, 1885-10-27
THE CAPITAL.
Resignation of Civil Service
Commissioner Thoman.
He Uses Some Big Words to
Slip Down On.
President Cleveland Accepts
With Congratulations.
THE CAPITAL.
Resignation.

Commissioner Thoman, has rendered his
resignation and it has been accepted by
the president, to take effect Nov. | next.
The following is the correspondence:
UNITED STATES Crvm SERVICE Cow.
MISSION, WASHINGTON, Oct. 20.-Tb The
President. SIR:-Respectfully referring to
Il conversation had with you as early as
March 10, in which | expressed a wish to
be relieved of my duties as a member of
the United States Civil Service commits
sion, and also to the fact that it was not
then your pleasure to consider my request,
| have now the honor to tender formally
my resignation and earnestly beg an early
consideration Of the same and its accep.
lance. While asking for release from so
honorable a trust, | 4 desire to record my
qualification over the proved practicable
ity and remedial effectiveness ofthe reform
procedure. Tried veterans in political
warfare view with amazement the facile,
though radical. departure from the fam
liar methods of the spoils system of dis
tributing patronage. Strenuous and sin
core argument, and also deliberate per-
version mark fhe opposition of the differ
ent groups of antagonists, and yet it must
be concluded that a majority Of the politi-
cal leaders in either party is in accord with
the Pendleton law, if Its enactment and
emphatic endorsement by a subsequent
congress were honest legislative expression,
and not the coercion of moral eowardice
by popular sentiment, nor partl-
san legerdemain. In the great task
Of administrative reform which you have
undertaken in accordance with personal
and party pledges, the people will give
aid. 1t has been my pleasure within the
last two months to visit quite a number
OF states and territories OF this union, and
1t was my good fortune to meet with
many OF their citizens. 1t Is gratifying to
know that the people contide in the I'M
equivocal intention OF the president to
sustain The merit system IN the evil
service. They had condemned the evils
OF the former methods. Long experience
had made their knowledge accurate. They
welcomed the Inauguration OF the new.
The distinctive features of the present re-
form appealed to a typically American
sentiment which recommends and adj
vanees merit. with the precise details OF
the new procedure their acuuaintaurp was
not so intimate. 10 this they are fast
succeeding, and the result Will be a cordial
approval. The inception and maintenance
OF great reforms are with the people. l
believe the fundamental idea of civil
service reform is characteristic of Ameri-
can thought, Popular hesitation over
the acceptance OF statutory details sug-
gests merely a safe conservatism. In the
initial stages ef this reform there was a
response throughout the nation. Political
contests assumed a new tone old time
methods OF corruption were discouraged,
and bossism was grappled with fresh
vlgor. The improvement is yet marked.
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