Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-18
SAN FRANCIsCO's COLLECTOR.

The appointment OF Judge Hager as
Collector of the port of San Francisco is
generally looked upon with favor. The
S. F. Post of the 10th inst, an independ-
ent Republican paper, speaks OF the ap-
pointment in these terms:
In selecting Judge Hager for the Collect
orship of the port, the President has shown
both good Judgment and great independ-
ence. Of the appointee's fitness for the
position there can be no question. He Is
man of character, capacity and cultivation,
who holds solid place in the esteem of the
people of the city and State. No class is
better pleased by the appointment than the
business men who have dealings with the
Custom House. This is the best testimony
as to the excellence Of the Presidents
choice Nobody complains of it, save per-
sons who live or hope to live by politics. 9
Judge Hager's appointment is certain to
have q deep effect upon his party IN this
State. It is a notification to its chiefs that
they must stop quarreling if they care for
recognition from the President. Either
there will be submission and harmony, or
open war between the Radicals and the Ad-
ministration. A rebellion provoked by an
appointment so good and sensible in every
practical and business aspect as that of
Judge Hager to the collectorship, would not
engage the sympathy Of the respectable,
-oficeseeking elements. The present
leaders, if they are to continue to hold their
places, must lead their party in direction
different from that which they have pur-
sued hitherto. Either they must quit fight
ing among themselves, get into line with the
Administration, or make way for more pill
able and wiser men.
The Alta California Of the same date
speaks of the appointment in these
terms:
The appointment of Judge Hager to the
Collectorship of the port of San Francisco
was not surprise to many who were aware
of the proper desire of the Administration
to select for these offices, so distant from
Washington, gentlemen who are known in
the East, though entirely identified with
California by long residence. Judge Hager
has seen service in the Federal Senate at a
very interesting period, and was there
brought into favorable contact with MIR.
Bayard and many others, who, personally
and officially, are in a position to be con-
suited by the President. His personal and
business record is above impeachment, and
the scrupulous honor conspicuous in his long
identification with California, is approving
testimony to affirm the propriety of the ap-
pointment. The Office is no longer of great
political power, since it was limited by the
Civil Service law TO a strictly business ad-
ministration. Those who enter its subordin-
ate positions 60 in by the door of exanlina-
tion and endorsement by the Civil Service
Examiners, and as they take place in the
numerical order Of their examination, and
there is a class of several hundred in wait
ing, the changes will necessarily be slow.
From all this it will be seen that the
appointment meets with universal ap-
proval. 1t meets with such universal APP
proval because Judge Hager, while a
stanch and strong Democrat, is also
thorough business man, and one who is
eminently well qualified to fill the posi-
ton to which he is appointed. Had the
Office been bestowed upon him merely as
a reward for party services, the probabili-
ties are that the appointment would have
met with much censure and criticism
from all Republicans and many Demo
Gratis. The country is slowly coming to
realization OF the fact that the business
OF the Government should be conducted
upon business principles the same as
private business. To accomplish this OBJ
ject is the aim OF the Civil Service law,
and while many are condemning that
law to-day, and poo-poohing its methods
of ascertaining a mans fitness for ali ap-
pointive clerkship and saying it is fail
ure, they are deceiving themselves and
they are going against the current of
public opinion and not with it. 1t is safe
to say that the spirit and provisions OF
the Civil Service law will be extended in
the future rather than curtailed