New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-20
MIR. sPARKsS ULTIMATUM.
THREATENING TO RESIGN HIS OFFICE
THAT THE REPUBLICANS MOsi w
VIEWS OF CIVIL SERVICE.
r,x IT'LL pcsArH TO THE TRIbusEI

Wy .s,,,,,oroN. April 19.-Sparks has solemn-
,r declared in presence OF his bosom
s,u resign unless he shall be clothed Win iu "' ~
q, turn ont all the Republicans under him ana pun Do
ocrats in their places. and TINS are tnrea', :.
A. said has reached the ears OF the PRESIDENT
' ,is .av,sers and caused dismay to their hearts
,vho a. snarksl He is Commissioner OF the Gehera
land Office aud an ex-statesman. Everybody aouresso
him as " General Sparks. A man VINO serVeu WIN u
nm in Congress explains the origin Of the Generars
military title as follows; =,
msnorr.s father was a Jacksonian Democrat, and he
named his son Andrew Jackson. after the nero oi "
or,eans Tn the XLvth Congress Speaker Randall gave
MIN n MACE on the Appropriations Committee an" 'uo
Army bin was placed in his charge. lie oousn' nil
a hat OF military shape, and at once oeca"o An u
.co,onel' Sparks. In the next Congress hanu"i
made him chairman of the Military Commlt.ee' 80
49, ,rodia,eIv houaht neat cord and tassel for his
,,arv hat and has been called General Sparks from
that day to this 4. ,s oor
Whether or not this explanation De correct " -
tain that careful and thorough search OF the rost "
Colonels and Generals Of the Regular anu 'oiu"o .
forces o the United States fails to disclose the ne
.,o ,r.sont Commissioner of the General Land oinee
An Illinois Democrat who served in the Union Army
asserts that Mr.. Sparks was pronou'ccu Po"0'
democrat during the Be that as IL may, IL seein
nrobable-incredIbe as the resignation by Democrat
under any circumstances OF an once worth @fVoo :"
wear would appear-that unless the President shai
sent to waive the Civil Service law, OF which Comms
sioner Sparks has poor opinion 30 lar as i''
provisions affect the public lands service ana give
Commissioner carte blanche in the matter OF removals
and appointments that officer will throw up his conmis
sion and let the Administrator anu tue P"oii0 i %
10 the dogs together.
Commissioner Sharks would not interfere with ap
nontments outside his Jurisdiction; he simply desires
20 manage the Land Office in his own way IL his sd-
iustraton fails be efficient 1t VIII not DC ior ch VI
proclamations or natteBton to details No week day
atfono of gomatlinU
he has done or proposes TO do. On one oay no
,ssues An order to suspend the issue OF all land
patents and on the next day ne discovers 'na'
his Office is too literally supplied with hepuph
can newspapers and that many OF MS cierks
are addicted to reading them. read newspapers my,
self he said, but prefer Democratic newspaper
Then he added that he does not read LIE Le
Oean which that he possesses strong
ofseif denial a succeeding day he discovered thst
special agent OF the Land Office had included III MS o
Of travelling expenses items for sleeping car fare ana
other stylish things" No more bills OF tnat sort MN
be allowed. Yesterday he made another st<eling us
coyery. ,>o.,. ,,.v,.,.nar no said
Fraud has been perperaed to an excessive eneh bsa IN
every branch Of the Land Department: nave neen
Rar''iS' N the matter Of advertising homestead and
other claims The Law in eeqsS % e
Ths Republican receivers and registers have grossly
perverted the meaning OF this provision without a
to the nearest reputable paper As mater ,t & oi
Democratic papers are not ADMITTED nt1 . ie
tance they have determined at their own sweet Will
Instead of adopting geographical hne as measure OF
space between two points they have resorted to any
crcuitous route that would bring the way of travel
within the range of Republican influence have Just
issued an order TO registers and receivers
enjoning them to advertise land entries in in
tho papers of general circulation nearest 10
the land taken up by geographical measurement
or in common parance as the crow fes. am neon con,
changes in the Land Department before It's management
can be reduced TO honest, efficient ana economical
basis" .A,-,-. 4. a, ,,o,,.r or
Inst why Commissioner Sparks thinks IL "a matter OF
course" that Democratic newspapers are mol adinttea
into the vocabulary OF reputable newspapers IL wOud
be rather interesting know. IL might he asked also
whether when Mr.. Sparks draws his mileage as mem
flies" or By the most direct route of usual travel
The execution OF his order to registers ana
receivers would seem TO require that each one
should be supplied with number OF intelligent
crows TO measure distance from the Land Oce to the
nearest newspaper office, authorized TO employ COM
petent surveyor for the same purpose.