The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-10-11
Washington Letter.
ffrom our regular correspondent.l
n o. 1oon

= 49, - ~
The Washington Post has given its mani
fest in its fight with the Civil Service
Commissioners. In a four column review
of the history Of the commission, the Post
establishes by undoubted testimony that
a clerk in the employ of tie Commission,
one Campbell, a brother-in-law Of Com
missioner Lyman, sold through a second
party lists of questions to be used i'll exam
dates for the civil service The ingen-
ious purchaser drove a spirited trade in
preparing at a high price and as long as
the game lasted his candidates were
strangely successful.
The true state of affairs were revealed TO
Commissioner Oberly abouttwo years ago,
but at the earnest solicitations Of Com
missioner Lyman, who said that such a
disgrace would Just mortify his wife to
DEATH" the dear brother-in-law escaped
with only a reprimand. COMMISSIONS
Lyman says that the Campbell even wept
bitterly when the error of his way was
pointed out to him.
1t was probably To keep this soft headed
rascal from crying his heart out, that
Commissioner ~Lyman-then the sole COM
missioner in ofiicc-had Campbell, several
mouths after, promoted from 1000 to
81, 200.
In view of Commissioned Lyman's adj
missions on Saturday, his bold assertion
that he courts the fullest investigation, .
sounds like bluffing. To have a righteous
contempt for ones enemies is justifiable,
but if Mr.. Lyman hopes that Congress
will not investigate these charges he hopes
a vain thing.
The mai who is charged with having
bought the questions says that he does
not really need to purchase questions that
are going to be asked. He says that he
has hundreds Of lists OF questions that
the questions asked i'll each kind Of ex-
animation is SO strong that a candidate
can be trained in a week TO answer all the
questions thai are likely to be asked. He
| duuS tHdb tnc AutbilDilS diG 81 CiItitSSiN
prepared and SO seldom changed that the
identical questions asked here in the gen
eral examination may be found in st.
Louis or Chicago dong service three
months hence. He lees not deny having
received advance" copies Of questions.
That this man is right regarding the
general looseness in the preparation OF
questions and the stGpendous neglect to
provide precautions against their theft as
the constant repetition of the same ques-
tons, no one will doubt who observes the
character Of many people who successfully
stand these examinations. | have known
men to pass who could barely read and
write. | have known persons who had
failed twice most ignominiously to spend
three evenings with one of these ''prepar-
ers'' and go through with flying colors.
1t is not necessary to understand every
branch, It is merely necessary to remem-
Der the answers to abouttwenty questions.
IL these things are even in part true
Congress should take early and decided
action. In retaining Campbell and even
promoting him after his detection in a
notorious betrayal of trust, Com
missioner Lyman bctrays his true
character as a reformer. 4 man who
finds that his relative has betrayed him in
private business has a right to forgive him.
A public official who discovers that his
relative and subordinate has debauched
his office is not better than the original
offender, if he does not at least discharge
him. And Commissioner Lyman says
that he did ''reprimand" him. Mr..
Lyman would poar out tie walls of his
wrath upon anyone who doubted the effie-
acy of the present administration of the
civil service laws, but he would condone
the thief who bartered the integrity of the
system if lie were his wife's brother.
Civil Service Commission Roosevelt is
devotiug his young energies to an ~inyesti-
CATION of the Baltimore post office and
what lie has discovered is mighty interest
ing reading. Mr.. Brown, the present
post master admits that in a total Of 3G7
carriers and clerks comprising the force of
the Baltimore Office, there are now only
thirteen employed who were in the pub
lie employ four years ago. This, SO far as
the records show, is a larger proportion of
removals than ever occurred, even prcvi.
Gus to the days of the civil service COM
mission. The Commission will recon-
mend that these removals be regarded as
sufficient cause for the post-master's re-
! moyal, WESTON.