New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-04
PRECIOUS CUSTOM HOUSE REFoRMgRa
HOW THE THOMPSON METHODS IN POLITICS ARE
THRIVING.

HOW THE THOMPSON METHODS IN POLITICS ARE
THRIVING.
Hubert o. Thompson will now have things
pretty much MS way at the Custom House. Little
by little since President Cleveland in his devotion .
the reform Of the Civil Service. accommodated NJ.
Thompson By appointing Edward l. Hsdten ~ Coll
ector tho have been made for getting ont
the old and tried clerks and for getting in the exponen
OF reform 50 long ~ tbs Custom House Civa
Service Board Of Examiners remained In tos
control Of John VI. Comstock. who was of the
pioneers in establishing the present system Of conps-
tive sminx tons and partisan appointments. Mr.
Thorn psons theory OF reform had s1a chance Of
GEES. But with Hans 8. Beatte As Surveyor A. ID.
Parker the Collectors private secretary and Arthur
Berry as deputy collector much ac-
complshed In the general arrangement OF
things. Tho Civil Service regulations require that
Board OF Examiners shall conduct the EXAMINATIONS oe
applicants for places In the customs service here shat
mark tho applicants records, and that whenever the
Collector wishes to appoint q cers he shall make
reQuisiton the chsrran OF the Board OF Examiners
for tho Of persona eligible for appointment Tbs
chairman must send tho Collector the Of
the first four eligible men.aof whom he must
mako his selection. 1t 10 rule OF tho
vce that the appointing power or Collector shall not
have access TO the eligible iisk
When Mr.. Hedden took Office the Board Of Examiners
composed OF rigid Civil Service Rsformees at the
head OF whom Mr.. ComstOck. Nc BabcOck was
Rotary. One by dr. Beattic Sorry got tne-s
mon out and their In until only MessrA Com
stock and Babcock were left OF the original board.
and the other places occupied OF Deputy Coec;oe
Berry A. D. Parker. Mr. Hsidsns private secretary.
who Is reputed more the Collector than MI. Hec-
den Deputy Collector Davis Daniel moore and w. IL.
Howard, of the Appraissrs Of'1cs While these people
we're put the places whero they were expected 10 10
useful TO ne OF Mr. Thompson's reform. Collector
Hsddon under the direction OF his private secretary
and surveyor Besttie, was decapating Repu0lc'a
clerks. but he did not MI their places
Except where the law permitted him to appoint his
men without reference 10 Chairman Comstock's foar
eligible candidates made no moro appointments than
tho cIigencies OF the service actually demanded MI
Mr. Beatte were not quite ready 10 put tuo
reform mill In operation.
Before Chairman Constock could be got out OF
the way il was necessary have some assistance
from tho reformers In Washington. The practice hat
been for the Civil Commissio at Washington 10
appoint the aud Secretaries OF the local bJarls
Tho Custom House either desired .he Commits
to appoint their men as successors 70 iessr~ Co'
stock aud BsbcOck to permit them 10 elect successo
Commissioner Trenholm wheu In Office did not look WI
favor on this plan. But when he was convenisntv
transferred 20 another Held OF usefulness anu new
prpnst OF reform, the shape OF Mr. OOery, took ne
place. the New-YOrk schemers secured more accom-
IN Illinois, where he was chairman OF tho Denocrsuc
State Coutee Another reformer IN the service Of uts
conmttss got into Joliet Prison Ia his Devotion
TO the good work. While Commissioner Lyman
was out West the Democratic Commissioners CAV:
the Custom House Board the permission II desired 'i
Mr. Parker will hereafter have control OF the Tour
"ehglbes" Being the private secretary OF Collector
Hedden be careful observe the RUE III Al tho
appointing DOW shall have access 10 the ehsiDs
list Mr. Comstock would say nothing more about the
matter Yesterday than that he not To
OF much work He has held the Office SINCE tae
Board first organized In 1888