The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-02-11
A CIVIL SERVICE FARCE.
Commissioner Edgertou Sum-
mariIy Bounced
FOR TELLING THE TRUTH
About the Administrations Alleged
Reform PoIlcy-A Spokesman Ap.
pointed to the Position-The
Presidents InsIncerity.

hAHHlHuloNI " VI 6eu' 4V'-SlNli
Service Commissioner Edgerton's name
is Dennis, Nearly ever since his ap-
pOintment he has been Cursing civil SER
vice reform, lie has done this openly
and boldly, and yet until these last days
Of the administration Of Mr., Cleveland
no word oireproothas ever come to him
from the White House, until yesterday,
when he was peremptorily asked to re-
sign, He refused, and was removed,
Judge Edgertop is nearly seventy
years old, but hei straight as an arrow,
active, keen, aggressive, No more ia-
miliar form Is seen in the rctunda Of
Willard's than that OF Judge Edgerton,
with his white hair, his antique plug
hat set iauntily on one eide, always puff.
ing away at fine imported cigar and
showing up the iniqulty and humbug Of
civil service reform TO any who will
listen TO him. He has constantly made
1t hot for Commissioners Lyman and
0berly in the councils OF the Commits.
sion, and his opposition to the system
which he was appointed to further aud
support was tho cause OF the desire OF
"Bishop" 0berly to leave the Commits.
sion, and OF his transfer to the Indian
Office,
Since the elections Edgerton has per.
niitted Lyman, the Republican of'the
commission, to conduct tho office; has
beon almost constantly absent, and yet
has refused to resign simply because hO
despised the President and did not wish
to give him the opportunity to appoint q
Democrat to succeed him. The law pro.
vides that the commission Bhall bc com.
posed OF two members OF the dominant
party. IfJudge Edgerton had been al.
lowed TO hold his Office until the fourth
Of March, his place would have been
filed by the new President.
AS the matter stands, Assistant SeCre.
tary OF the Treasury, Hugh S. Thompson,
OF South Carolina, n fast friend OF the
President, appointed to succeed Edger.
ton, will probably be permitted TO re.
main under President Harrison as the
Democrat OF the commission. He Is
handsome and popular, and he Is proba.
bly, as sincere In his devotion 10 civil
service reform as any other Democrat
who would be selected. Certainly he
will not fight the idea tooth and nall as
Edgerton has been doing. He was the
author OF the resolution adopted by the
State Convention OF South Carolina In
1885, commencing the course OF the
President in regard to civil service re.
form, but that was mere matter OF form,
as all conventions at the time were
adopting laudatory resolutions Of Cleye.
land.
Mr.. Thompson Is not rich man, and
he Is said to be indolent. The salary OF
a Civil Service Commissioner is only S3,.
900 u year, but even this Is an object TO
the South Carolinian, and the place is
the more acceptable us he has members
OF his family In good positions under the
Government, and II he be allowed to re.
main himself he can probably prevent
their heads from rolling in the basket.
He had not been in his place In the
Treasury Department month until he
asked for the Appointment OF his son to q
fat position. This was refused by the
Secretary because 1t would not look well,
and the young man was placed in the
Pension Office. Here he was rapidly
promoted from small salary TO one OF
the best paid positions In the office, over
tho heads OF old soldiers who had seen
long service in the bureau. But 1t Is al.
legged that Mr.. Thompson is a staunch
anI true civil service reformer after he
gets outside the circle Of his own rela.
tons. As for Judge EdgertOn, his vote
is for war. He Is almost as vigorous in
his choice OF words us Bishop Oberly,
and he declares hc will eight Cleveland,
the prince Of Mugwumps, till hades
freezes over, and then fight him on the
ice."
Properly speaking the appointment Of
Thompson is looked on more as scheme
to provide u place for particular friend
OF the President and OF Secretary Fair.
child than to advance the principle Of
civil service reform.
Judge Edgerton was at tho Capitol
yesterday afternoon. He says that he
had received no intimRtion from tho Pres.
ident OF an intention to remove him from
the office until yesterday, when he call
cd at the White House. The President
then requested him TO resign his Office
in order that It might be filled by Mr..
Thompson. The President said that
there was little hope Of securing the
place for Mr.. Thompson us long US there
was no suitable vacancy on the com.
mission.
Mr.. Egsrton, however, promptly de-
cllned to resign, holding that his resig.
nation would not be polite, creditablo
to himself or calculated TO help any
other person, intimating that Mi.
Thompson could not DO confirmed II
nominated. OF course the President
might exercise his prerogative i he saw
fit. The President did see 1T, and when
Edgerton reached his office lie found the
following letter awaiting him:
Executive MANSION, |
WASHINGTON, Feb. o. !
Hon. A. p. BiOtr'on;
DEAR snl--You are hereby removed
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