St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-10-03
ClviL SERVICE REFORM

| Mr. Eaton VIII be Relieved November list.
WASHINGTON, D. c., September 81
/ The following correspondence. embrace
ing Dorm,n B. Eaton's resignation as a
member OF the Civil Service Commission,
and the Presidents acceptance oft, was
| made public last night:
WASHINGTON, D. G.. July 9th, 1885.
SIR-In execution OF purpose of which
| informed YOU several weeks since. l very
| respectfully tender my resignation "a Civii
| Service Commissioner: but out of Difference
| to your wishes / will not urge it's acceptance
| until such time in the autumn you may
! find convenient for new appointment 1t
| may not, hope, be thought misappropriate
II add some words OF explanation.
! Prior to the passage Of the CIVIL
service act of January 18th,
1883. had held under three earlier PresI-
dents, and was then holding under Pres dent
Arthur, an official position closely analo-
gous to my present office hs Civil Service
Commissioners. 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
a Journey to Europe and the preparation OF
one OF those Presidents, but printed by Con-
gress. had takAn m active part,
BY which nv time was largely taxed, in con-
nection with the preparation and passage oe
that law and when the time arrived for
executing ttsproviaions it seemed to me that
/ conld not fairly be called upon to make II
aid of civil service reform. Besides, the
enemies of reform were 80 kind as to charge
that had promoted the acs for tho treble
purpose OF gaining notoriety, an office and n
salary But President Arthur, without the
least intimatOn TO me OF his purpose, NOM
mated me, and WAS confirmed as Commits
sioner. When / was about TO Decline the
friends of reforM, with whom | had
labored for many years in its behalf,
inslsted that I was Ia duty bound
to accept; and these enemies with amiable
consistency made clear their purpose of
charging any refusal on my part. as a cow
ardly shrinking from the speedy and dis.
graceful failure sure to follow any attempt
TO execute so chimerical and Impractical n
statue. In such situation / had hardly
n liberty of choice, but entered upon my
official duties with the declared purpose Of
remaining hardly more than year, within
which Mt least the constructive work
of making rules and regulations and of
enforcing new system ut it's most
difficult stage could be accomplished. At the
end of that time / had become moro 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 moro largely
the party In power in It's support and Sc
cured from Il committee of thirteen mem
bers OF the Democratic House OF Repre-
sentatfves n unanimous report declaring the
great usefulness OF the law and rules, and
commencing what it described as the Gin
telligent, efficient, non partisan and consci
entious work OF the Civil Service Commits
sion.
/ could then see no Obligation to remain
longer That had boon done which the enc
mics OF reform had declared to be impossi
HE. The law and the rules were vindicated
But there were important practic methods
which were not fully natured, and / re-
main@d to take part in their further deveI
oDment. When, q few months later, was
about to insist on being relieved, those
friends dssuaded ms by urging that there
wonld be critical period In case new
parry should cems into power; and saw
plainly. from hostile journals, that
I should be- charged, it re
OF that c-isls. It was clear enough that no
excuse from my long service, and no decla- |
ration of my contid snee III the reform policy
of the Presidential candidate and statesmen |
of the Democratic party, would relieve me |
from tho damaging plnusibility of such q |
charge. As Il private citizen / could scorn |
rs being In n private way somewhat identi- |
ned with the cause of civil service reform, |
had no right to make an opportunity for its |
natural enemies in either party to use such |
charge to its injury.
There was another reason why could not |
tender my rcslanatOn-and should have |
refused to do SO Ind it been requested-at |
or near the time OF your accession to office. |
For should regard 1t as pernlciou5 pre- |
reGent--ntterly repugnant to the spirit of |
Til" civil service act-to treat the Office of /
civil Service Commissioner as political. and |
hence IS one TO be Tiifea ut the beginning of |
zach Presidential term These consdera- |
einrs constrained me to continue in my place. |
i.he reform policy of Your administration, /
70 clearly defined In your leclArations, |
SHfhiU DG as HnfnlSEfkaOIS EsUeVeIODeu III I
your acts as President as 1t had been in your
acts as Governor of New York.
That tiino has arrived No candid man
can longer pretend to regard that policy "a I
Indefinite OF doubtful Every one OF the Ave |
months OF Your administration. during
which the civil service act and rules have |
been enforced With as much breadth, firm |
ness and fidelity as under that of President
Arthur, has not only added new evidence OF
the utility OF the new system upon which he /
congratulated the country, but has made |
more definite the settled purpose of YOUR
administration to faithfully enforce both the
Jaw ana the rules in the future. The few
changes YOU have made i'll the rules have |
but sadded to their Justice and efficiency.
SO Tar as have been able to learn there Is
not member Of your Cabinet who has not,
rs the result OF his experience in office, q
higher sense than before of the need of en-
forcing that merit system in the public ser |
VICE which the civil service act and the rules
nave established, and from those Mt the head
OF the many offices in the postal and customs T
service, to which the examination extends in |
all parts Of the Union and whether they be
republicans holding over, or new officers
from the other party, there has come no rea-
son for believing thatEhe merit system is not
welcomed as great benefit to the public
service; great influence for honesty in
poHGlca, ana great relief to the head
OF the office. Now that the principles of
Justice upon which that system is based its
tendency 70 suppress misunderstanding
anu Official patronage; Its great encourage.
lnen6 or the public schools and its support
OF nigh character and manhood in politics
are being more RAPIDLY comprehended by
the people than ever before, I feel sure that
IL is In the near future to have not only
greatly ENLARGED. but an almost unchal-
ienRed enforcement. Is is really an issue be-
tween the people and she politlcinns-a con-
test Tor spo ls system OF office on one side,
other. - |
The friends of the latter contend for the |
Tree opportunity of every citizen to win an |
ofiice for himself by his own merits; of the
former for the exclusive right of great Off
GERS and great politicians to use all OF the
hundred thousand places they can control
ana all the assessments they can extort to
selves and keep their party in power against
the Will OF the people Between these ex.
eremes there is unquestionably large num-
per OF candid and patriotic citizens I don't