The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-09-24
CIVIL SERVICE AFFAIRS.
CHAIRMAN EATON RESIGNS:
HIS Lengthy Letter OF Resign stion-rhe
Inauguration Of ths Policy Re-
Viewed ssd Its History Gwen.
The Reply of Prssiseat
Cleveland, Etc, Etc.
Letter Of Resignation


Eaton, chairman Of the civil service
commission, ami the Presidents reply
thereto, which was received by Mr..
Eaton this morning, have been fur-
nished the Associated Press for pub
iication:
United States Civn Service Commission,
Wa hiDgton, ID. c., Ju y %, 1885;
SIR:-ln execution OF u purposs,
OF which informed you several weeks
siBce, very respectfully tender nay
rssisuation as civil service commits
sioner, but ont Of dsferencs to your
wishes will not urge itx acceptance
until such timo in The
autumn as you may md it convenient
for u new appointment. 1t may not, ]
hope, bc thought Inappropriate If |
add some words OF explanation. Prior
to the passage Of tho civil sor-
vice act, OF January 10th,
1888, hsd held, usdor
three earlier Presidents, and was then
Ia ,lding under Prestient Arthur, an
official position, closely analogous On
my present Office, 81 civil service COM
missioner For nearly tho whole peri
Cd had served without compensation
and had bcou compelled to be at my
Guiding those OF journey TO Europe,
report, made at tho request
but printed by Congress. i had
time was eagerly taxed, IN connect ~
that law. Whom tho timo arrived for
~ 8taIA
seemed tI to 80 mo p''''' thst i j
could not fairly DO called upon TO
taske smother aacridcs Of interests la
AID OF civil service reform. Be-
sides, tho enemies OF reform
were 80 kind "a to charge
thai had promoted fhe
not for tho treble purpose OF gaining
noioriety, office and n salary.
But President Arthur, without
the least intimstion TO me
OF MS purpose, nominated mo
aud | Was confirmed es comminsionNf.
Whom was cbout to decline, the
friends Of reform, with whom l had
laborcd for many years in tta behalf,
waa Ia duty bousd TO aocep,
and those enemies with aninble
constituency made clear thcir purp Ise
Of charging any refusal ON my part,
n7 opwarderly, sminging from the
speedy ana disgracetnl failure sure t.
follow any attempt to execute
SO chemical and impractluGbis
a atatute. La such situation
had hardly y liberty OF choice, but
entered upon my oflisisl duties with
the declared purpNaes OF remaining
sardly moro than Il year, with,T
which, ~ least the constructive
worl, Of making rules END
regulations, and OF enforcing anew
~ sem, at It's most difficult stsse,
could be- accomplished. AZ the end OF
mai L.rna l had become more deeply
II an ever interesgac in tbe practical
Application OF the now system. 1t.
great utility end easy Processes mad
uhinHd tho communication or tho Pres
ident and united moro largely the
party in itB fsvnrs, and incurred from
| Il committee 0i IL memOer5 ofthe Dem.
ocratis HoIse cf Representative 8
unailiiuOu report, declaring the Grest
| Useiuluess Of the law and rules, and
commencing what IL described rs the
| intell gent, efficient, uou' partisan aud
conscientious work Of the oivll scr.
vico commission. could then SEQ Il
obligation 70 remain longer. Thai
had heen done which she euomie,
OF reform had declared TO DO im
| possible. Tho Law aud tho ralos wore
Indicated, but shore were i,nprnctica
methods which wsre aut fully ma
tureS, and | remained to take pat IL
thotr development. Whom, few
months later, WAS abou
to insist on beng 40
lleved, these friends dissu aaed mo lbs
urging this would DO at n critics
perioa In cns0 y now persy SHOULD
come into power. saw plainly fron
hostile journals thst l should be
charged, II | resigned, from fleeing
froB the Dsrii OF tina,
criss. IS was clear enous i
that no e1cspe for IA,
long service, sud 40 declaration Of ny
confidence in the reform po / y
vi she presidential candid atv
and statemenb Of tho Democtatl,
arty would relieve from the Ganag
ing plausaNility OF euch g charge. AZ !
private citizen could scorn tho impu.
{ ton, nut az public officer and
"a being,in spfivato way, somewhat IN
Identity With the cause OF civil sorvic,
reiocm, had no tight I - make an op
purtunity for lie natural euomias II
al her party ~ usa Auch charge 10 Ia
dofeat. There Hss another rarsot
which could tender ny resignation
and should have refused {,
do so hud lt been requisite Of
at ar near tha time OF your accession
10 olllre, for should regard IL az I
pnruicluus precedent, utterly repug
nSnt TO the spirit Of tho civil serviC,
act, TO treat Gae oilico az civil servic,
commissioner ~ political Houce a
Que 10 oc flied AZ tho bsginniu
oi each presidential term. These con
side ations COM rIiued me to coniiuu,
In tnc psca until the reform policy y
your aumiuis ration, so clearly deiin
sd In your declaration, should be- -
Enthusiastically developed in you,
acts ne President, as IL Ia,
been IN ylur acs 80 goveruo
NJ New YORK, Th3y time has arrived
No candid man oOuld longer pfetcn,
10 regard that uuliry 80 iudefiuits q
doub iul. Evary ophoc tho i've moath
otyVur dnnis,Tatlop, dutipg whic'
,ho civil s,rvlce not and rules hav,
bcn enf,ro q With nv much breahth
iirmness AMI fidelity "a under that a
Prs q nc hrtUnr, mas not onlv adde,
CIV videnc OF tue utility ~ tho new
| Nrteui, on whom l congratulate tn
county,. cut had m re dtilulte sn,
cnrsect Judgment ~ to the utility o
me new .yst9m exlcts. In 9th
words, W lro t. not for the in,erfereuc,
of Co grtss aud politicians with tn,
vnus ! utional functions Mud lntond Q,
uher v OF toe President, ana OF Ola
rihn3ss having nppIiutlng PAYER
tocrN would he nov 40 opp0siiiHi
wOtttv oi uotice 10 i1Sr't system OF OF
nco Tn0So who oppose II viii, wi
E xcrwion he thoso only whose partiol
| rsiion IN nppl,ntmants aud removal
IN 81 absolute usurpatlup aud tutor
meddlnS by whicn the cnuuterptec
OF the govornmnns has bean impaired
lN perpetuity Ia beius thi oaten,d Il
that u-nrpa,i0n TO tho seiish aims Q
those WIN promote " 10 tho gathnrin,
of the spolls and tho distribn
ton or offices, which ara "
nlut,va ior,o opsn compatitio,
OF mprit ior appointment an,
extreme, there ~ uuq isstipnsoly /.
ltf.O numhsr of candid aud patriotic
citiauns. l DO not refer 70 those fsct
| sN teciSiNa of kho parpptuitv pt IA