New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-02
" REFORM" EXEMPLIF1ED.
HOW 1T IS PRACTISED By StChhlAhi
HERBERT
NEITHER LAW NOR THE NO HEPoTIsM' RULE
ALLOWED TO STAND IN THE WAY of
RELATIVES ST ATESNEN.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO The TFIBUNE'l


(BY TELEGRAPH To The TRIBuNEl
Washington .h,nc IA uart,cularly Migrant OK
ampc of the methods Ct reform" by which LOT p"'eo
personal and partisan reasons the heads oil oeP,'
me- ts under the prcscn; Administration are er"",'
displaying competent AID tried employees anu mann"
room for the friends, relatives and foiio"''' v.
lavorca ID moor tic statesmen. Il found IN '''e '
discharge by secretary Herbert of A. Lincoln p''
Of the Naval War Records Office. and the iihh'"''e
tes,owal Of his mace on brother Of senator GIBSON
Of Maryland. Unlike most OF the other Den'oc''','
Senators. Mr.. Gibson has far rcfrained from '"
ding relative on the Scnae's committee i"' .o"
and he no doubt felt himself entitled In cons'aer'''o
OF his exhibition OF modestv. 10 place Oh cii'
value for his brother IN the department service
Secretary Herbert. who happily has no ohcc,c"Ni'7
relatives OF his OWL. found willing to ophse "''
former colleagu, in the How, now senator iro'"
Maiylani before whose genial manner ana cor'',a
smile the Secrctaiy's memory OF NJ. CieVfI'hu
yrtuous no nep0tism" rule OF last Maich w"
vencnt'y and readily vanished
The Naval War Records ONCE was established some
years ago. when the Government undertook Tue
gigantic work Of publishing the full official records
both Union and Confederate, OF the War OF the re
bcllon. Tho great OF records preserved ana 30
far edited for Publication have been military, ana
handled therefore BY the War Department: but Il
;, plrate bureau has been maintained In the Navy ~
pariment for the collection and publication OF Tue
naval records Of the Civil War The work OF col
Letting and editing the records which remain ann
especially Of judging which really merit preservation
in whole or In part IN the volumes In course Oh
preparation and publication. naturally requires much
experience and judgment and thorough Familiarity
with tho subject. Under previous Administrations II
has been the polly c! both the War and Navy DC
patments TO keep the labor NJ collecting and edhns
the records in competent hands without regard TO the
pol teal affiliations of the employees engaged IN 'e
work cXcep, that in the interest OF impar'ialy an"
faess il was thought best 10 have the working force
about equally divided between Northern and Southern
editors and investigators While Secretary Tracy
was AZ the head Of the department the four clerk
ships In the Naval War Records Office were filled on
,L,s pan-two southern Democrats holding places and
two Republicans. one OF whom. MIR. Dryden was
however. Il Maryland man. The two Democrats had'
moreover. the better places In the BUREAU ca'n
getting "A salary of 81 800 year while Mr.. Norton.
Of Vermont the ranking Republican, got Al 600 and
Mr. DRYDEN only 3I.4 o. Although they were I'M
protected BY the civil Service rules Secretary Tracy
never had the slightest thought Of using places OF
such character as rewards for partisan sHrvce OF
grat,t,es TO relatives OF statesmen In his own party
Secretary Herbert had been IN Office. however, only
lang enough to discover that Mr. Clcveands no
ncpo,i,m, rule was Ike the promises In his In
ourural address, not intended 10 interfere With
anvhoGy's private and personal convenience. wien
determined effort started by Office hunting Demo
Gratis 10 turn the Naval Records Bureau Into
refuge for deserving brothers and ccnns and Other
relatives. Mr. Herbert waited for little whii" ana
then as no vacancies In the Records Office occurred
| spon,oncously he arbitrarily removed ~. Dryden
MIR Mort took he hint that his pace was .so wanted
for dependent or relative Of another Demo
cratic statesman. resigned soon A. hc learned
,hAt his fellow Republican clerk had been summary
removed
Mr. Gibson. the new appoIn,oc. * rcthed hr.
lieutenant Of marine. drawing SLIGO year va
which he v II now add another Government salnIN
Of - 100 In giving double employment ana doubl.
,niary to lin. secretary Herbert has violated ho'
only the "no ncpotism" rule Lid down hy NE Irrsi
dent but also that section 81 tnc Revised >i,tn'">
which prohibits the payment ~ two salaries 70 an
ofTccr In any branch of The Iubir -"rvicc.
However trininG prohibition a this conla
scarcely he expected - 90 far In cont N.n'irn 9"
tbc essential Democratic theory. maintained ~ Inc
Coz, Of any and all statutes. that puIic ONO. i
nriya,e snap" The principles OF "reiorm" held and
rrac;Ised by the department heads Of the present
| Admin sirntion whatever merit hey may hav"
were never drawn 10 suppress Hepo ism or Keep De
serving though unexamiIcd. ard brothers on, OF
public Office.