The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-10-03
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM


WASHINGTON, d. c., September "a
The following correspondence, embrace
ing Dormln b. Eaton's resignation as
member of the Civil Service Commission,
and the Presidents acceptance of it, was
made public last nights
WASHINGTON. d. c., July 27th, 1885.
SIR-In execution OF a purpose OF which /
informed you several weeks since, l very
respectfully tender my resignation as ClVll
Service Commits 5oner but out of Difference
to your wishes will not urge its acceptance
until such time in the autumn as you may
find convenient for new appointment IL
may not, / hope, be thought misnpproprlate
n | add some words OF explanation.
Prior to the passage OF the civil
service act OF January 18TH,
1888, had held under three earlier Presl.
dents, and was then holding under Pres dent
Arthur an official position closely analo-
gous to my present office as civil Service
Commissioner. Formerly the whole PERIOD
| had served without compensation, ana
had been compelled to bear my own travel.
ing and other expenses, including those OF
a tourney to Europe and the preparation OF
an extensive report made ut the request OF
one of those Presidents, but printed by Con-
gress. l had taken an active part,
by which my time was largely taxed, In con,
necton with the preparation ana passage OF
that law, and when the time arrived lot
executing ltSnfONlSlOnS, II Sttllltu W bl'hs
l co1ld not fairly be called upon to make Il
further sacrifice of my private interests In
aid OF civil service reform. BESIDES, the
enemies Of reform were so kind as 10 charge
that had promoted the act for the treble
purpose OF gaining notOrety, an Office ana
salary. But President Arthur, without the
least intimation to me OF his purpose, nom
mated me, and was confirmed as Gommis-
sloner When ! was about to decline, the
friends OF reform, with whom l" hita
labored for many years in its behalf,
insisted that l was in duty bound
10 accent: and these enemies with amiable
| consistency made clear their purpose OF
charging any refusal on my part, as COW
Rrdly shrinking from the speedy ana ds.
| graceful failure sure to follow any attempt
TO execute so chimerical and impractical n
| statue In such situation | had hardly
! 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 nc its most
! difficult stage could be accomplished. At the
| end of that time had become more deeply
! than ever interested IN the practical 0pplica.
! ton of the new system Its great utility ana
! easy processes had gained the cOmmenda-
| tiOn of the President, united more largely
| the party in power in its support, and Sc
| cured from n committee of thirteen mem.
! bers OF the Democratic House OF Repre-
! aentativCs unanimous report declaring the
! great usefulness of the law and rules, ana
]
telligent, efficient, non partisan and 2onsci-
entious work of the Civil Service Commits
sion.
could then see no obligation to remain
longer That had been done which the enc
! mics of reform had declared to be impos5i-
! BILE. The law and the rules were vndicated
| But there were important practical methods
which were not fully matured, and l re-
| NAMED to take part in their further devel-
| oDment. When, 4 few months later, was
about to insist on being relieved, those
friends dissuaded me by urging that there
would be Il critical period in case new
plainly. from hostile journals, that
/ should be charged If l re-
signed, with fleeing from the perlls
of that crisis It was clear enough that no
excuse from my long service and no decla-
ration of my confidence in the reform policy
OF the Presidential candidate and statesmen
| OF the Democratic party, would relieve me
from the damaging plauslbllity OF such q
charge. As a private citizen | could scorn
the mputation, but as public officer, and
4 rs being in a priv te way somewhat identit
ned with the cause OF civil service reform, l
had no right to make an opportunity for its
| natural enemies in either party to use such
q charge to its injury
There was another reason why could not
tender my rcSignation-and should have
refused to do so had it been requested-at
nr near the time of your accession to office.
For l should regard ii as pernlcious pre-
rcGcnt-utterly repugnant to the spirit OF
civil Service Commissioner rs political, and
hence rs one to be Iilied at the beginning of
zach Presidential term. These considcra-
tons constrained me to continue in my place.
The reform policy of your administration,
so clearly defined in your declarations,
should be rs Enthusiastically developed in
your acts rs President as 1t had been in your
nets rs Governor Of New York.
That time has arrived. No candid man
ran longer pretend to regard that policy IA
Indefinite or doubtful Every one OF the five
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
law aud the rules in the future. The few
changes you have made in the rules have
but added to their justice and efficiency.
SO far as | have been able to learn there Is
not member of your Cabinet who has not,
ms the result OF his experience In office, a
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
have established, and from those mt the head
of the many offices in the postal ana customs
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 that the merit system Is not
welcomed rs Il great benefit to the public
, service; a great influence for honesty in
politics. and a great relief to the head
of the office Now that the principles OF
Justice upon which that system Is based, its
tendency to suppress patronage-mOngerlng
and official patronage; its great encourage
ment of the public schools and its support
l. of high character and manhood in politics
are being more rapidly comprehended by
the people than ever before, feel sure that
IL IS in the near future to have not only a
greatly ENLARGED, but an almost unchal-
| lenged enforcement. 1t is really an issue be
tween the people and the politicians-a con
test for spo IL system of office on one side
and for merit system of office on the
| other.
The friends of the latter contend for the
free opportunity of every citizen TO win an
office for himself by his own merits; of the
former for the exclusive right of great ofli
GERS and great politicians to use all of the
hundred thousand places they can control
and all the assessments they can eXtOrt &
bride voters, to buy the press, TO elect them
selves and keep their party in power against
the will of the people Between these eN
tremes there is unQuestionably a large mum
Der of candid and patriotic citizens. l dont
refer to these facts, so decisive OF the per
petulty of the merit system, with the vaiI
conceit that II they were otherwise or TIT
prospect was discouragng, my remaining
commissioner would avail anything. But
wish to leave no doubt of my absolute taitl
in the continuing triumph OF "a reform pol
, lev and no friend OF reform has the leas
for hfnty 20, aQf