The Portland daily press., 1886-12-11
THE COAST SURVEY.
Its Present Condition Tending to De-
moralIzatlon.


| The administration of President Cleveland
presents no greater enigma than the contrast
between the high standard Of public fidelity
which It's head has infused into most branches
Of public service, and the unendlng success
sion Of personal quarrels. charges, and coun-
ter-charges which he has allowed to discredit
the administration Of the coast survey, and
impair Its character and efficiency The
present condition Of that work Is such as al
most to make us forget that there was
time, and that within the memory Of every
reader, when 1t was the model branch Of the
civil service, enjoying a worldwide reputa-
tlon Tor the perfection Of It's organization.
the standard Of its work, and the character
OF its assistants, and cited by the advocates
OF reform as an example Of what the civil
service might become under an improved
system Of appointment to and tenure Of Office.
One wanting to know on what system a
scientific bureau ought 10 be administered
cannot do better than study Bache's admin
istration Of the coast survey, and note how
he combined the greatest hberality with the
most scrupulous regard 70 the forms Of law,
the responsibilities Of public officer and the
requirements Of disciplined service.
Fifteen months have now elapsed since
this dream Of perfection was suddenly inter-
rupted by the alleged discovery Of grave irreg-
ularities and the forced resignation Of su-
perintendent. Men were not unprepared for
the latter result. II had become widely
known that physical and mental lnhrmity
intervening at the end Of q long and honor
able career In the public service. had inca
paeitated the superintendent for the proper
execution OF his office; but wise and think
ing men reserved their judgment when they
were assured through the public prints that
general corruption had eaten into the vitals
Of the organization, and that the work made
famous by Bachs had become a nest for pee
ulat0rs of the public funds.
The first act Of the administration after
learning OF the seemingly demoralized condi-
tion Of the survey was the appointment as
superintendent Of the man ON whose report
oil irregularities that Office has been made
vacant. For such an appointment there
could De but one apology; The President
and his Secretary Of the Treasury were re-
spORsible TO the public for the conduct Of the
survey; and II was their duty 10 take every
measure for discovering any irregularities
Which might exist In Its administration. A
searching inquiry into the past dsburse-
ments Of the officers and employees was emf
nently proper under the existing circum-
stances. Mr.. Thorn, as head Of the investi-
eating commission, was well qualified for
the inquiry and we may eharitably sup
RgoS ~ was Du bnio AltvuUtt anu tUls
alone. that he was made superintendent.
such being the case, the course prescribed
by every principle Of public justice and gov
ernmental policy was quite clear. An old
ana reputable branch Of the public service
was on trial before the President for grave
shortcomings In the conduct and character
OF us employees. Sound policy required that
II and they should be conceded that same
right to speedy trial and public verdict
which an individual enjoys when accused Of
crime. For more than year a body Of men
OF high professional attainments and un-
stained reputation have felt themselves
wounded by imputations on the service to
which they belong, Of which they once were
proud, and Of which they sometimes hope TO
pc proud In the future. After waiting so
long, they cannot but feel IL public wrong
tnat the head OF the government takes no
measures and announces no conclusions
which viii indicate his verdict upon their
official characters.
In this connection let us think kindly of
Mr. Thorn. No one questions the honesty OF
MS intentions or the purity Of his motives.
posed upon him disagreeable duty, Ia the
performance Of which he has spent more
than year He has done as well as pOssi-
bly, could be expected Of man without adj
q great public work in the capcaity Of prose-
cutting attorney. Gradually compelled by
the force OF circumstances 10 conduct the Of
nee In accordance with long-established Gus
tom, and to trust the men whom his prede-
cess0ry have trusted, he now sees the very
aecusers OF former administrations, who put
bin into power, turning against him, and
even going so far asstO file charges Of NAL
feasance IN office with the public prosecutor
Of the District Of Columbia.
In the Washington Post Of Monday last
we find statement by him so conclusive OF
The whole question, that we should doubt its
authenticity did 1t not bear every mark Of
being given In his own words. At the con-
4tnn al "A 10. fha oh.
have mentioned, he alludes as follows 10 the
testimony OF last year, on which the survey
was condemned, and Mr.. Hilsard compelled
10 resign
said TO be Intended TO revive, has been out fmy
custody, and In that Of the department much more
Ihan year. IL Il painly &c p0rte affidaylts, some
true, some false, s0lne mistaken, some since re-
racted and more or less wild gossip since dis
proved. The publication OF such material against
people who were s,a not confronted WITH the wit
pear by counsel, and the, spreading Of Il before
the public, who can know nothing d the credible
probable value Of their testimony, would be sim
ply an indiscriminate assassination Of character.
Such an admission Is most creditable TO
him, and must gratify every lover Of purity
IN the public service. 1t must require rare
endowment Of moral courage and respect for
truth and justice to move one to speak thus
Of testimony which was collected by himself,
and which formed the only basis for his ap-
fees in the gift Of the President III we ac-
cept Mr. Th0rn's statement. we shall see
why the present condition Of the survey tends
TO Generalization. II is a public establish
ment, In the prosecution Of which the esprit
de corps Of its members Is as important
factor as II Is In the army or the navy. But
the revival Of the old pride In the service Is
impossible under the conditions which now
prevail The survey Is In danger Of losing
the services Of its best men, whose incentive
to work Is not salary, but professional pride
in the honorable character and public utility
Of the work they are doing. That vacancies
can be filed by men Of equal promise under
the conditions which now prevail, no one ac-
quainted with the case can for moment
suppose. There will, of course be crowd
Of applicants for every vacancy, but the num-
Der really fitted for the places will be small,
and will be sure to be passed over by any
one but an expert in the selection Of men for
such a service. A year or two more such as
the last Will leave nothing worth preserving
OF an organization which was once the pride
of American applied science, and a connec-
tion with which was letter Of introduction