The Osceola times., 1885-10-03
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM

WASHINGTON, ID. c., september 2i.-
The following correspondence, embrace
Ing Dormln b. Eaton's resignation as
member OF the Civil Service Commission,
and the Presidents acceptance Of 1t, was
made public last nights
wAsHrSaroS, d C.. July 27th. 1855. :.
srP-In execution Of n purpose Of which
Informed you several weeks since, very
respectfully tender my resif nation as ClNlI
Service Con,nis .ioncr. but out OF Differences
to Your wishes will not urge It's no ,eptanco o
until such time N the autumn rs you may
hnd convenient for n new appointment ~
may not, hope, he tionght ini-appropriate
II | aid some words OF explanation.
Prior 20 the passage OF the civil
service act of January 10Th,
iSsl. I had held Under three earlier presl.
dents, and was then no ding under lres d9n'
Arthur nm Official position cl sely analo-
gous to my present Office rs civil service
Commissioners. For nearly the whole period
had served without compensation, ana
had been compelled to bear my own travel, :,
Ing and other expenses including those oi
a iourn " TO Europe and the preparation OF
an extensive report male NJ the regues, OF
one OF those Presidents, but printed Dy Con'
Cress | had taken an active pnt'
BY which my time was largely taNad, IN con. /.
nection with the preparation and passage OF
that law and when the time arrived for
executing itsprovisions. II seemed TO me that
/ colld not fairly be called upon to make a
furt or sacrifice Of my private interests IN
aid OF civil service reform Besides, ths
enemies OF reform were 50 kind as 70 charge
that had promoted the act Tor the trcoie
purpose of gaining notorlety, an oillce ana
salary. But President Arthur, without the
least intimatlon to me OF his purpose, nom.
mated me. and was confirmed as Commls-
sioner. When | was about to decline, the
friends OF reform, with whom had
labored for many years In rs pehali,
insisted that | was In unty bounu
hau nminblp
consistency. made clear their purpose OF
charging any refusal on my part. as n cow
ardly shrinking from the speedy ana dls.
graceful failure sure to follow any attempt
10 execute so chimerlcai and impractical n
statue. In such n situation | had hardly
II liberty OF choice, but entered upon my
Official duties with the declared purpose OF
remaining hardly more than year, within
which at least the constructive work
of making rules and regulations and OF
enforcing new system at ITS most
difficult stage could be accomplished At the
end OF that time | had become more deeply
than ever Interested in the practical appica.
tlon 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, ana Sc
cured from n committee of thirteen mem
bers OF the Democratic House OF Repre-
sentatyCs 4 unanimous report declaring the
great usefulness of the law and rules, and
rommending what Il described n the IN
telligcnt, efficient, non partisan ana aonsci-
entious work OF the civil Service Comnis-
sion.
could then see no Obligation TO remain
longer That had been done which the enc
mics Of reform had declared to be impos-i
BILE. The law and the rules were vlutiicated
But there were important practical methods
which were not fully matured, and l re-
mained to take part In their further devel-
opmcnt, When, n few months later, was
about to insist on being relieved, those
friends dssuade1 mc by urging that there
would be n critical period In case new
parry should come into power; and l saw
plainly; from hostile journals, that
slqned, with fleeing from the perils
OF that crisis II was clear enough that no
excuse from my long service, and no decla'
ration of my confd nee In the reform policy
of the Presidential candidate and statesmen
of the Democratic party, would relieve me
from the damaging nlauSibility OF such a
charge. AS private citizen | couid scorn
the imputatlon. but a. public officer, and
rs being in private way somewhat identi-
ned with the cause OF civil service reform,
hal no right to make an opportunity for ts
natural enemies In either party TO use such
. charge to its injury
There was another reason why could not
tender my rcsgnatlOn-nnd should nave
refused to do so hal IL been rcquested-at
or near the time OF your accession to office
For should regard II rs n pcrncious pre-
ccdcnt-utterly repugnant to the spirit OF
the civil service act to treat tire ofice OF
Civil Service Commissioner ~ political, ana
hence rs one to be lilicd at the beginning Of
zach Presidential term These considcra-
tipns constrained me to continue In my place.
The reform policy of your administration,
so clearly defined In your decorations.
should bo as unml.takably developed in
your acts as President ~ 1t hal been in your
nets rs Governor OF New York.
That time has arrived. No candid man
ian longer pretend to regard that policy ~
indefinite or doubtful Every one OF the hNc
months of your administration. during
which the civil service act aud rules have
been enforced with rs much breadth, firm
ness and fidelity ns 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 sctt ci purpos2 of your
administration to faithfully enforce both the
law and the rules In the future. The few
changes YOU have made In the rules have
but added TO their justice and efficiency.
So far rs have been able to learn there 10
not n member of your cabinet who has not,
as the result OF hts 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 at the head
OF the many offices In the postal and custom :
service, to which the examination extends in
all parts of the Union. and whether they be
Republicans hold.n over, or new officers
from the other party there has come no rea
son for believing thatthe merit system Is not
welcomed as Il great benefit to the public
service; u great influence for honesty In
politics, and n great relief to the head
Justice upon which that system l. based, Its
tendency TO suppress patronage-mongering
and official patronage, Its great encourage
mcnt of the public schools and Its support
of high character and manhood In politics
are being more rapidly comprchended by
the people than ever before, feel sure that
II In the near future to have not only a
greatly enlar tcd. but an almost unchal-
lenged enforcement. II Is really an issue be.
tween the people and the poitcans-a con.
test for n spo Is system of office on one side,
and for a 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 lHs own merits; OF the
former for the exclusive right of great onl-
GERS and great politicians to use all Of the
hundred thousand places they can control
and all the assessments they can extort to
bribe voters, to buy the press. to elect them.
selves and keep their party In power against
the will of the people Between these ex.
tremes there is unqucstionably large mum.
Der OF candN AID patriotic citizens. | don't
refer to thtss facts, so decisive of the per
petuity OF the merit system, with the vain
concclt that II they were otherwise or the
prospect was discouraging, my remaining n
commission would avail anything. But
wish to leave no doubt of my absolute faith
IN the continuing triumph OF Il reform pol.
Icy, and no friend OF reform has the least
reason for thinking ought to remain in my
office.
indeed, the triumph OF that policy is now
,soiute, and the contest already over III
tuat part OF the Government to which alone
all legimate authority and respon sbilitv for
appointments and removals rest, and In
wnich alone the thorough information need.
ed for correct Judgment as to the utility of
the new system exists. In other words,
were It not tor the Interference of Congress.
men and politicians with the constitutional
functions and intended liberty of the Pres.
dent, and OF other officers having the an.
pointing power, there would now be no Oh.
pos ,non worthy OF notice to merit system
of office. Those who oppose II will. with few
exceptions, be those only whose participa
tlon in appointments and removals is an
absolute usurpaton and interneddling by
which the counterpoise of tle Government
hns bi on imnnIre1 md L. Ii ltrn ,initr 1. h..