Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-09-04
OIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

tiOn.
Hon. Dorman b. Eaton, chairman Of the
Civil Service Commission, is once more at his
summer place in Brattleboro seeking to gain
a short aud deserved respite from the hard
work and burdensome perplexities Of his Of.
fetal duties. He first came on from Wash
ington about the middle OF August but was
almost Immediately called away TO New York
by the attempted evasion Of the civil service
rules in the surveyors Office at that port Mr..
Eaton, in conversation, expresses great salts
faction at the way in which the new system
Is working. It's operation under President
Arthur was all that could be asked, aud Mr..
Oleveland'a administration shows an equally
strong purpose TO abide by the new system
and give II a fair trial. Whatever friction
develops ia only that which Is inevitable In
the change of management from one party
10 the other. Mr.. Eaton finds in the President
q strong earnest, conscientious man OF posi-
tive convictions, and a man with whom the
civil service commission can and do work on
cordial terms. He thinks the President ia
likely to BIO very popular with the people,
but to incur the increased hostility of the pol.
itcians whose selfish schemes he defeats
Mr.. EatOn's impression Of Secretary Man
ming, whose selection for the head Of the
treasury department was 10 severely cTili.
oised, is that he is a man Of great executive
ability, thoroughly oonversant with financial
affairs, an accurate judge of men, and an
able political manager but for him II must
be said that his record In the political field
in New York state is a clean one and above
reproach. II hardly need be said that from
natural choice Mr.. Manning ia not a civil
service reformer, but Ave or six months in
the treasury department, where the pressure
from Office seekers Las been beyond descrip-
ton, has done very much toward bringing
him around, and he is compelled In self-de-
fence to be- a reformer. Little fault can be
found with his record in the treasury depart
meut In the three chief places under him
be has put or kept pronounced friends Of civ
ii service reform, two of whom are Republi-
can and one is a Democrat. These are his
First Assistant Secretary, Mr.. FAirchild, his
Second Assistant Mr.. Coon, and Mr.. Graves
the head OF tho bureau of engraving and print
ing. Out OF about 22OO employees In the de-
partment who come under the oivil-serVice
rules only 40 removals have thus far been
made. OF Postmaster. General Vilas's rec.
ord as much cannot be said, and the only
charitable suppOsition Ia that his work in the
matter OF the fourth class postmasters IL with
view to equalizing the post offices between
the two parties. II he goes only 30 far as
this and there stops no fault can be found
The New York Custom House Trouble.
In reply to question as 10 what founda.
ton there was for all the newspaper COM
ment concerning the relations between the
commission and the new customs officers at
New York city, Mr.. Eaton said
There has been great misuud Outstanding Of the
whole matter. As 1t involved cooperation for the
same purpose between officers some OF whom
Democrats aud some Of whom were Republic IL
was natural there should be- there has been some
disrust and friction But the whole matter has been
grossly exaggerated and misrepresented, mainly by
partisan journals for their own purposes. There
has been little of the difficulty that the commits
sion has had occasion to appeal to the Preaident
or even to the secretary Of the treasury concerning
It. IL party managers had not always abgurdly as
sumed that their followers had all the honesty and
patriotism Of the country aud that their opponents
were nearly or quite all knaves, this matter would
not have hled twenty lines in any journal. But
do not regret the protracted discussion. II will dis
sipate unreasonable suspicion aud do something
towards removing the old savaReness Of parties.
The commission had occasion 10 select some new
examiners In the place Of those who had resigned
from the misunderstanding board which was COM
posed Of siI members II is the practice to select
them In part from the collectors ofce in part from
the naval oihce In part from the appraisers ONCE,
aud in part from the surveyors, the latter being by
far the least important once, the surveyor having
the nomination Of less than thirty su6ordinAtes
while the others nominate than 1900 subordln-
ates. Except for moro partisan jealousy the uotcs
Of the examiners would not be regarded as OF any
importance. Politicians, however, partly by reason
OF their ignorance OF the methods Of civiseryce re-
FORM and partly by reason Of their general theory
that everything goes by influence or purchase, be-
eved that they could get Of their fAvorites
ON 10 tue bOAru tney could Get their hanchmen
marked 10 high to secure the Appointments they
seek though not deserving them. II these politi-
clans bad better understood the authority aud posi-
ton of the commission, the resolute purpose Of
the President they would not have made foolhArdy
au attempt. The commission has authority 10 review
aud set aside any unfair examination and will
Ainly do 30. Not only person unfairly marked, but
any person whose chances for appointment have
been injured by the unfair marking OF another may
appeal to tho commission for justice. Such appeals
have been made effectively and Justice has been done
by the commission by re-mArkng aud aud Regarding
ha artn nj Nha 9Anut f.,0 ~
OF the Indianapolis postmaster shows that Presi-
dent sustains the commission In such action. Be
sides any wilfnl false marking Of thoae examined
an offence under the civil service act which is pun
ishable by both hne and imprisonment.
