The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-06-11
A Peculiar Civil Service Board.

A Peculiar Civil Service Board.
Considerable dissatisfaction is express
ed in South Carolina at the designation
by the Civil Service Commission of c.
NJ. Wilder, Henry A. Wallace and j. S
Leaphart as board of civil service
examiners for the conduct of the exami'
nation in Columbia of applicants for po.
sitions in the classified departmental
service. The personnel of the board is
described by the Newberry Observer az
follows: "Leaphart is deputy postmas.
| ter at Columbia, who has been acting
postmaster for many years. He is white
man and clever and capable. G. NJ
Wilder is postmaster at Columbia, OF
rather he holds the commission and draws
the salary, but is not capable of attend.
ing to the duties of the Office. IF we are
correctly informed he can scarcely write
his own name. He is negro. Henry
A. Wallace is young negro and q clerk
in the postoffice Both colored men are
Republicans and Leaphart is Democrat.
And this is the trio to pass on quali6ca-
tions of South Carolinians who want Office
under q Democratic Administration"
These statements were shown to Com.
missioner Eaton last night by Post
reporter. Without directly answering
them he INDUCED in an excited mono
logue.
''The whole article shows" said he,
"the total ignorance of the man who
wrote it. In the first place, it is an in.
suit to Mr.. Cleveland to imagine that if
those men were not competent to fill the
offices they occupy he would retain them
in their positions. They have nothing
to do but to receive the instructions of
the chief examiner, Mr.. Lyman, who
himself conducts the examination. They
just keep open the Office and do the rou-
tine work. The commission has to take
people in the public service to do this
work. At Columbia there are none but
the postmasters. Nearly all the South
Carolinians who have applied for Gov.
ernment positions have passed before
these same men and are now in the
departments here. Instead of not wish
ing to come before them, the people
come in swarms we can't keep them
away. And when once they get the
positions they won't give them up until
they are kicked out. Mr.. Wilder is q
competent man or he would not be in his
Office. Is the man who wrote that article
q mean, contemplate sneak in disguise
trying to make sly thrust at the heart
of the Administration What else is
he? Hasn't the Democratic party selec.
ted man for the Presidency who pledged
himself before his election to civil service
reform7 Did not Cleveland carry New
York simply on that basis? Then what
does this mean, sniveling, cowardly attack
signify? I think it is too contemplate
to notice. It is that sort of man who
would rather revel in a saturnalia of
spoils than in the eternal bliss of para
disc"
Senator Buffers attention was Sunday
called by Post reporter to the TRADE of
Mr.. Dorman B. Eaton against the editor
of the Newberry IS. O. Observer pub.
lished elsewhere, because of his criticism
of the board of civil service examiners
at Columbia, S. c., and he was asked if
Mr.. Eaton's harsh language WAS justified.
Senator Butler inquired if it was possible
that Mr.. Eaton could have used the Ian.
guage attributed to him, and, being
Informed that he was correctly reported,
expressed great surprise, and added that
he thought Mr.. Eaton himself should be
sent before board for examination as to
his qualifications for the position he
holds.
"This exhibition of childish temper
and indecent language towards the editor
of the New 'erry paper, on any account, "
said Senat Butler, "shows him to be
utterly unfit for so important and respon-
sible position as the chairman of the
Civil Service Commission"
"Do you know the editor of the New.
berry Observer 2"
"I do, and he is the equal Of Mr.. Eaton
in intelligence, and, Judging by this Ian
guage, very much his superior in gentili-
ty and good breeding-and better quail
fed in every way to form a correct op.n.
ion of the Columbia board of examin-
ers."
care the Observers criticism Of the
Columbia board just?"
"I think entirely so. The appointment
of such board for such purpose is
more calculated to bring contempt and
odium upon the law than anything that
could be done, and I concur heartily in
what the editor of the Observer says"
"Were you aware of the personnel OF
this board in Columbia {"
II was not, and have no hesitation in
saying it is little less than an outrage.
The two colored men, Wilder and Wal
lace, are respectable, as far as I know,
but with none of the qualifications for
the work they are required to perform, or
with very few of the necessary qualifca-
tions. And while Mr.. Leaphart is q
perfectly reputable man I should not
select him for this business. Upon the
whole, the board is one that ought not to
have been appointed, and reflects very
little credit on the person making the
appointment"
"Is the statement of Mr.. Eaton true
that at Columbia there are none-mean'
ing people in public service-but the
postmasters to serve on this board OF
examiners ?"
'It cannot be true, because the collec-
tor of Internal revenue and his assistants
and the United States district attorney
and his assistants are at Columbia, and |
do not see why they we're not available
for this work. Some Of them were men
of high order Of intelligence, and were
nm the snot Mr.. Eaton has given way
to an angry, intemperete fit of passion,
not creditable to one of his age and posi-.
ton, and l trust for the sake Of the sue,
cessful execution of the law, for which /
am in measure responsible, he will
reconsider or modify or retract bis harsh
language. No public officer is above
criticism, and, instead Of resenting it, ne
ought to encourage every proper and
Legitimate inquiry into his official acts"
The Fight for Collector.