The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-03
THE CIvn-sERvICE COMMISSION
Pen Pictures of Lyman, Roosevelt o.,
Thompson-Good Men for the Place.

Pen Pictures of Lyman, Roosevelt -
Thompson-Good Men for the Place.
washington Letter in Philadelphia Record
Going mp the old-fashioned stone stens =.
the southwestern corner and entering ths
cool, dark-arched corridor, you see over 40 40
first door on your lett the words: "Comm;s'
sioner LYMAN" This is the room of 10
president of the commission, for ybo,o
there could be no higher praise than ~
truth that he is just the man for the nla .ao
il service, educated by experienes
i'm several important branches
it to a sincere belief in the value and III
feasibility of civil-service reform; as pra.
teal as the most practical. and yet y.
theoretical as the most theoretical. with
marvellous memory not only for princinlas
but for precedents. and added. to alllelse
thorough enthusiasm for work. it is nos
strange that for months at time in ~
past President Lyman has performed aI1
all the duties of the commission so success
fully that the public never knew until =
was told that Commissioner Edyerton. fas
example, was all that time enjoying liz
and making money out at Fort WAYNE
Ind, in entire forgetfulness of civil-seryics
reform.
Personally President Lyman is a era,.
and reverend commissioner, although st;lI
i'm the prime of life. He is tall and ,hasa
fine, stalwart figure and a noticeable fscs
noticeable quite apart from. the birth
figure it. He wears a full beard. which
like his hair. is abundant and dark al
though gray streaks begin to appear Pc
wears glasses when he reads. which he does
as he does. everything. precisely and "a.
tiently. He is Presbyterian elder AMI y
church, where his prudence and wisdom
tell.
commissioner ROOSEVELT says the sic,
right over the next door down the cor
H. 80. L.
missioner Roosevelt's room is entirely too
small for his expansive nature. Looking in
YOU see Teddy as his Western admire
call HIM, striding up and down his narrow
cell, vigorously gesticulating to a Gale,
until you wonder how his modest eye.
Unlike his conventional colleagues bs
wears flannel shirt italicize that for Brey
Dana's benefitl and p0lka-dot tie and
looks as bright and breezy in his pongee
jacket as Dakota prairie in July weather
Good humor, good spirits, good temperate
these are among Roosevelt's many gifts
and more valuable are they than all hi,
brains, OrmOney, or literary. or social attain
ments. Strong. sensible, straightforward.
he can afford 10 laugh, and laugh he does
whether at an absurd attack on 'ths
Chinese system" or more absurd attack
on his own political morality. Roosevelt
is Joy forever without being thing az
beauty, just because if for nothing else, hs
can take with equal calmness q well-de.
served compliment on 'The Winning of tina
West.n or an ill-deserved lecture from
disgruntled spokesman.
Roosevelt is just the man for fighting ed
itor of the commission. He dearly loves
fight. That's the reason why even the
spoilsmen secretly land some of them open.
ly) admire him. He is not conceited but
he is confident and courageous. and be pro-
poses to have the civil-service law enforced
In letter and in spirIt-Or repealed. Next
door north in a larger room, sits Commits
siOner Thompson, who is just the man for
the Democratic place on the commits
sion. Able and astute, cautious and cour.
ageous, Jeffersonian Democrat, and so q
civil-service reformer from the beginning,
Commissioner of Education and Governor
of South Carolina and Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury in charge OF appointments.
he has had just the experience. and has Just
the knowledge necessary TO equip him fol
his present functions. He has personal
qualities, too, which both Lyman and
Roosevelt lack, and which the commission
Thompson, as he is usually called. is
handsome man of middle height, with pre-
maturely white hair and mustacbe. His
face, however, is full of color and his eyes
twinkle with youth and yigOr. He has tho
manners of the old-school Southern gentle
man, and the courtesy of the new-schOol
Northern gentleman. He is n wit and
story teller, and so a delightful hner-out
He wears eyeglasses, but not as much as
that he has passed the divide of years, for
his spirit is as young as ever.
All IN all, the commission Is as strong as
it can well be. twill either make or break
the present civil-service law-civil-seryiee
reform itself, of course. has come to stay.