Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-10-02


Chief Civil srr1y,iss CO., ssisnsr 1870.
Resf1ns satis1ed WIG the Proeaf,sss
81 ~ - ysland. Aoosptinr rho
3 pressss ninlself MOST
Emphati = q IS the
There ra 4 ma s public some leng thy cor
respondence between - herman B. Eaton,
chairman 81 the civil service con-
and President Cleveland, ID which Mr.. Eaton
tenders his resig ion to the president to
take effect Nov. j, and Mr.. Cleveland ac-s
cepts i! Thereason Tor Mr.. Eaton resig.
nation are. first, that he found himself upon
the salary Of s., $780, Whichit pays him, and
Tor which ne left q large and lucrative law
practice. .53 s]8G 5S:S 5E: .&
s PRESIDENT cLEvELAND's REPLY.
E Executive Mansion, Washington, Sept.
III, 1885.-Hon. Dorman B, Eaton-Ny
Dear Sir: lam III receipt Of your letter
rendering your resignation as a member Of
the board OF civil service commits sioners.
4 cannot refrain from expressing my sin.
cere regret that you have determined to
Withdraw from 9 position in the public
service where your intelligent performance
OF duty has been OF inestimable value to
the country The friends of civil service re-
form, and all those who desire good gov
ernment fully appreciate your devotion to
the cause in which you early enlisted, and
they have seen with satisfaction that your
zeal and faith have not led you to suppose
that the reform in which you were engaged
is unsuited to the rules which ordinari-5
~ govern progress in human affairs,
or that it should at once I. reach
perfection and universal III acceptance.
You have been willing patiently to
accept good results as they step by step
could be gained, holding every advance
with unyielding steadfastness. Thesuccess
which thus far has attended the work of
civil service reform is largely due to the fact
that it's practical friends have proceeded
upon the theory that real and healthy pro-
gress can only be made success If the peo-
pie who cherish the pernicious political
ideas, long fostered and encouraged by vi
cious craftsmanship, are. persuaded that the
changes contemplated by the reform offer
substantial improvements and benefits. A
reasonable liberation for old prejudices, a
graceful recognition OF every aid, a sensible
utilization OF every instrumentality that
promises assistance, and a constant effort
to demonstrate the
ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS,
are the means by which this reform move
ment will in the future be further advanced,
and the opposition Of incorrigible spoils-
men rendered Intellectual and the cause
placed upon sure foundation. OF course
there should be no surrender of principles,
nor backward step, and all laws Tor the en-
forcement of the reform should be ridgidly
executed; but the benefits which it's princi-
piles promise viii not be fully realized unless
the acquiesence OF the people is added to
the stern assertion OF a doctrine and the
vigorous execution Of the laws @I 1t is a
source of congratula ton that there are so
many friends OF civil service reform mar
shaded ON the practical side ofthe question,
and that the number is not greater of those
who profess friendliness for.the cause, and
yet lnischievously, and with supercilious
in exact accord with their ultimate ideas,
decry with carrying criticism the labor of
those actually in the field of reform, and
ignoring the conditions which bound and
qualify every struggle for radical
Improvement in the affairs of govern
ment, demand complete and imme-
mediate perfection. The reference in
your letter to the attitude Of the mem
bers OF my cabinet to the merit syetem es-
tablished by the civil service law, beside
being entirely correct, exhibits an appre-
citation of honest endeavor in the direction
of reform and a disposition to do justice
to proved sincerity, which is most atty
ing. Ifsuch treatment OF those upon whom
the duty rests of administering the govern
ment according to reform methods was the
universal rule, and if the embarrassment
and perplexities attending such an admin
istration were fairly regarded by all those
processing to be friendly tossuch methods,
the avowed enemies to the cause would be
afforded less encouragement. ! believe in
civil service reform and it's application in
k1,o@ - IL +%1s
Among other reasons, it opens the doors
for the rich and poor alike to a participation
in public ofhceh gliding, and hope the time
is at hand when all our people will see the
advantage Of a reliance for such an oppor-
tunity upon 81 -
MERIT AND FITNESS
selfish interest OF those who impudently
stand between the people and the machin-
cry OF their government. In the one case q
reasonable intelligence and the education
which is freely furnished or forced upon the
youth of our land are the credentials to
office. The other way is found in favor Sc
cured by participation in partisan work,
often uniting a person morally, if not
mentally and physically, for the RESPONSE
bilities and duties Of public employment.
You will agree with me, I think, that the
support which has been gwen to the pres
emit administration in it's efforts to preserve
and advance this reform by party re-
stored to power after an exclusion for many
years from participation in the places at
tached to the public service, confronted
with new system precluding q redistribu-
ton Of such places in its interests, called up
on Z to surrender advantages which
% perverted partisanship had taught
the American people belonged to