The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-05-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From Our Regular correspondent
washington, May %. 1S9S.--Secretary
Carlisle is showing the country just
what democratic professions Of reform
ing the Civil Service mean. For many
years there has been a rule in the
treasury department requiring newly
appointed chiefs of divisions to take
a non-competitive examination, merely
to test their general knowledge and
intelligence. Several of the democrats
appointed chiefs of divisions by Secre-
tary Carlisle have simply through
lack of ordinary intelligence failed to
make even fairly creditable showing
in those examinations and the examin-
ing committee has been compelled to re
port them unfit for the positions they
had been selected to fill. Did Mr.
Carlisle make other and better select
ions in place of these men? Not bit
of it. He simply exercised his author
ity as secretary and issued an order
changing the rule, making 1t read that
CnlelS VI ulNl6lOilo oSfteA SiAANNAS
may be excused from taking the de-
partmental examination at the discre-
ton Of the secretary of the treasury.
The result of this order will be that
the incompetent democrats will draw
the salaries of chiefs while their work
will in reality be performed by COM
oil ttnHar fhan1
No observant man doubts that reforms
are needed in the civil service, but he
who thinks that they will be made
by this administration is doomed to
disappointment.
The Geary exclusion act is to be
dead letter, Notwithstanding the Su-
preme Court decision, until congress
meets, If no longer, it having been de-
cided by the cabinet to spend what
money is now available, as we'll as the
$4,000 that will become available July
1, in prosecuting and deporting those
Cinnamon who are in America In vio-
lation Of the anti-Chinese law of 1884,
and to let the unregistered Chinese
alone.
There is much speculation as to the
influences the administration brought
to bear upon ex-Secretary Fairchild
to cause him to withdraw his resig-
nation as chairman Of the committee
recently appointed to investigate the
New York customhouse, after having
twice refused in writing to serve on
the committee. Mr.. Fairchild has lost
friends by allowing himself to be CO.
creed into doing something that 1t is
we'll known he did not wish to do.
The democratic commissioner Of pen
sions seems to lack the courage Of his
conviction. A few days ago it was said
by his close friends that he had con-
cluded that the medical boards should
be made up hereafter entirely of DEM
ocrats. There was such a unanimous
kick against the manifestly unjust
proposition that he made haste to make
a half-hearted denial Of his intentions
to put it into effect. He admits that
he favors such policy. but says that
when the sentiment Of the locality In
which the boards do their work
favored a minority representative on
the board he would appoint one re-
publican and two democrats. II there
is community in this country In
which public sentiment favors making
these boards political machines conn
posed solely of the members Of one
party It is a good community for fair
minded men to get out Of.
No wonder Postmaster General Bis
sell said to delegation the other day.
1--WE are all somebody's menials";he
had just received curtain lecture
from Mr. Cleveland because he had
dared to make small appointment
in Georgia at the request Of Sec. Hoke
Smith without first having obtained
the approval 81 Mr. Cleveland. There
is no doubt aboaG BIsselrs being scme-
body's menial. -