Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-25
THE PRESIDENT AND CIVIL SERVICE
REFORK.
Dorman B. Eaton, in his letter resigning
the Guardianship of the Civil Service
Commission. SAYS to President Cleveland

Dorman B. Eaton, in his letter resigning
the Guardianship of the Civil Service
Commission, says to President Cleveland !:
The five months of your administration, dur
ing whlch the Civil Service Act and rules have
been enforced with as much breadth, firmness
ana hdellty as uncer that of President Arthur
mas not only added new evidence of the utility
OF the new system upon which he congratulated
the country, but has mace more definite the
settled purpose of your Administration TO faith
FULLY enforce both the law and rules in the
inture. The principles of justice upon
winch that system is based, its tendency to sup
press patronage and official favoritism its great
encouragement of public schools and its support
OF all the high character and manhood in poll
tics, are now being more rapidly comprehended
Dy the people than ever before. 1t is really an
issue between the people and the politicians
contest Tor the spoils system of Office the one
aqe and for the merit system of Office on the
olher. Inc friends OF the latter contend for the
Lree opportunity of every citizen to win an Office
Tor himself onhis own merits; of the former for
the exclusive right of the great officers and
great politicians TO use all of the hundred thou
SAND places they can control. and all the assess
ments they can eXtort to bride voters, to buythe
press to elect the mselyes and to keep their party
IN power against the will OF the people.
There could not well be made any palmer
or more direct statement of the case than
this. There was no especial reason why
the President should respond to Nj.
Eaton's letter. 1t was not demanded that
he should more than acknowledge its re-
ception. But he has done a great deal
more. He has indorsed all Mr.. Eaton has
written, and has done so with deliberation.
Mr.. Cleveland, among other things, takes
occasion to say: Il believe in civil service
reform and its application in the most
practical form attainable, among other rea-
sons, because it opens the door for rich and
poor alike to a participation in public
plaee-holding and l hope the time is at
hand when our people will see the adj
vantage of reliance for such an opportuni-
ty upon merit and fitness instead of de-
pendenee upon the caprice or selfish inter
ests of those who impudently stand be-
tween the people and the machinery of
their Government. In one case, reasona-
bic intelligence and education, which is
freely furnished or forced upon the youth
of our land, are the credentials to Office !:
in the other, the way is found in favor Sc
cured by participation in partisan work
often uniting the person morally, if not
mentally and physically, for the response
bility and duties of public employment"
The politicians, ever ready to impugn mo-
tives, allege that the Presidents reply is
intended to influence the nomination for
Governor, to be made by the Democracy of
New York. 1t is barely possible that this
Is true; but what of it? 1t only the more
strongly confirms the opinion that the
President Is sincere in his protestations of
friendship for the reform. After what he
has now said he can takeno back track In
the light of his letter, some of his apooint-
ments are unaccountable But we may at
tribute this to his inability to do all that
his soul desires. He may believe that the
safest way to the contamination he wishes ;s
by easy and progressive steps rather than
by sudden leaps. At least we now have
1t squarely before the country that Demo-
cratic President is a civil service reformer.
while his party hates the very name. and
just SO far as it dares to do so, does, and
will continue to antagonize its head upon
this subject. As, for instance, witness the
uproarious applause that greeted the anti
civi-service resolutions offered in the
Democratic Convention of Saratoga yes
terday- As witness, also, the nomination
by the same Convention last night of act