St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-17
His Appointment by Harri-
son Protested Against by
SteambOatmen,
Who Wire the President to
Await the Arrival OF
the Protest.
Secretary Windows Letter
Now Bobs Up Like Banquo's !,
Ghost,
To Define the Elements Of
Eligibility to the Office
Of Inspector. ,

The report that John ID. Sloane Is to
be appointed to succeed Capt. Hays as
supervising inspector Of steam vessels
for this district has created profound
sensation among steamboat men. Both
Democrats and Republicans are unwill-
ing that this Office should be used for
political purposes, and they vigorously
protest against the dismissal of the
present incumbent solely because he
happens to be Democrat.
at is an outrage" said a prominent
steamboat man of the Republican per-
suasion, "that Capt. Hays should be
Ousted to make room for Republican
who hasn't the necessary qualifications
for the Office. If the new appointee
possessed the qualifications OF super
vlsing inspector of steam vessels, as
prescribed by the statutes, would not
for moment protest against the ap-
pOintment. But to fill that important
Office with man who utterly lacks all
the qualifications is to endanger the
lives and property of the people. Steam
boat men in this district are unaequaint-
ed with this man Sloane. Very few
of them ever knew that such man
lived until he was lifted from obscurity
to the pedestal of candidacy for govern
ment sap. When morning paper edi-
torially tells the public and expects it to
believe that Mr.. SlOane's appointment
conforms admirably to all the require
ments of civil service REFORM ii takes
upon itself the presumption that the
public is entirely devoid of common
sense. The editorial to which / refer
has aroused unanimous indignation
among the steamboat men OF
this district. When they attack Capt.
Hayes on the ground that he is incapa-
BILE of fulfilling the duties of his Office
they open battle which bodies them
nothing but defeat. 1t is a matter OF
record at Washington that during the
four and half years Capt. Hayes has
filed the Office over l,500, 900 passengers
have been carried on the boats In
this district, and not a single life has
been lost. The records will show also
that fewer accidents have oc-
Cured in this district than
any other in the United States.
Now, if the conduct of the office OF the
supervising inspector of steam vessels
involves. in an eminent degree, the
safety of life and property, why will it
not be better 10 retain Capt. Hayes than
to give the uffice to a man who, accord
ing to the opinion of Secretary Window
himself, is utterly incapable? And it is
this same Secretary Window that recon-
mends the appointment of John ID.
Sloane. The secretary's opinion as to
the qualifications of supervising in
spectur is honestly expressed In his let
ter to Eugene w. Curry, bearing date of
March 26, last. The letter reads:
Sir: l am in receipt of your letter of the
list inst, in which you ask what has been
dam the mali
fications of a supervising inspector OF steam
vessels: the question having been ra- sed. you
saw as to whether person who has never
had any experience in the building or man.
agement of steam vessels is eligible 10 the of-
fee referred to- and the reason you offer for
asking department decision is that there
are several candidates at ST. Paul for the Of
fee of supervising inspector OF steam yes
seis. In reply you are INFORMED mat tle
there being ten of such officers provided for,
Each of them shall be selected for his
knowledge. skill and practical experience In
the uses of steam for navigation, and shall
be a competent Judge of the character and
Qualities of steam vessels and of all parts OF
the machinery employed on steamers.
From the language of the law as above
quoted. il seems clear that congress intended
that the persons to be selected for suDeryl-
sion inspectors of steam vessels shall pc per-
sons of large experience as master, pilot or
engineer of steam vessels ana persons OF
emiuence in the designing and con-
and machinery, this combination OF quail
fications being, no doubt, deemed nee
essary by the trainers of the law TO secure
the proper experience necessary to lntelil
gently carry ont the duties OF such ofhces.
when acting as board to establish the nee
essary regulations to carry out the purposes
of the law as required to supervising IN
spectors under section 4.405, revised stat
utes. Furthermore, 1t is the opinion OF TINS
department that masters. pilots or engineers
to be eligible to the position OF supervising
inspector should have held hrst-clasS
United States license as such, for period OF
al least five consecutive years preceding the
application for such appointment. Builders
and designers of marine engines ana DoiierS
should have had at least the same number OF
years experience as superintendent or man.
ager of work engaged in such manufactures.
1.-The records show that Mr.. Sloane
has had absolutely no experience in the
merchant marine service. He has never
acted as master, pilot or engineer in the
merchant marine service. He has only
served short time in the United States
navy. after the war, as second assistant
engineer, which rank Is far inferior to
the first-ciass licensed officer the Secre-
tary refers to in his letter. On the
other hand. the present incumbent is
veteran uIllUIl COlQlOfs dio hoS
been i'm the merchant marine service
continuously since the war. Protests
against the appointment of Mr.. Sloane
from at least 500 steamboat men have
been forwarded to Washington. There
are many qualified Republicans among
the steamboat men whom the president
might appoint"
A prominent Republican. who is in
terested in steamboating, yesterday tel
egraphed to President Harrison and re-
ouested him to withhold the commits
sion of Mr.. Sloane until the receipt OF
protests. There are ten supervising in
spectors of steam vessels in the United
States. Capt. Hayes district includes
tl,e Mississippi river and its tributaries
north of KeOkuk, the Missouri river
and its tributaries north of Yankton,
the Red River of the North and that
part of Lake Superior bounded by Wis
consin and Minnesota.