Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-28
CIVIL SERVICE TALK.
Dorman b. Eaton Has a Few Words
TO Saw houf the Matter

DOrmau ID. Eaton mas a rev w OrOS
to Say About the Matter.
WASHINGTON, June 27.-The reports in
circulation in regard to a quarrel in the
Civil Service Commission afford a deal
of amusement to the Commissioners.
"There is no row." said Commissioner
Edgerton to-day in answer to a question.
"As to changes in the rules" said he,
'nothing has been agreed upon, and the
President has not been consulted. nor has
he made the slightest suggestion. All
there is to thi talk is that it has been sug-
gested that, when had Congress adjourned
and there is plenty of time, there be some
slight modification made in the rules"
DOrman b. Eaton, formerly chairman of
the commission. was here lately on private
business, and made a pleasant call on
Messrs. Edgerton and Lyman. Mr.. Ober-
ly was not in at the time. MIR. Eaten
says that he is thoroughly convinced of
the sincerity and earnestness Of President
Cleveland In the reform work, and he
thinks he ought to have the support of the
people. He thinks the present civil SER
vice commissioners are devoted to reform
and are doing their best, aided by the
President, TO enforce the law. Mr.. Ceve-
land, Mr.. Eaton says, has had much to
contend with, but considering all the cir
cumstances he has gone beyond what we
had any right to expect. He has had to
battle atfirmatively for the reform to an
extent to which no former President has
been called on to act. His constant and
laborious support OF what he regards as
sound principles constitute a sort of era
in our politics that is without precedent
in the official conduct OF any President in
this generation.
Mr.. Eaton said: 81 think the time has
come when it is shown to be wise to ex-
tend the civil service rules. They ought
TO be extended to offices having thirty or
even twenty clerks. They ought to be
extended in limited way to the consular
service, the railway mail service,
the Federal service in the District
OF Columbia, and many miscellaneous
places in Washington. Sucn an extern
sion would require larger appropriation
and larger force OF clerks than the COM
mission now has. l think the Republic
cans in the Senate ought TO insist on a
larger appropriation than that allowed by
the House, so as to allow the President to
extend the rules in accordance
with his expressed wish. The COM
missi0ners ought to have $4,000
year. L always regarded that as no more
than reasonable, but as long as | was a
Commissioners | would not say anything
about 1t. The age limit, about which so
much has been said by Mr.. Randall, does
not apply TO any one except mere clerk.
1t does not apply to any class of pension
examiners, to tue signal service, to the
State Department, to the patent office, to
the geological survey, to bo0kkeepers, or
TO any place where eXnert knowledge is
required. 1t does not apply to appraisers,
weighers and gaugers in the custom
houses. The age limit tor carriers in the
postal service is fixed by law, and be-
H. T,NN
The limit of A. years did not originate
with the civil service rules. 1t was in
the treasury regulations in 1874 aud has
been there since. 1t was in the rules
adopted by Presidents Grant and Hayes
and those adopted by President Arthur,
who had been tor seven years collector in
the largest office in the country and knew
more about the details OF the public work
than Mr. Randall and his whole commit
tee. There is nothing sentimental about
it. 1t is rule recommended by practical
experience.