Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-13
NEW Y0RK'S WEIGHER.
ALL THE ELIGIBLEs CERTIFIED
TO MIR. HEDDEN.

A Relief at Washington that Mr.. Ster-
ling VIII Not Be Selected for the Of
toe-origin OF the agreement that the
odice should be nm Exception to the
General Rule.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-The Civil Ser
vice Commission to-day certified the whole
list Of ''elgibles" who passed the weigh
er's examination In the New York custom
house, to Collector Hedden. 1t does not
follow that he will select Mr.. Sterling.
who passed just above the minimum to
be weigher, ignoring in so dong, six ex-
soldiers who passed better examinations.
The action Of the commission does not
surprise anyone familiar with the facts OF
the case
THE OFFICE AN EXCEPTION.
When the Office OF Weigher in the New
York Custom house was declared TO be
within the civil service rules, 1t was ex-
pressly understood between the Presi-
dent, the Civil Service Commission and
the Collector OF the Port of
New York, that this office was TO
be considered an exception 10 the gen.
eral rule 10 the extent that alter due
competitive examination of the appli-
cants for II, the whole list OF those who
passed the minimum should be certified
by the Commission to the Collector. This
understanding was embodied In "A formal
letter TO the Collector of the Port OF New
YORK, signed by Clyll Service Commissions
ers Eaton, Gregory and ThOman.
THE REASON ASSIGNED.
The reason assigned for making this
exception was the same previously as
signed for making a similar exception in
the examination Of applicants for the
position OF Medical Examiner in the PEN
sion Office, namely, that peculiar qualifi-
cations were demanded which could not
be ascertained by the ordinary competi-
tive examination, or ascertained by a
personal examination made by the Col
leetor of the port. No objection was
made TO this agreement by any one, and
the examination OF applicants for the
weighership was held under it,
REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION.
In the case Of the weigher the applicant
must not only be well educated aud COM
petent for the technical duties ofhis place.,
but must have the executive ability requi-
site TO enable him to manage the force OF
200 or 300 men under him. The possession
OF this peculiar qualification it was
thought could only be ascertained by a
personal examination made by the Col
lector OF the port. No objection
was made to this agreement by any
one, and the examination OF applicants
for the Weighership was held under it.
subsequently, however, complaint was
made that the civil service regulations
had been tampered with in order 10 give
Mr.. Sterling chance 10 get the weigher-
ship back again. The President met this
in the interview which the Associated
Press sent out last week wherein he set
forth the reason for making an exception
In the case Of the New York weighership.
Mr.. Sterling passed the examination, Just
clearing the minimum.
CRITICISM CROPS OUT.
Since that fact became known the
agreement which had been previously
reached in regard to the weighership re-
gardless Of Mr.. Sterling has been criti-
cised because IL enabled Collector Hedden
10 appoint Mr.. Sterling, although be stood
at the tail OF the list OF eligibles. Never
theless, the new Civil Service Commission
has thought 1t best 10 abide by the agree
ment made by the old Civil Service Com
mission, believing the reason which
operated then operated now.
NOT BEFORE THE PRESIDENT.
The matter has not been before the
President formally, but the President has
said informally that he Thought the whole
list OF eligibes ought to be certified to the
collector, because It had been agreed that
this was best, nor did he desire 10 cast a
AEiiFbhiRn Ou 1BAtbggIA ANAhIu ny uERiiV~
ing HIM Of the choice from the
whole list, which 1t had been
previously determined he should
have. He did not think that the fact that
Mr.. Sterling passed the minimum exRmi-
nation warranted such a course. He be-
lieved that Collector Hedden would make
the best selection possible and not that
he would necessarily appoint Mr.. Sterling.
II ought to be said that IL is believed here
tonight that Collector Hedden will not
appoint Mr.. Serling.
THOMAS ASKED TO RESIGN.
Alfred Thomas, who has been for 20
years in the Office of the Second Comptrol-
Ter OF the Treasury. and Is now the chief
OF one Of its divisions, has been asked 10
resign. 1t is said that he will be given a
minor clerkship. Mr.. Thomas may pos
sibly be remembered as the man who
wrote to Secretary Folger In 1882 when
Gen. N. NJ. Curtis was pr0secut-
ed for levying political contributions
from government employees asking whe-
ther 1t would be safe for him to pay his
assessment TO Jay HubbelIs committee.
Secretary FOlger replied that he thought
neither Mr.. Thomas nor any other en-
plOye Of the government could be prose-
cuted for making "a voluntary cOntribu-
tiOnv 10 the Republican campaign fund.
Thereupon Mr.. Thomas joyfully paid his
2 per cent. He seems 10 be regarded now
as an offensive partisan.