These points are now, think made 30 plain TO the
New York politicians that they are not likely TO push
their foolhArdy scheme any further II has coapsed
already. The commission makes no inquiry to the
politics OF the examiners. 1t In presumed that some
II not ALL Of the three new ones selected by the
mission at New York are Democrats While their
selection will be Of no beneht to the patronage
gers and bosses, their presence on the board will
undoubtedly allay much political distrust We may
reasonably expect II win not be long before public
opinion will be indifferent a. to the politics Of the
members Of the board Of examiners. They can do
nothing to beneht their party, aud in practice their
selfrespect and OF Justice has almost nyAri-
ably been found SUFFICIENT to the fair marking
OF the papers Of all applicants. Indeed, not a
OF complaint OF discrimination in marking has been
made before the commission, though hardly less than
$4,000 persons have been examined under the
commission. The papers being in the handwriting Of
the applicant, the marking can be reviewed and
rected az well ten months after the examination as
ten hours or ten minutes thereafter.
These are the main points. 1 will not enter into
petty details az to the course pursued by the four ON
GERS referred to. have occasion 10 complain Of
or dissent from any act OF the collector naval officer
or appraiser. They have fairly cO-Operated in the
discharge Of the ocA duties to be performed by the
commission and themselves through united action
They WILL sure do their part toward that fair en-
ecution OF the oyservice act aud rules upon which
the President will insist The commission has made
no compromise Of It's duties and anticipates no dim
New York. wy VI
1 40 nnt t.s
law or rules. II he had effectively confronted
those who pressed him for patronage aud had been
more familiar with the practical methods OF enforc-
ing the law and the rules, the newspaper discussion
and his own perpleIities would, think, have been
much less. 1t viii oe the duty Of the commission
not TO allow such matters TO affect its action IN the
least. All the talk about victory, defeat, surrender
backing down, unfair discrimination for political rea
sons, Is without foundation, and would seem very
petty and silly to any candid mind knowing the facts
As l have labored much for than ten years TO
secure the free and equal opportunity Of members OF
both parties, irrespective OF political opinions to en-
ter that part OF the public service where politics are
nnimportant, can hardly express my surprise and
contempt when see little partisan, spoils system
journals, who have always sneered at reform, oharg-
ing me with violating my duty a eivil-servce
missioner by trying to make 1t easy for Republicans
and hard for Democrats TO enter the customs Offices at
New York. Even II they assumed me to be without
character, consist ency conscience, unable to
imagine what interest they suppose me to have In
such a result. hope the most worthy may always
win whether Republican or Democrat. II ia some
consolation to that day by day. the reform senti-
ment is becoming greater moral and political force
and that the time is at hand when such reyilers will
be as much ashamed of their conduct as the old ad-
vocates OF slavery OF their defence OF that
barbarsm Politicians and editors who six yeArs ago
had language adequate for their contempt for the
reform sentiment are now anHiOusy courtinR Il as
power by which elections may be carried ana parties
overturned.
While Mr.. Eaton, az an official under the
President, declined to discuss the individual
acts of the Executive, he said with regard TO
the Burlington collectorship that on the face
of it and without inside knowledge of the
facts it seemed like one Of the most indefens-
ible of the Presidents acts he knew of no
valid charge against Gen. Wells and was in
elined TO view his case az one that would pro-
woke careful enquiry for reasons of removal
on the part of the Senate.
"RefOrna" according 20 BmaIIey.
From the Boston Evening Record.l
1t Is understood that one of the charpes of