The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-02-15
Declined to Resign.
"A Notable Removal by Presi-
dent Cleveland.
EDGERTON NO LONGER IN OFFICE.

&
The President Asks for His Resignation,
and Not Obtaining 1t SummariIy Bounces
the Indiana Civil Service Commissioner
What the Judge Says About 1t.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. 11.-Judge A. p.
Edgerton, one of the civil service commits
sioners, says he called at tho White House
FRIDAY, and while he was there the president
asked him for his resignation, as he desired
to appoint Hugh s. Thompson, of South
Carolina TO the position Mr.. Edgerton said
he had received no intimation before his
call on the president that his official head
Was wanted for the executive basket. The
president said that there was little hope of
securing the place for Mr. Thompson as long
ms there was no suitable vacancy on the COM
mission Mr. Edgerton, however, promptly
declined to resign, holding that his resigna-
tion would not be polite, creditable to him
self, nor calculated to help any other person
eliminating that Mr.. Thompson could not be
confirmed if nominated). OF course the
president might exercise his prerogative if
he saw fit. The president did see fit, and
when Edgerton reached his office Saturday
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON CITY,
Feb. 9.-DEAR SIR: You are hereby removed
from the Office of United States civil service
commissioner. GROVER CLEVELAND.
Hon. A. =. Edgerton.
Mr. Edgerton is indignant at this summary
proceeding and wants everybody to know it.
He said Saturday night: THE president sent
for me and after beating about the bush
finally asked for my resignation. l asked
him the reason He said he wanted to give
the place to Thompson. l asked him if that
was the only reason, and he replied that it
was / then declined to resign, as said I
would not be party to any such a dirty
piece of business. He replied that he would
DO obliged to remove me, and said all right,
go ahead. The atmosphere becoming very
frigid babe him good day"
"Have there been any differences between
you and the PRESIDENT
"Oh, yes; lots of them. The trouble is that
no is a mugwump-the chief of them, while
am Democrat, rock-ribbed."
"Do you think civil service reform is n
fraudn
"Oh as carried out it has been tho biggest
kind of fraud. Its friends, or some of
them, meant well, but then hell is paved with
good intentions"
IIt llllcilNlS 10 NIltc II ieJlSI 10 tIc pISS,k-
dent in day or two acknowledging the re-
ceipt of his notice of removal and perhaps
adding an expression of his opinion upon the
presidents course in the matter.
When the news of Mr.. Edgerton's removal
was communicated to Commissioner Lyman,
that officer was surprised, and found himself
in a predicament, as he was by no means sat
isfied that he had authority, single-handcd, to
discharge the formal duties of the civil serv-
ice commission. AS he can not act as q
board by himself, he practically has no func-
tions, and will have none till Mr.. Edgerton's
successor is confirmed. All he can do is to
carry out old orders of the board.
There are now two vacancies on the COM
mission, Mr.. Oberly place having never been
filed. 1t is thought that the president had
concluded that an appointment in Mr.. Edger-
toms place might be confirmed by the senate,
as it would leave vacancy to be filled by
Mr.. Harrison. Under the law ono member
of the commission must be q Democrat Mr..
Edgerton has been represented as being I'M
able to agree with his colleagues. He has
during the past six months been away from
his Office much of the time.
The president sent Thompson's nomination
to the commissionership to the senate Satur-
day.