Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-14

The civil service commissioners knew when
the whole list OF candidates was certified TO Mr.
Hedden for the selection Of a wegher that Ster-
ling would not get the APP pointment. The deci-
sion necessarily provoked criticism. IL was the
first official act of the new civil service commits
sioners, and some of the friends Of civil service
reform felt much depressed about IT, IL il
claimed however, by the commission, that
when the public come to look into the IN after
they will that the commission has acted
wisely. On the outset the new commissioners
declare that they are earnestly and dcvotedly
attached to civil service reform, and that their
only desire is To popularize IL and advance its
interests The Sterling case was peculiar one,
and they took bold step i'm il. knowing that
the outcome would be satisfactory.
THE COMMISSIONERS WILLING To STAND CRIT
ICIsM.
Col. Trenholm said to STAR reporter yes
terday: "We are willing 10 stand the criticism
that may be passed upon us. When IL In all
over the civil service will be benefited by IL.
The Sterling is such will probably
never arise again, and IL will never be allowed
10 serve as precedent. IL Is the result of their
work that the commission will finally be
judged by. and we intend that everything We
do shall be for the best interest of the civil SER
vice law. When this matter is all over and the
attitude of the commission Is understood, it
will have made many friends and supporters
for civil service reform more than il now has
Those who construe from their view OF the de-
cision in this case that there is To- he any laxity
on the part of the commission will find the re-
futatIon of such a theory I'm our course through
out You have no Idea that Mr.. Sterling will be
made the Brooklyn weigherc No. nor have 1.
Mr.. % lSrien will probably he appointed. He
should have been appointed In the first place
But there Is this I'm the case. IL was not known
when Mr.. Hedden appointed Mr.. Sterling that
the Office came within the civil service regula-
lations. IL was afterwards decided that IL
did, ard Mr. Sterling was suspended. and an
examination ordered. Now the examination
is over, and some thirty candidates have been
standing OF the case, will not Mr.. Hedden APP
point NJ O'Brien" Is il not better that Mr..
thai it should be made TO appear that his selec-
tion had been forced. There is a vulgar saying
that more flie, may be caught with sugar than
with vinegar. III civil service reform H. TO tie
progressive, We must make IL so. and not he
bD,:nd down i'm old ruts. II the new commission
same e' snec c sam and will he OF yipornns a .ns
healthy growth
MIR. EATON voUcHEs FOR THE EARSEsrNEss or
HIS ASSOCIATES.
81 can vouch for the earnestness of my new
associates" said Mr.. Eaton. "They are jealous
and devoted i'm the Interests OF civil service re-
form. In no case. they declare, will the Sterl-
ing case be n precedent, and they are willing To
abide by any criticism IL may provoke from
those who do not understand the case and APP
preciate their motives"
NO CHANGE OF THE RULES CONTEMPLATED
The commission are agreed that no change
should be made in the rules 10 increase the list
Of certified candidates. Mr.. Eaton says such
a change would be detrimental To the ser
vice and Is entirely unnecessary. "If twenty
names were certified, for instance" he said,
'.what would be the results The appointing
power would be beset by the candidates.
and all sorts of social and political In
huence would be produced In the Interests
Of the various candidates. The trouble
complained Of by those who want extension
OF the certifcation is all provided against by "a
provision i'm the rules for the transfer and ex-
change OF clerks, so as To get the right men I'm
the right place. The heads of departments
have not understood this rule perfectly hereto
fore, but now IL is being put into operation and
the result Is satisfactory. The rule
quires that O clerk must serve one year before
he can be transferred, but IL will be amended
soon, SO as to reduce the time to six mOnths."
o'BRIEN GETS THE APPOINTMENT.
J. n. OBrien, who passed highest In the ex-
animation for the Brooklyn weighership, was
given the appointment late yesterday AFTER
noon. Mr.. Aedden states that though he had,
by the resolution of the civil service commlo-
sioners, the right to choose from the whole list,
he nevertheless proposed 20 follow the civil SER
vice Law strictly, and therefore gave the prefer
ence TO Mr.. o 1srien because he passed the best
examination and was an old soldier. Mr..
O'Brien is forty -eight years old. He was grad
uated from the college OF 81 Francis Xavier, In
NewYork city. He served through the war with
the 60th New York regiment, and was wounded
on the battle field Of Anfietam. Afterward he
received an honorable dismissai because OF dis
ability. He hes been clerk IN both the War
and Treasury departments at Washington for
twenty years. Recently he hes been employed
- assistant weigher In the New York CUSTOM
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