Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-14

The civil service commissioners knew when
the whole list of candidates was certified TO Mr..
Hedden for the selection of a wegher that Ster-
ling would not get the APP pointment. The deci-
sion necessarily provoked criticism. IL was the
first official act of the civil service commits
sioners, and some of the friends of civil service
reform felt much depressed about it, IL is
claimed however, by the commission, that
when the public come TO look into the matter
they will see that the commission has acted
wisely. On the outset the new commissioners
declare that they are earnestly and devotedly
attached To civil service reform, and that their
only desire Is To popularize IL and advance it's
Interests The Sterling case was peculiar one,
and they took bold step In IL, knowing that
the outcome would he satisfactory.
THE COMMISSIONERS WILLING To STAND CRIT
ICIsN.
Col Trenholm said to n STAR reporter yes-
terday: 1--WE are willing TO stand the criticism
that may be passed upon us. When IL liz all
over the civil service will be benefited by il.
The Sterling case Is such as will probably
10 serve as precedent. IL II the result of their
work that the commission will finally be
judged by, and We intend that everything We
do shall be for the best interest of the civil SER
vice law. When this matter is all over and the
attitude of the commission Is understood IL
will have made many friends and supporters
for civil service reform more than IL now has.
Those who construe from their view oi the de-
cision in this case that there Is In he any aNity
on the part Of the commission, will find the re-
futation of such a theory I'm our course through
out. \ on have no idea that Mr. Sterling will be
made the Brooklyn weigher- No. nor have u
Mr.. Oi6rien will probably he appointed. He
should have been appointed in the first place.
when Mr.. Hedden appointed Mr.. Sterling that
the office came within the civil service regula-
lations. IL afterwards decided that il
did, and Mr. Sterling Was suspended, and an
examination ordered. Now the examination
is over, and some thirty candidates have been
standing of the case, will not Mr.. Hedden sp-
point NJ. O'Brien: Is il not better that Mr..
o'Brien should be selected from thirty, than
thai iG should ba made TO appear that his selec-
tion had been forced. There is a vulgar saying
that more flies may be caught with sugar than
with vinegar. III civil service reform il to be
progressive, We must make IL so. and not he
b,s:nd down i'm old ruts. II the new commission
same species and will be OF a vigorous and
healthy growth.
MIR. EATON voUcHEs FOR THE EARNEsTNEss or
HIS ASSOCIATES.
81 can vouch for the earnestness of my new
associates" said Mr.. Eaton. "They are jealous
and devoted i'm the interests or civil service re-
FORM In no case. they declare, will the Sterl-
ing case be n precedent. and they are willing To
abide by any criticism IL may provoke from
those who do not understand the case and ap-
preciate their motives"
NO CHANGE OF THE RULES CONTEMPLATED
The commission are agreed that no change
should be made in the rules TO increase the list
of certified candidates. Mr. Eaton says such
a change would be detrimental 10 the ser.
vice and Is entirely unnecessary. "If twenty
names were certified, Tor instance" ne said
"what would be the resulte The appointing
power would be bcset by the candidates.
and all sorts OF social and political In
fiuence would be produced i'm the interests
of the various candidates. The trouble
complained Of by those who want an extension
OF the certifcation Is all provided against by a
provision I'm the rules for the transfer and ex-
change OF clerks, so as To get the right men I'm
the right place. The heads of departments
have not understood this rule perfectly hereto
fore, but now IL is being put into operation and
the result Is satisfactory. The rule now re-
quires that clerk must serve year before
he can be transferred, but IL will be amended
soon, SO as to reduce the time TO six months"
O'BRIEN GETS THE APPOINTMENT.
]. N. O'Brien, who passed highest i'm the ex-
animation for the Brooklyn weighership, was
given the appointment late yesterday afteF-
noon. Mr.. Hedden states that though he had,
by the resolution Of the civil service commits
siQners, the right to choose from the whole list,
he nevertheless proposed 70 follow the civil SER
vice Law strictly, and therefore gave the prefer
ence TO Mr.. O'Brien because he passed the best
examination and was an old soldier. Mr..
OBrien IL forty-eight years old. de was grad
uated from the college Of 81 Francis Xavier, In
NewYork city. He served through the war with
the 60th New York regiment, and WAS wounded
on the battle field OF Antietam. AfterWard he
received an honorable dismissal because Of dis
ability. He has been q clerk In both the War
and Treasury departments at Washington for
twenty years. Kecently he has been employed
a assistant weigher In the New York custom