Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-10-01

- y
Dorman B. Eaton, chairman of the
civil service commission, and the
presidents reply thereto, which was
received by Mr.. Eaton this morning,
and furnished the associated press for
publication:
U. S. CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION,
WASHINGTON, d. c., july 2S.
| SIR-In execution of a purpose of which in
| fully tender my resignation civil service com
missioner, but out of defercnce to your wishes [
will not urge its acceptance until such time in the
autumn as you may find convenient for new ap-
| pointInent. 1t may not [ hope be thought map
propriate if l add some words of explanation
prior to the passage of the civil service act of
! july 10th. 1888. had held under three earlier
presidents, and was then holding under President
Arthur an official position, closely analogous to
my present office as civil service, commissioner.
In nearly the whole period had served without
compensation, and had been compelled to bear
my own travelling and other expenses, including
| those OF journey to Europe and the preparation
OF an extensive report made ct the request of one
| of those presidents, but printed by congress.
had taken an active part by which my time was
largely taxed in connection with the preparation
and passage of that law, and when the time ar
rived for the executing of its processes it see ned
| to me that could not fairly be called upon to
make further sacrifice of my private interests
in aid of civil service reform Besides, the enc
mics of the reform were so kind to charge that
l had promoted the act for the treble purpose of
gaining noJorlety, an office, and a salary. But
President Arthur without the least intimatiOn to
me of his purpose nominated me and was con-
| hrmed as g. commissioner.
| When l was about to Decline the friends of the
reform with whom had labored for many years
IN its behalf, insisted that was in duty bound to
| accept, and those enemies, with amiable consist
ency, made clear their purpose of charging any
refusal on my part a cowardly Sinking from
the speedy and disgraceful failure to follow
any attempt to execute so chimerical and imprac.
ticable statute. In such situation I had hard
ly a liberty of choice but L entered upon my dIl-
ties with the declared purpose of remaining hard
~ more than year within which at least the con-
structive work of making rules and regulations
and OF enforcing a new system at its most diff
cult stage could be ascertained.
At the end of that time had become more than
ever interested in the practical operation Of the
new system. Its great utility and easy processes
had gained the commemorative of the president
and united more largely the party in its power
and secured from the committee of thirteen
members OF the democratic house of repreSen-
tatives unanimous report declaring the great
usefulness Of the law and rules, and commencing
what 1t described 1.-The intelligent, efficient.
nonp partisan and conscientious work of the civil
service commission. | could then see no obliga-
ton to remain longer. That had been done which
the enemies of reform had declared to be impos-
sible. The law and rules were indicated, but
there were impractical methods which were not
fully natured and remained to take part in the
development.
When a few months later was about tolissist
on being relieved, those friends dssuaded me by
urging that there would be critical period in
a new party should come into power, and 1 saw
charged, if [ resigned, with fleeing from the
perils of that crisis 1t was clear enough that no
! excuse from my long service and no declaration
of my confidence in the reform policy Of the pres
idential candidate and statesmen of the demo-
cratic party would relieve me from the damag-
ing plausibility of such charge. AS private
citizen could Scorn imputatOn but as public
officer and as being in private way somewhat
identified with the cause of civil service reform,
had no right to make an opportunity for its
natural enemies in either party to such
charge to its injury. There was another reason
why could not tender my resignation, and
should have refused to do so had it been request
ed at or the time of your accession to office,
for should regard it as pernicious precedent
utterly repugnaRt to the spirit of the civil SER
mission as political, and hence as one
to be filled at the beginning of each
presidential term. These considerations con-
strained me to continue my place
further. The few changes you haye made in
the rules have but added to their justice and
efficiency. So far as [ have been able to learn
not result of his experience in Office, higher
sense than before Of the need of enforcing that
merit system in public service, which the civil
service act and rules have established, and from
those st the head OF many officers in the postal
and customs service to which the examinations
extend to all parts of the Union, and whether
they be republicans holding over new officers
from the other party, there has come reason
for believing that the merit system is not welcomed
as a great benefit to the public service, great
influence for honesty in politics, and great re-
RELIEF to the head of the office, The principles
Of justice upon which that sy stem is based, its
tendency to suppress patronage, mOngering and
official favOritism, its great encouragement of the
public schools, and its support Of all high charac
ter and manhood in politics, are being more
rapidly camprehended by the people than ever
before. feel sure it is in the future to have
not only greatly enlarged, but almost I'M
challenged enforcement 1t is really an issue be-
tween the people and the polticianS-a contest for
a spoilS system of office on one side, and for
merit eystem of office on the other
The friends of the latter contend for the free
0nra If<V ortiz for
himself by his own merits. OF the former for the
exclusive right of great officers and great poll
ticians to use all Of the hundred thousand places
they can control and all the assessments they can
extort to bribe voters, to buy the press, to elect
themselves and to keep their party in power
against the will of the people. Between these ex-
tremes there is unuuestionably large number of
candid and patriotic citizens.
do not refer these facts so decisive ef the per-
petuity of merit of the system with vain conceit,
and that if they were otherwise or the prospect
was discourag ing, my remaining commissioner
would not avail any thing, but wish to leave no
doubt of my faith in the continuing triumph of
the reform policy, and no friend of reform has
the least for thinking ought to remain in
INV Office Indeed the triumph of that policy is
now absolute and the contest is already over in
that part of the government in which alone all
legitimate authority and responsibility for appoint
ments and removals rested, and in which alone
through information needed Tor correct Judg-
ment as to the utility of the new system exists.
In other words. were it not for the interference
by congressman and politicians with the constitu
president and other officers having appointing
power there would now be no opposition worthy
of notice to merit system of office Those who |
oppose it, with few exceptions, would be those
only whose participation in appointments and re-
moyalS is an absolute uSurpatlon and informed |
ding by which the counter poise of the govern
rnent has been impaired and its perpetuity is be-
ing threatened. So that usurpaton, to the selfish
aims of those who promote, to the gathering OF
the spois and distribution Of Offices which its
motive force, open competitions of merit
for the appointment and suppression OF political
assessments are fatal President Grant approved
civil service rule to arrest that intermeddling.
Concede to the president and other appointing
officers the liberty which the constitution and
laws contemplate allow those who have the best
means of making a wise choice between the
spoils system and merit system to be judges,
and repeat the final decision is already given
and the contest is already over. President Grant
decided that issue and his last official declaration
to congress of the subject declared it "a source
of modification" that congress had refused an