The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-09-25
EATON RESIGN ED.
Beginning of a Clean Sweep Of the Civil
Service mission.
From New York Sun


Dorman B. Eaton has resigned as a Civil
Service Commissioner, and his resignation
Will be accepted He has an understand
ing with the President, however, that no
change will be made until the question of
the constitutionality of the Civil Service
law is decided in the case set down for
trial in New York on Friday next. Mr..
Eaton, it is said, does not resign because
Of any friction between himself and the
Administration He could probably stay
in office if he wanted to- But whether he
stayed or not, there would certainly be
some material changes in the present code
of rules, and in one important respect,
which might be called almost the keystone
of the Eatonian system, the rules will be
modified. This concerns the range of
choice among candidates who have passed
the competitive examination, and who are
known by the name of eligibles. At pres
ent only four names are furnished the APP
pointing officer by the Commissioners.
Experience proves that this is too narrow
field of choice. Tue more liberal friends
of the law now admit that this feature
sometimes results badly. Often the choice
Is merely between poor men and poorer,
so that in some cases an incapable clerk
has been retained rather than a still poor
er clerk taken, the responsible officer bear
ing the i'll he has rather than flying to
others he knows not Of
Then again, and particularly in local ex
aminations where the candidates are
known to the examiners, it is possible, and
it has occurred in practice, that candidates
have been Disseminated against from per-
sonal and political reasons. For instance,
abuses of this sort have occurred:
After the papers of the candidates have
been handed in the imperfections of a GER
tain mans papers are noticed and scale
of marks then decided upon which will
throw him out. Whatever happens then,
whether the present Board stays or goes,
the rules are to be SO amended as to make
favoritism impossible, SO far as may be,
and to give responsible officers who are
held accountable for the conduct of their
clerks such a wide range of choice as shall
enable them to get satisfactory subordl-
mates.
Mr. Eaton is not blind to the faults of
his system, but he does not care to under
take to correct them; nor does he want to
stand by passively and let others change
the system. He says he never intended to
remain on the Commission permanently,
and he now feels that if the Court SuStains
the law the opening chapter In the history
of the reform is ended. He sees stormy
times ahead, and feels that it might be an
embarrassment to the service, as well as
uncomfortable to himself to continue at
the helm. If he goes undoubtedly there
will be clean sweep of the Commission.
This viii enable the President to eprgan-
iZe the Board on Democratic basis, and
in shape that will commend the system
to a Democratic Administration and House
of Representatives.
The Administration would not have it
understood, in accepting Mr.. Eaton's res
ignation, that they had lost faith in the
principles of the Civil Service law. On
the contrary, they believe that the present
rules can be so perfected as to make a
system of civil service which shall be of
the highest value. The President and
Cabinet are unanimous in declaring that
there must be some bulwalk Of defence
against office seekers and their friends,
such as is contemplated in the present law.
Mr. Cleveland intends to live up to his
promise of reform fully; and even in case
of the abolition of the Commission and an
adverse decision by the Court, he would
probably maintain in operation much the
same system that is now in force. But he
has come to the conclusion that certain
material changes in the rules must soon
be made, and the Cabinet agree with him
that political and personal influence must
not be the bases upon which TO make ap-
pointments in the public service. The
growth Of the country makes necessary
some system Of appointments which shall
relieve the heads of departments from the
pressure of Office seekers, and it only re-
mains to find out what system is best.