The Portland daily press., 1885-09-24
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
Chairman Eaton's Letter Resignlng
His Position.
The Reasons Why He Has Held the
office So Long.
President Cleveland, in Reply, Asks
Him to Remain till Nov. ist.

ignation by Dorman B. Eaton. Chairman of
the Civil Service Commission, and the Presi-
dent reply thereto which was received by
Mr.. Eaton this morning, have been furnished
the Associated Press for publication.
Mr.. Eaton's letter is dated July 2S, and in
it he refers to the fact that he wished to re-
sign earlier, but out of Difference to the
Presidents wishes he did not urge its ac-
ceptance until such time in the autumn as
the President might find convenient for an
appointment. In explanation of his present
course he states that prior to the passage of
the Civil Service act of January 16, 1883, he
was then holding under President
Arthur an official position closely analogous
to his present office as Civil Service Commits
sioner, and for nearly the whole period he
had served without compensation and had
been compelled to bear his own travelling
and other expenses, including those of
journey to Europe and the preparation of an
extensive report made at the request of one
of those presidents, but printed by Congress.
He had taken an active part, by which his
time was largely taxed, in connection with
his preparation and the passage of that law
When the time arrived for the execution of
its provisions it seemed to him he could
mot fairly be called upon to make a further
sacrifice of his private interests in aid of
civil service reform.
Besides, the enemies of reform were so
kind as to charge that he had promoted that
act for the treble purpose of gaining noto-
riety. office and salary, but President Ar
thur, without the least intimation to him of
his purpose, maintained him and he was
confirmed a Commissioner. He was reluc-
tant to accept, but the friends of reform with
whom he had labored many years in its be-
half insisted that he was in duty bound to
accept, and those enemies with an amicable
consistency made clear their purpose of
charging any refusal on his part as coward
ly shrinking from the speedy and disgrace
full failure sure to follow any attempt to exc
10 nhs nl IL
statute
He entered upon his official duties with
declared purpose of remaining hardly more
than year. AT the end of that time, how
ever, he had become more deeply than ever
interested in the practical application of the
new system Its great utility and easy pro-
ceSsion had gained the commendation of the
President and united more largely the party
in power in its support, and secured from the
committee of 13 members of the Democratic
House of Representatives a unanimous re-
port, declaring the great usefulness of the
law and its rules, and commencing what it
described as Intelligent efficient, non-parti-
san and conscientious work of the Civil Ser
vice Commission" He could then see no OBJ
legation to remain longer, as that had been
done which the enemies of reform had de-
clared impossible, and he then wished to re-
sign, but friends dissuaded him by urging
that there would be critical period in case
new party should come into power, and he
should be charged if he resigned, with fee
ing from the perils of that crisis as public
officer, and as being in private way some
what identified with the cause of civil ser
vice reform, he had no right to make an OPP
portunity for its mutual enemies in either
party to use such charge to its injury.
There was another reason why he could
not tender his resignation, and he should
have refused to do SO had it been requested
at or near the time of President Cleveland's
accession to office, for he should regard it as
pernicious precedent utterly repugnant to
the spirit of the civil service act to treat the
office of Civil Service Commissioner as polit-
ical, and hence as one to be filled
at the beginning OF each presidential
term. 'These considerations, he says,
constrained me to continue in my place until
the reform policy of your administration, so
clearly defined in your declaration, should
be as Enthusiastically developed in your acts as
President as it had been in your acts as
Governor Of New York. That time has ar
rived, and no candid man can longer pretend
to regard that policy as indefinite or doubt
ful. Every one of the five months of your
administration during which the civil ser
vice act and rules have been enforced with
as much breadth, business and fidelity as
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 settled purpose of your administration to
faithfully enforce both the law and its rule
in future. The few changes you have
made in the rules have but added to their
justice and efficiency, and so far as | have
been able to learn there is not a member of
your Cabinet who has not, as result of his
experience in office, a higher sense than be-
fore of the need of enforcing that merit
system in the public service which the civil
service act and rules have established and
from those at the head of many offices in the
postal and customs service to which the eX-
amlnatlons extend in all part of the Union;
and whether they be Republicans holding
over or new officers from the other party
there has been no reason for believing that
the merit system is not welcomed as great
benefit to the public service.
1t is possible that number of Congress-
men and politicians of the dominant party,
with considerable. following of office
seekers, may, Notwithstanding the vastly
augmented strength of an enlightened public
opinion, repent of the folly of those of my
own party in 1874, by resisting the well ma
tured Judgment ..and definite policy of their
own administration on the reform issue. If
such is to be a fact, this is not the place for
showing why such attempts would be far
more disastrous than the Republican restora-
ton of the Spoils system against the advice
OF President Grant. Such cause and con-
tiict as it would precipitate would be regard
less of the good results of the civil service
act of any experience in its administration.
In any part might have in such a contest,
could far better serve the cause of reform
III bl6 exercise Oh Cldb lull liberty WHICH 10
hardly compatible with the propreties of my
present office, and have the honor Of being
with the highest respect,
Your obedient servant,
DoRMAN B. EATON.
President Cleveland, in his reply, says:
Il cannot refrain from expressing my sin
cere regret that you have determined to- with
draw from the position in the public service
where your intelligent performance me- Of duty
The friends of civil service reform and all
those who desire good government, 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 insult
ed to the rules which ordinarily govern pro-
gress in human affairs or that it should at
once reach perfection and universal accept
ance; but you have been waiting patiently to
accept the good results as they, step by step,
could be gained, holding every advance with
| unylelding steadfastneSs. The success which
! has thus far attended the work Of civil ser
vice reform, is largely due to the fact that its