New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-02
IS MR. EATON HELPING STERLING :
cRITICIslNG THE COMMISSIONER.

REPORTED MOVEMENT ny CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
FRS TO INVESTIGATE HIS CONDUCT.
Civil Service Reformers in this city are a
good deal perurbed by the statements made IN recent
Washington correspondence in an Interview Win
prominent member Of the ranks who charged Commits
sloner Eaton with having attempted so to change inc
manner of conducting the Civil Service examination Tor
the Office of weigher as 70 enable the Collector to
give the place 10 George H. Sterling should that caDdl
any place. however low, on the elsDie st
No especial motive was attributed TO the COmmlsSoner
in this interview, the theory OF his alleged conduct
being that starting upon the principle OF dipIomacy
in his official dealings with Collector Hedden and Sur
veyor Beattie they had hoodwinked and deceived him.
Mr. Eaton has been much annoyed by this report when
he pronounces in all essential particulars false But 1t
has gained currency IN the reform circles and the su
picions OF the reformers not allayed 10y certain
known facts.
The Sterling case from the very first has been looked
In treating 1t the reormer'w In no
mood for diplomacy compromise. They were not
willing to credit good motives those politicians and
officials who are collectively characterized az "the
Custom House Gang" They started In on
the bold premise that Heddsn and Beat
tic were spoilsmen. and resoluto and
undsguscd opponents OF Civil Service REFORM and tney
wcro wholly unwilling to yield an inch or ground hy
reason OF any promises explanations or sugacoated
sophistros that "thc gang" might offer The greatest
alarm was felt when the Commission ordered that the
examina ion for wcghers should be open TO all comers
and not confined 10 those applicants who were III the
proper lie for promotion The whole theory OF tho 70
form f. involved this deviation from precedent anu
principle
II was runored last night at the Flth Avenue Hotel
that Mr. Eaton was IN correspondence with the officers
OF the Civil Service Reform Association. and that
an Investigation was 70 he had into
the allegations OF THE TRBUSEs informant Tho hrHt
question to be considered Is Mr Eatons reasons for
making the examination Open IL Will then he asked u
he did in fact have any communication with the Presi
dent concerning the suspension OF the regulation tequr
ing the of the four leading esibes to be pre-
sented to the Collector and whether not he advised
Mr. Cleveland I'm favor of Tho suspension and OF submit
ting to Collector IIcddan tho entire eligible list II Is
believed that witnesses can be produced to whom MI
Eaton acknowledged tua he had taken this position IN
conference with tho President. An effort viii
then be made to find out for what reason
the Commission, arbitrarily and for the first
tiruo since the reform law went into effect. named
tie three examiners ftom the local Custom House Board
VINO should have charge 81 this plfcn'r himnation
Collector Barre generally recognizel a. Hugh Me
Iaughlins Iudn, aud superintendent OVeineldi AhoMh
as Surveyor Beatues ep clal iHrnu' on tie sprc.H'
board. II IS provided in the regulations tnat inc exam
iuers FOR any determine wheh hree
OF them shall hold any examination Tull''t oi coA 20
inc direction OF The Commission at Washington. In case
of any failure or DISAGREEMENT a. To- which shai!
thus serve. the Commission or CHleI Examiner ~
Empowered to step ~ "nd dcslEnat9 the,, n Ter. f
tOfurc accordance With thls ltGulAlOu, tlc Io'"
board has always nanei It's own suDooir"r Iot rA'n
atoms In this there no failure or Disagree
mont Tho Commission. or Mr.. Eaton. voluntarily
stcnned IN and appninteh the examiner This would
not nave been considered significant had the men named
been satisfactory those uterrs ed Ia TIE reform ut
on the contrary they were OF character 70 eHrlte
aud taken In relation 10 other dcvlhi0ns
from the regular procedure, this one Il rogared as
strong crcunstana evidence IN support OF the general
allegation. -. a.. ..
Tho fact that Commission has ordered nat INC eh
anucrs shall certify 90 the four cligblos WI lhe
Commission has had an opportunity 81 reviewing inc
re- lt- of the examination II not fnNorhhI cohhutd
The rrforncrs do not know what 70 means nor a" tsJ
see the necessity for A. They are satisfied thtt lho
re,deus suspension of Sterling lett the matter IN VIC
hand, OF the law ard that its regular Application WOnd
have oyerted the present danger of an unht appoint
mrut The acknowledgment IL general that tho uhhR't
has been greatly reduced By THE lEBuNE exposure VI
the apparent conspiracy.