The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-10-01
LETTER FROM PRES. cIEvEIANn.


LETTER FROM PRES. CLEVELAND.
Chief Civil Service Commissioner Eaton
Resigns. Satisfied With the Progress
g Made-AIr. Cleveland. Accepting the
Resignation, Expresses Himself Most
Emphatioally In Favor of the Reform.
There was made public some lengthy cor
between Dorman B. Eaton,
chairman OF the civil service commission,
and President Cleveland, in which Mr. Eaton
tenders his resignation to the president to
take effect Nov. l, and Mr.. Cleveland &C.
ceptsit. The reasons for Mr.. Eaton's resiz-
nation are, first, that he found himself upon
the salary Of So, 500, which it pays him, and
Tor which he left large and lucrative law
practice.
PRESIDENT CLEvELANDs REPLY.
Executive Mansion, Washington, Sept.
IL, 1SS5.-Hon. Dorman B. Eat0n-My
Dear Sir: l am in receipt OF your letter
rendering your resignation as q member of
the board OF civil service commits ,ioners
cannot refrain from expressing my sim
cere regret that you have determined to
withdraw from q position in the public
service where your intelligent performance
OF duty has been of inestimable value to
the country. The friends of civil service re-
form, and all those who desire good gov
eminent fully appreciate your devotion to
the cause in which you early enlisted and
they have seen with satisfaction that your
zeal and faith have not led you to suppose
that the reform in which you were engaged
is unsuitcd to the rules which ordinari-
~ govern progress in human affairs,
or that it should at once reach
perfection and universal acceptance.
hay 1,eoV inn 10
accept good results as they step by step
could be gained. holding every advance
with unyielding steadfastness. The success
which thus far has attended the work of
civil 'service reform Is largely due to the fact
that it's practical friends have proceeded
upon the theory that real and healthy pro-
gress can only be made a success il the peo.
pie who cherish the pernicious political
ideas, long fostered and encouraged by vi
cious craftsmanship, are persuaded that the
changes contemplated by the reform offer
substantial improvements and benefits.
reasonable federation for old prejudices, q
graceful recognition Of every aid, a sensible
utilization Of every fundamentally that
promises assistance, and q constant effort
to demonstrate the
OF THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS,
are the means by which this reform move
ment will in the. future be further advanced,
and the opposition Of incorrigible spoils.
men rendered Intellectual and the cause
placed upon Il sure foundation. or course
there should be no surrender OF principles,
nor backward step, and all laws for the en-
forccment OF the reform should be ridgidly
executed; but the benefits which it's primer.
pies promise will not he fully realized unless
the acquiesence of the people is added to
the stern assertion Of u doctrine and the
vi nj 1,n loM
source OF congratulation that there arc so
many friends OF civil service reform mar
shaded on the practical side ofthc question,
and that the number is not greater of those
who profess friend lincss for the cause, and
yet mischievously, and with snpercilious
discredit every effort not
in exact accord with their ultimate ideas,
decry with carrying criticism the labor OF
those actually in the field OF reform, and
ignoring the conditions which bound and
qualify every struggle for radical
ment, demand complete and imme-
mediate perfection. The reference in
your letter to the attitude OF the menu
beers Of my cabinet to the merit syetem es-
tablished by the civil service LAW, beside
being entirely correct exhibits an appre-
citation OF honest cndeavor in the direction
ii resarm and q disposition to do justice
to proved sincerity, which is most crafty
ing. 1fsuch treatment ofthose upon whom
the duty rests OF administering the govern
ment according to REFORM methods was the
universal rule, and il the embarrassment
and perplexities attending such an admin
istration were fairly regarded by all those
processing to be friendly to such methods.
the avowed enemies to the cause would be
afforded less encouragement. l believe in
civil service reform and its application in
the most practicable form attainable
Among other reasons, it opens the doors
for the rich and poor alike to !, participate ton
in public officeholding, and hope the time
IL ut hand when all our people will sec the
advantage OF reliance for such an oppo.-
tunity upon
MERIT AND FITNESS
instead OF a dependence upon the caprice or
selfish interest OF those who impudently
stand between the people and the machin-
cry OF their government. In the one case q
reasonable intelligence and the educatio
which is freely furnished or forced upon the
youth 81 our land are the credentials to
office. The other way is found in favor Sc
cured by a participation in partisan work,
often uniting person morally, If not
mentally and physically, for the response
bilitics and duties Of PUBLIC employment.
You will agree with me. + think, that the
support winch mas been gwen to the pres
cnt administration in it's efforts to preserve
and advance this reform by IL party re-
stored to power afteran exclusion for many
years from participation in the places at
tached to the public service, confronted
with new system precluding IL redistribu-
ton OF such places in it's in terests, called up
on to surrender advantages which
g perverted craftsmanship had taught
the American people belonged to
success, and perturbed with the
SUSPICION always raised in such an cnier-
gsncY that their rights ii. the conduct of
this reform had not Leen scrupulousIy re:
RAFded, should receive due ACKNOWLEDGE
,nent, 'nd should confirm our pellet that
there is IL sentiment AMONG the people bet
ter than a desire to hold office, and {. patri-
otto impulse upon which may safely rest the
integrity OF our constitution and strength
and perIctuity OF our government. have
Hetermined to request you to retain your
present position until the first day OF No.
vembcr next, at which time your resigna-
ton may become ,9perative: desire to cx
press ~ Sntire confidence in your attach:
ment to the eansa II civil service Feform,
and your ability to render It elll4ieAt t,iA,
and l indulge the hope and expectation that
notwithstanding the acceptance of your res
ignation, your interest in the object for
which you have laborcd 80 assiduously
til. t!,l.ttnue beyond the official term which
you surrence.. Yours, very truly,
GRovEH :.EYELAsD.