Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-10-01
LETTER IRON rREs. CLEVELAND.

Chief Civil Service Commissioner Eaton |
Resigns. satisfied with the Progress
Made kir. Cleveland, Accepting the
Resignation, Expresses Himself Arost
Emphaticaiiy In Favor of the Reform.
There was made public some lengthy cor1
respondence between Dorman b. Eaton,
chairman OF the civil service commission,
and President Cleveland, in which Mr.. Eaton
tenders his resignation to this president TO
take effect Nov. /, and Mr.. Cleveland ac.
cepts t. The reasons for Mr.. Eaton's resig.
nation are, FIRST that he found himself upon
the salary OF So 500, which Il pays him, and
for which he left o large and lucrative law
practice.
PRESIDENT cLEyELAND's REPLY.
Executive Mansion, Washington, Sept.
IL, 1885. Hon. Dorman u. Eaton-My
Dear Sir. am in receipt OF your letter
rendering your resignation as a member oil
the board OF civil service commits sioners.
cannot refrain from expressing my sin
cere regret that you have determined TO
Withdraw from a position in the public
service where your intelligent performance
OF duty has been Of nestimable value TO
the country. The friends of civil seryieere-
form, and all those who desire good gov
eminent fully appreciate your devotion to
the cause in which yon 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 10 the rules which ordinari
" govern progress in human affairs,
or that ii should at once reach
perfection and universal acceptance.
You have been VIKING patiently to
accept good results as they step by step
could be gained, holding every advance
with unyielding steadiastness, The success
which thus far has attended the work OF
civil service reform u largely due TO the Tact
that it's practical friends have proceeded
upon the theory that real and healthy pro.
gress can only bc made a success II the peo-
pie who cherish the pernieious political
ideas, long fostered and encouraged by VI
eious partisanship, are persuaded that the
changes contemplated by the reform offer
substantial improvements and benefits.
reasonable federation for old prejudrss,
graceful recognition OF every aid, sensible
utilization OF every fundamentally that
promises assistance, and q constant effort
To demonstrate the
ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS
are the means by which this reform move
ment viii In the future be further advanced,
and the opposition OF incorrigible spols
men rendered Intellectual and the cause
placed upon "a sure foundation. OF course
there should be no surrender OF principles,
nor backward step, and all laws for the en-
fofcement OF the reform should be ridgidiy
executed; but the benefits which its primer
pies promise win not be fully realized unless
the,aequiesence Of the people is added to
the stern assertion Of doctrine and the
vigorous execution OF the laws. Ii is a
source Of Gongratulation that there are so
many friends OF civil service reform mar
shaded on the practical side oithequestion,
and that the number is not greater ofthose
who profess friendliness for the cause, and
yet misehieyously, and with supercilious
self-righteousness discrcdit every effort not
in exact accord with their ultimate IDEAS
deery 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. Tho reference in
your letter TO the attitude OF the mem
bers OF my cabinet 10 the merit syetem es-
tablished by the civil service law, beside
being entirely correct, exhibits an appre-
citation Of honest endeavor in the direction
ofreiorm and disposition To do justice
to proved sincerity, which is most crafty
ing. Ifsuch treatment ofthose upon whom
the duty rests Of administering the govern
ment according to reform methods was the
universal rule, and IL the embarrassment
and perplexities attending such an admin,
istration were fairly regarded by all those
PROCESSING TO be friendly TO such methods
the avowed enemies TO the cause would be
afforded less encouragement. ! believe in
civil service reform and its application in
the most practicable form attainabl..
Among other reasons, it opens the doors
for the rich and pooralikc to a participation
in public ofiieeholding, and hope the time
is at hand when all our people will see the
advantage Of q RELIANCE Tor such an oppop'
tunity upon
MERIT AND FITNESS
instead OF dependence upon the caprice or
selfish interest OF those who impudently
stand between the people and the machin-
cry Of their government. In the one case u
reasonable intelligence and the education
which is freely furnished OF forced upon the
youth 81 our land are the credentials to
Office. Fhe nther way Is found in favor So
eurod by u participation in partisan work,
often uniting u person morally, II not
mentally and physically, for the RESPONSE
bilities and duties OF public employment.
You viii agree with me, / think, that the
support which has been given TO the pres
ent 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
taehed TO the public service, confronted
with new system preelndihg q redistribu'
tion OF such places in it's interests, called up.
on 10 surrender advantages which
d perverted partisanship had taught
the American people belonged 20
success, and Rertnrbed With the
suspicion, always raised ~ SUCH an enler-
gency, that their rights IN the conduct Of
this reform had not been scrupulously re-
garded, should receive due acknowledge
ment, and should confirm our belief that
there is sentiment among the people bet
ter than a desire to hold Office, and a patri.
otto impulse upon which may safely rest the
integrity OF our constitution and strength
and pcrFetuityof our government have
determined TO request you to retain your
present position until the first day OF No.
Nenlbep next, az WHICH time your resigna;
ton may BECOME operative | desipa TO exs
press my entire confidence IN youf attach.
inent 20 the cause 81 eiyA service reierm,
and your ability to render 1t efficient aid,
and indulge the hope and expectation that
notwithstanding the acceptance of your res
ignation, your interest in the object for
which you have labored so assiduously
will eau.igns beyond the official term which
you surrender. Yours, very prulk
GROVER CLEVELAND.