Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-11-11
Gladly s21ess a,ll 9akotaiaa
CIVIL SERVICE.
Esisse. tation from the President
apon this all Absorbing Topic.

Washington, Nov. 6--President Cleve-
land to-day expressed himself as follows
to ii member of the editorial staff Of the
Post in regard to reorganization Of the
civil seryics commission:
The reorganization of the civil service
commission was made necessary by the
resignation OF the members OF the old
board. In such reorganization it seems
to me that friends OF the cause could be
found in the party to which | belong,
and which is at present to q large extent
charged with the enforcement OF the law
by changing the political complexion Of,
the commission. This view, l think, was
shared by all the old commissioners end,
the change has thus far progressed with
nothing but the best of feelings al far
/ know on their part. In the selection
OF the new commissioners there were so
many different qualifications which ]
deemed desirable that ] have found it
no easy matter to fill the positions with
men who could combine the elements
which I consider most useful tot fair,
honest and successful enforcement of
the law. Prominent leaders in the
OWL service movement strongly advised
me to select one OF the commissioners
from the south. This l have done, and
the person selected from that locality, |
am units certain, possesses all the quail
fioations Tor an efficient officer. Mr..
Edgerton ] never saw until yesterday,
and l don't remember that | ever heard
of him until Chief Justice Waite urged
BIN upon my attention as a most excel
lent man for the place. From my inn
preston of HIM upon q personal inter
view, and from representations made by
his friends, / am entirely satisfied no
mistake has been made in his appoint
ment. / cannot rid myself Of the idea
that this civil service reform is M
thing intended to do practical good, and
moo u mere sentiment invented for the
pnrpose;of affording opportunity to ven
tilate understanding notions and fine
PHRASES. My plan ofs giving it the
greatest possible usefulness involves the
removal OF stumbling blocks from the
way of good, honest men who are in
eiined to it's support, aud demonstrate
in every public manner it's value, as
adapted to the everyday affairs of the
government. Thus two democrats were
selected and l certainly intend to 80.
lect them for the two prominent posi-
tions in the COMMISSION, and this was
cone largely in Difference to the senti-
ment and opinions held by good men IN
the democratic party, and it has also oc-
Cured to me that it was q plain dictate
of common sense that one of the old
commissioners should if possible, re-
main for o time and aid the new ones.
The preparation of the report Of the
commission is u very important matter,
aifording an occasion to commend the
reform of the people by exhibiting to
them all that it has accomplished, and
the report ought to be very useful, too,
in removing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. aud OBJ
J%ections. During the experience of one
who has been in the commission during
the time to which the report will relate
OF the utmost value in is preparation,
Mnd fully convinced that the knowledge
gained by q connection with the. admin
lstratlon of the law would be- a great
help to the new commission, l obtained
She consent of Mr.. Eaton to remain
anaaagariiy in the commission, and /
have to-day appointed him in
the place Of Nj. Thoman, the
former democratic member. When
MIR. eaten finally retires l shall appoint
" 1GphOlAOuLt WhObo oOlSCblOh Will, Il
hope. detract nothing from the strength
and efficiency of the new commission.
My attention has been called TO a state
nlent made in some newspapers relative
to Mr.. Sterling. / have heard that he
has applied Tor an examination as a
weigher. | have no Information whether
he has passed or not, bat / judge from
something appearing III the papers that
certain people iearthat he has, and are
already flashing themselves into a dread
oi apprehension lest he should be ap-
pointed after examination to fill the
piacs to which he was appointed with
out examination, and from which he
was suspended. When the civil service
commission consulted with me as to the
status of MIR Sterling and the true con
structlon of the rals bearing on the sub
jeet. Iagreed with them in their second
opinion that the position OF weigher
was subject to an exam
~inatioD and should be fixed
by n who by means of q proper
examination under the law proved him.
Sell competent and eligible. But il
seemed to me that the good OF the SER
wee required that the person to be APP
pointed should be possessed of certain
traits and qualifications which nc
theoretical examination would develop
One having in charge 200or 800 men oil
the class which the weigber has to
deal with, should possess personal cour-
arge, energy, decision and tirnness OF
character. 1t is entirely certain that the
possession oil such qualifications could
not in the least be determined by the
result of IN examination for the purpose
OF testing the applicants knowledge and
education. l suggested that the Ok
animation for this be on.competitive
but finding that the law and rules did
not permit that in such . case, it was
proposed that instead of sending to the
appointing power only four names from
those who had proved themselves
eligible upon examination, and obliging
him to select from them, the whole
number who successfully passed should
be ssnt up. This permitted an oppor-
tunlty to judge OF the qualifications not
developed by the examination. This, as
l understand it, was agreed to mons us,
n l have ever since supposed that
course would be followed. think it
certainly should be. / might perhaps
d that at the time it was, as l sup
posed, settled upon. / had not, and L
am quite sure that no member of the
commission had the slightest idea that
MI. Sterling would appear as an appli-
cant for examination. Now, if Mr.. Ster.
ling haH submitted to the conditions i'm
posed by the civil service law, and if he
mas passed the examination prescribed,
ne should be treated justly and fairly. i
90 notamean to say that the appointing
power should be unlust and unfair to
others by appointing Mr.. Sterling over
the heads OF those who have passed q
better examination than his and who are