St. Landry democrat., 1885-11-07
RESIGNED.

Hon. Leroy d. Thoman's Resignation as
Civil Service Commissioner Accepted BY
the President - An Interesting Letter
From Mr.. Thoman-The Presidents Re-
ply.
WASHINGTON, D. c., October Pr
The following is the correspondence be-
tween Hon. Leroy D. Thoman, of the
Civil Service Commission, and President
Cleveland, respecting the formers resig.
nation, which the President has ac-
cepted, to take effect November 1st,
next:
WASHINGTON, d. c., October 20, 1885.
Enthusiastically referring to converse
ton had with you as early as March 10th, IN
which expressed the wish to pc renewed OF
my duties as a member of the United States
CiyiI Service Commission, and also to the
apparent fact that it was notthen your pleas
ure TO cons der my request, now nave tne
honor to tender formally my resignation,
and earnestly to beg an early con-
sideration of the same and its accept
ance. While thus asking release from
70 record my qualification over the proved
nractlcability and remedial effectiveness
Of the reform procedure. Tried veterans
in Dolitical warfare view with amaZement
the facile though radical departure from the
familiar methods of the spoils system OF
distributing patronage. strenuous and sin
HerG
sion. mark the opposition of different
groups of antagonists. And vet it must De
Concluded that majority of the political
leaders in either party is in accord with the
Pendleton law, If its original enactment, and
emphatic Endorsement by subsequent
Congress, were honest legislative express
sfons and not the coercion of moral cow
ardice BY popular sentiment, nor partisan
legerdcmafn ..
form. which YOU have undertaken in accord
HFztfb
neonfe will give aid. 1t has been my pleas
urc within the last two months to visit quite
n number of the States and Territories of
this Union. and It was my good fortune to
meet with many of their citizens. 1t is
gratifying to know that the people eonf tti
II the une9nlvoeai 1nsent tbe Oh m ane
+ system in the civil service.
Tbev had condemned the evils of the former
methods. Long experience had maae tn t1d
inauguration of the new. Tho distinctive
features OF the present reform appealed to
typicnlly American sentiment, Which com
minds and advances merit With the pre-
else details of the new procedure their ac-
quintancc was not so Intimate. TO TINS fhey
are fast succeeding, and the result will be
The inception and maintenance of great
reforms are with the people. believe that
the fundamental idea of civil service reform
is charact erstic of American thought. Pop
ular hesitation over the acceptance of stat
utory details suggests merely sale con-
SerYatiSm. In the initial stages Oh LhlS- re-
form there was response throughout the
Nation. Political contests assumed new
tone. Old time methods of corruption were
discouraged, and bossisrn was grapplad
with fresh vigor. The Improvement Is yet
marked. If vicious elements still seek obs
trusion into elections, the chances OF their
success have been lessened.
The reform spirit is militant and advances
toward complete success. Corruption by
official patronage has been removed. With
the Importing OF purer life to official cir
Giles, the power of the private purse to pur
chase political honors will be less danger
Gus Public appreciation of the fact that
this reform does not trench upon stnr dy
partnership came late. It was sedulously
maintained that the civil service was
to be composed of men who should
abjure certain rights of citizenship. With
the gradual, but inevitable, refntaton of
this false view, the outlines of the reform ut
last stood forth In clearness. 1t Is n reform
which views the civil service as n vast bust
ness agency; its search. is for the best Mt.
tainabIe merit. In business. Which is not
political, 1t enforces no tests of party. With
confident trust ii the success OF your admin
tstraGion, l am
Your obedient servant,
LEROY ID. TMoMAN.
To the President.