Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-01
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM

o6nNISE UNIV
Commissioners Eaton,s Letter to the Presf-
dent rendering His Resignation of the
Ofice-The Presidents Reply Thereto
Mr.. Eaton WIN be Relieved November LIST.
WASHINGTON, D. G., September 24.-
The following correspondence, embrace
ing Dormln B. Eaton's resignation as .
member of the Civil Service Commission,
and the Presidents acceptance ofit, was
made public last night:
WASHINGTON d. c., July 9th, 1885.
SIR-In execution of a purpose of which
informed you several weeks since, very
respectfully tender my resignation as civil
Service Commissioner: but out of Difference
to your wishes will not urge it's acceptance
until such time in the autumn as you may
find convenient for new appointments 1t
may not, hope. be thought misappropriate
i | add some words Of explanation sLd dis,1
service lVt 20 ' aet pas Of January 18th,
1888, I had held under three earlier Presi-
dents, and was then holding under Preside
Arthur, an official position closely analo-
gous to my present Office as Civil Service
Commissioner. For nearly the whole period
had served without compensation, and
had been compelled to bear my own travel
ing and other expenses, including those of
journey to Europe and the preparation Of
one OF those Presidents, but printed by Con-
gress. 1 had taken an active part,
by which my time was largely taxed, in con.
nection with the preparation and passage OF
that law, and when the time arrived for
executing itstprovisions. it seemed to me that
co1ld not fairly be called upon to make
further sacrifice of my private interests In
aid OF civil service reform Besides, the
enemies of reform were so kind as to charge
that had promoted the act for the treble
purpose of gaining notoriety, an office and
salary. But President Arthur, without the
least intimation to me of his purpose. nom
mated me, and was confirmed as Commits
soner. When I was about to decline, the
friends of reform, with whom l had
iabored for many years III IN dnf ITS bannd
to accept; and these enemies with amiable
consistency. made clear their purpose of
charging any refusal tr on mn my part as snd e ds
graceful failure sure to follow any attempt
to execute so chimerical and Impractical a
statue. In such situation I had hardly
a liberty of choice, but l entered upon my
official duties with the declared purpose of
remaining hardly more than year, within
which at least the constructive work
of making rules and regulations and of
enforcing new system at its most
end of that time had become more deeply
than ever interested in the practical applica.
ton of the new system Its great utility and
easy processes had gained the commenda-
ton of the President, united more largely
the party in power in its support, and Sc
cured from a committee of thirteen mem
bers of the Democratic House of Repre-
a unanimous report declaring the
great usefulness of the law and rules, and
commenting what 1t described as the in
entious work of the Civil Service Commits
sion
l could then see no Obligation to remain
longer That had been done which the enc
mics of reform had declared to be impossi-
BILE The law and the rules were vindicated.
nt there r we're ot fv and re
manned to take part in their further devel-
opment. When, few months later, l was
friends dissuaded me by urging that there
would be a critical period in case. new
party should come into power: and 1 saw
should ,+ be ,os; Sharged if f,s sI re;
OF that eisis was clear enough ns that
ration of my confidence in the reform policy
OF the Presidential candidate and statesmen
of the Democratic party, would relieve me
from the damaging plausibility of such a
charge. AS a private citizen l could scorn
the imputation, but as public officer, and
as being in a private way somewhat identi-
fed with the cause of civil service reform, I
had no right to make an opportunity for its
natural enemies In either party to use such
a charge to its injury.
There was another reason why could not
tender my resignation-and should have
to do so had it been requested-at
For should regard it as pernicous pre-
repusnant to the spirit of
Civil Service Commissioner as political, and
hence one to be flied at the beginning OF
each Presidential term. These considera-
tions constrained me to continue in my place.
The reform policy OF your administration.
SO clearly defined in your deciarations,
Your acts rs President As it lad been In Your
acts us Governor of New York.
That time has arrived. No candid man
ran longer pretend to regard that policy as
indefinite or doubtful Every one of the five
of your administration. during
which the civil service act and rules have
been enforced with as much breadth, firm
idaljfy nnIpr that nf resident
Arthur, has not only added new evidence OF
the utility of the new system upon which he
more definite the settled purpose OF your
administration to faithfully enforce both the
aw and the rules in the future. The few
changes you have made In the rules have
put added to their Justice and efficiency.
So far as have been able to learn there Is
not member of your Cabinet who has not,
,s the result of his experience in office,
higher sense than before of the need of en-
orcing that merit system in the public ser
she d ns rn t hes at the head
IF the many offices in the postal and customs
service, to which the examination extends in
Ill parts of the Union, and whether they be
republicans holding over. or new officers
rom the other party, there has come no rea-
son for believing that the merit system is not
welcomed rs a great benefit to the public
service; n great influence for honesty in
politics, and great relief to the head
If the office. Now that the principles of
Justice upon which that system is based, its
endency to suppress patrOnage-mongering
Ind official patronage; its great encourage
nent of the public schools and its support
If high character and manhood in politics
ire being more rapidly comprehended by
he people than ever before, feel sure that
greatly enlarged. but an almost unchal
enged enforcement. It is really an issue be-
est for a spo Is system of office on one side,
md for q merit system of office On the
,ther.
The friends OF the latter contend for the
,ffice for himself by his own merits; of the
ormer for the exclusive right of great off,
ers and great politicians to use all of the
hundred thousand places they can control
nd all the assessments they can extort to
ribe voters, to buy the press to elect them
g Of tn
remes there is unQuestionably a large num-
er of candid and patriotic citizens. I don't
etuity of the merit system, with the vain
onceit that II they were otherwise or the
Prospect was dlscouraging, my remaining a
Tish to leave no doubt of my absolute faith
Il the continuing triumph of a reform pol
", and no friend of reform has the least
eason for thinking ought to remain in my
flee.
indeed, the triumph of that policy is now
nat part of the Government to which alone |
IL iegimate authority and responsibility for |
appointments and removals rest and in |
Thich alone the thorough information need |
d for a correct judgment as to the utility of |
he new system exists. In other words, |
Tere it not for the interference of Congress |
len and politicians with the, constitutional |
auctions and intended liberty of the Presi |
ent, and of other officers. having the APP |
osition worthy of notice to merit system |
t office. Those who oppose it will, with few |
RECEPTIONS, be those only whose participa |
ion in appointments and removals Is an /
bsolute usurpation and intermeddiing by |
'hich the counterpoise of the Government
as been impaired and It's perpetuity Is be- |
NJ threatened. To that usurpatfon; to the
elfsh aims OF those who promote 1t; to the |
altering of the spoils and the distribution |
offices, which are its motive force, open |
competitions of merit for appointment
nd the suppression of political assess.