Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-19
JUDGE EDoERroN SPEAKS
And Freely oivss President Cleveland
His Opinions. Positively Right or
Positively Wrong"



Judge A. P. Edgerton, recently removed
from the Office of civil service commissioner
has written President Cleveland long open
letter in which he charges the President with
bad faith in making the removal witaout
giving sufficient reason for it. In this CON
nection the letter says: MIR. President,
with due courtesy to the high office you hold,
allow me to cay, you are = very peculiar
man, a positive man, positively wrong or
positively right, and therefore AL unsafe man
to trust, and that element in your character
I believe led - your defeat"
Judge Edgerton states that he was re-
moved to placate the mugwamps and 10 make
rom for Hugh 5 Thompson of South Caro-
lima The letter continues "If you can find
as many reasons for removing me as the
democratic party. through indifference
which Was simply retalistory. had for remov
ing you, 1 shall be quite willing to remain
with you in the gloom of defeat Speak
ing Of The civil service law, Judge E1ger.on
saws: Il, older nations the sdJptio1 of
similar laws only has been affected after a
great lapse Of time through experience and
patient ieliberation."
Desires q Mid Growth Of Reform.
Any attempt to expand il per saltum in
this country so as to make it pervade all de-
partments of the government and to make
large appropriations for the purpose neces
sary, calculated to make it more odious il
not to defeat Ii itentirely. Acting at all times
in conformity with this opinion of the Law
we have been constrained to look with DIS
favor upon attempts to extend il so as 10 in.
clude every branch of the government ser
vice, when such extension was really an EN-
barrassment to the business of the ser
vice and brought into commission q
subject really foreign to its purpose.
In one important case differed from the
mmis sion. have been quite generally
denounced for doing so BY the muk~unI
papers and the spirit of the ia~" reformer
though upheld by the practical reformer,
and the law itself. This was proposed b,
Commissioner Lyman and adopted BY Mr.
Oberly, who. after acvsing with severa
mugwumps in New York, submitted it .,
you, with other rules, for your approval
You r. jected it, AID diff, red by doing %
With the sj1rity of the commission, bu
agreed With me. You we're severely cen
sured by the same newspapers. The record'
of the commission only will show wherein
differed with my colleagues on the question:
considered. There cannot be found on AMI
letter of the Law or to justify any charge o.
violation, if had not beea associa'ed With
man whose whole life Is . protest to exist
ing things, there never would have been AM
criticism. How can you say you found th,
departments filed with iScompetens, ye
retain all in office during your administra
toni Did you not know that nearly three
fourths of all persons nov in the departmen
service we're there in 1855? The State o.
Maine has in the Treasury depart
meut sixty-one clerks. not one o
whom has passsd the civil service ex
ami nation
Ali found permanent loisement thers
thfJugh favoriiism, were there when you "a
inausuraied in 1883, are yet in office excep
B. II. Hinds. Who dropped out in the sprin
Of 1855. These sixty one clerks, ali r-
public.ns, receive sn annual ssiary of $3.50
| Did you ever cause IN investigation Of thes
SIXTY -one clerks 70 ascertain il there ver
any incomp<tents among thems Yoa hav
often been solicited bnt have Refused -