Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-22
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
REPUBLICANS LOOK AT HIM
WITH SUSPICION.

His Confirmation Would Have Been
Refused but for His Intention to Speed
lily Resign-The New Civil Service
Proposition Not Looked Upon with
Favor.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-The Senate
Committee on Civil Service Reform deter
mined to-day, it it understood, to report
favorably the nominations OF Messrs.
Edgerton, Trenholm and Eaton to be
civil service commissioners. The Repub-
lican members OF the committee seem to
have inferred from the speeches OF Dor
man b. Eaton at the dinner given in his
honor in Boston. which they read very
carefully, that he had become Democrat,
just as the Democrats inferred that Col
lector Saltonstall had become Mug
wump from his speech on the same &C.
casion. So they asked Mr.. Eaton to come
before the Committee on Civil Service
Reform to-day, and questioned him as TO
his political opinions. He showed them
that he was not a Democrat. He was
also questioned by the Republicans of the
committee about the operations and eX-
penditures of the late Civil Service Com
mission. The Republicans Of the COM
mittee were disposed to report adversely
on his nomination, and had he been likely
TO serve for any great length or time,
would probably have done so; but learn
ing that he would probably retire from
the commission next month, they de-
termined, it is understood, to report his
nomination fav0rably.
DATE OF THE RESIGNATION.
Mr.. Eaton stated tonight that his con
nection with the Civil Service Commission
would terminate within a lew days.
"Under no circumstances" said he,
"shall | remain later than Feb. l, and |
am very hopeful that the President will
nominate my successor at the close OF the
holidays, more especially as l made 1t a
condition OF my remaining that l should
only serve until that time" Mr.. Eaton s
attention was then directed to the bill in-
troduced by MIR. Wheeler, Of Alabama,
to-day, which provides that an appointing
officer may designate certain person for
examination, and, upon his being found
capable, may appoint him to office. He
said: mo friend OF the civil service
would give countenance to such meas
ure."
COULDN'T BR WORSE.
A bill providing for the abrogatiOn of
the civil service could not be more fatal
to the purposes for which the commits
sion was formed than this bill OF Mr..
Herberts. In the first place none but
Democrats would be designated for ex-
animation, for it is hardly possible to
suppose that any appointing officer under
this administration would designate a
Republican. In the next place it is
simply a return to the spoiis system mas
much as any Representative or Senator
VINO could WELD the necessary influence
could have whOmsoever he chose desig-
mated. This is precisely the condition OF
things that existed prior to the passage Of
the present law.
LACK OF SUPPORT PREDICTED.
81 don'e think Mr.. HeTbert's bill viii
find very strong support" Mr.. Eaton
| believes that the sentiment in favor Of an
honest civil service is rapidly growing,
and that the more attention is attracted
to it by the Onslaughts OF its enemies the
more popular 1t will become. He be-
lieVes his SUCCESSOR on the commission
will be an Eastern man, iuasmuoh as the
other members are representatives Of the
South and West.
BILLS BY GEORGIANs.
Among the bills offered by Georgia
members in the House to-day were the
following:
By Mr.. Barnes-A bill appropriating
500, 900 for public building at Augusta,
BY Mr.. HarTis-A bill appropriation
500, 600 for a public building at COlum-
bus bill to authorize a settlement be-
tween Southern railroads and the govern
ment for property bought by the former
from the latter in 1865 on the basis OF the
settlement between the government and
the Western and Atlantic railway.