The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-11-18
CIVIL SERVICE.
What VIII Be the Policy of
President Cleveland.
qWo VERY EMINENT OPINIONS.
Conservative and in Sympathy With
the Present Civil Service
Law and Rules.
Eaton aDd Til 3ma1 on the Coming
AdministI alton.

KAggu 6SlO n ma OH LhC
AdministI alton.
WASHINGTON, November 16.-The
views of Hon. Dorman B. Eaton, pres
jdent of the Civil Service Commission,
in regard to the probable effects OF
Cleveland and Hendricks election, upon
the maintenance of the civil service law,
have been obtained by a representative
of the Associated Press and are given
in the following report of the interview
Question: "You are from New York,
Mr.. Commissioner, and know what
Governor Cleveland has done there for
civil service reform. Please give the
Associated Press the facts and your
views, as to what he is likely to do
relative to removals and the civil service
act, and rules"
Mr.. Eaton: "These are very delicate
questions for me, In my position, to an
sWer. I have taken no part whatever in
the late campaign. l have the least
right to assume TO speak Tor
Governor Cleveland, or his party
having acted with the republican party
from its origin. l can hardly speak
without some party bias: nevertheless,
/ will frankly tell you what [ think.
" Z bi1dlL hive XII aQlLllllStLdbiOll dOoO-
lutely Democratic in policy, but whether
With a member representing those
without whose vote the Democratic
party would have failed, l will rot
guess; but the civil service act will not
bsrepealed either at the coming session
Or during this generation. Governor
Cleveland and the statesmen of his
party would oppose any attempt to re-
peal it. Republicans as a body would
resist, and the Senate would defeat such
en- attempt. The rules will not be
abolished; they will be enforced under
the new President, but not. [ fear, with
such charging breadth OF application
and such moral support from the party
in power as would have been the case,
certainly, had President Arthur been
reelected. and probably had Mr..
Blaine succeeded. The diSinterestedness
and patriotism of the country are
not very unequally divided between
the great parties, but in my opinion my
party has much the larger part of the
intelligent conviction which has thus
FAR supported civil service reform. Great
numbers Of persons IN the Democratic
ranks are so prejudiced and uniformed
on the subject, that they will clamOr for
removals for the sake of patronage.
They 90 not comprehend that a party
which could elect its candidate only by
the aid of Republican friends of reform
has no chance, il it alienates those
friends, IN future, when they are sure to
be far more numerous and powerful
than now. They still believe in the old
spoils system, not cOmprehendIng that
It is doomed, and caring more, as do
many Republicans also, tor four years
saturnalia of spoil than for all the future
beyond that. A great struggle over the
reform issue in the Democratic ranks is
therefore certain. The statesmen of the
party, Bayard, Pendleton, Lamar. Gar
and, Carlisle. Randall, Cox. Morrison,
Tucker, Hewitt Willis, and others, each
Of whom has already spoken and voted
Tor the civil service act, will stand by
the new President in its support.
But many worthy Democrats and all
the demagOgues, spoilsmen and rabble
Of the party will be against it. Repub-
leans will stand together for the act and
rules, anXiously waiting for the Demo
Gratis to ruin themselves by their abrog-
alton. The President will Lead the re-
form element of his party, and his clear
convictions, his high sense of duty. his
courage, his strength of character, will
secure victory There is no public man
IN this country who has a higher sense
of the moral obligations of official life
or who is more certain to withstand the
more partisan and selfish appeals than
Governor Cleveland This is q great ele-
ment of power and popularity too. as
the people now feel and, lest my-mo-
ives be misunderstood, let me add that
he has never done me a favor
snd that 1 would neither ask nor
accept one at his hands. Many officers
outside the rules and some within will
doubtless be removed for no very
good reasons, but - .lr as possible Gov
ernor Cleveland viii prevent mere pol
itical prescription. Hecannot attend to
everything, much will depend on mem
berS of his cabinet and especially on the
pOstmaster-general. If there are, as is
charged, some officers who have used
their influence to enforce assessments
and neglected their duties and violated
their stations TO engage in party war
fare, the fate they have chal-
ienged may very likely await them. II
persons are to be selected for public
work irrespective of politics they had
better attend to that work and not med
Ole with elections. p"
QuestiOn-"Whath has Governor Cleve-
land done in New York TO warrant this
estimate of him?p
Answer" Buffalo was city al
most as partisan, lawless and badly
governed as Cincinnati. Upon being
made sheriff, Mr.. Cleveland ex-
hibited those qualities which are being
more and more needed and appreciated
by the people. They comprehended
and approved his spirit. He was elected
mayor by votes from both parties in
that Republican city. His life as mayor
vas continuous struggle for honesty
and fidelity in Office against jObbers
Sportsmen and partiSans who had long
P.rreyed on the city. He mastered thu
situation and became known as the
veto mayor. His fearless way Of deal
ing with them is shown by the language
Oh MS vetOes." Commissioner Eaton her,
quotes from Governor Cleveland's mes
eages, from his letter accepting the
guoernatOrial nomination and from othe
communications to show his decisive
NhequlyOcal, endorsement OF the civi
SsttrYlce act and pays a high tribute I,
ms honesty and non-partisan bushes
capacity of the governor, as evidences
I" ms administration of the affairs 0