Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-29
HE WAS DISMISSED.
Mr.. Johnston No Longer a Civil
Service Commissioner.
ASKED TO RESIGN, BUT DECLINED,
His Minority Report on the Com.
missions Operations.
HE MAKES A STATEMENT T.

HE MAKES A STATEMENT
Civil Service Commissioner Johnston has
been removed by President Cleveland. The
President at first demanded Johnston's resig-
nation, but the latter refused to hand it in,
and was, accordingly. removed. 1t was be-
cause of a long-standing trouble in the COM
mission. This trouble dates back one year.
A schism was caused in the commission
over the proposition to extend the classified
service to free delivery post offices. 1t be-
| came accentuated at the time Of the report
on the Terre Haute post office, when Com
missioner Johnston sent in minority re-
port which differed SO radically from the
majority report that it was evident that the
sgner Of that or the other would have to
be removed by the President. 1t was long
a matter Of belief among those who are ac-
quainted with the workings of the commits
sion that 1t would be impossible for Com
missioners Roosevelt and Johnston to re-
main on the commission. Their policies
were Numerically opposed.
| Roosevelt, 1t Is authoritatively said, has
been following out for the last eight months
the same policy which he pursued under
the Harrison administration, believing that
the only possible plan for the commission to
follow was to be radical and aggressive
and to attack violation of the civil serv-
Ice law wherever found, regardless as to
whether the violator was a cabinet officer
or man of no note 1t Is known that the
administration has been brought into sharp
collision with Secretary Carlisle and Sena-
tor voorhees, by Mr.. Roosevelt's action.
On these and other occasions Mf Johnston
has dissented from the acts Of the commits
sion. In the two cases indicated he sid ed
with Secretary Carlisle and Senator voor-
| haAS- Rnnoouolf hall t.,
the President.
| Reticence at the White House.
No Information can be obtained at the
White House In regard to the reasons for
the removal Of Civil Service Commissioner
Johnston. Private Secretary Thurber ad-
mitted that he had been removed. but
further than that he would not go. A new
commissioner will be appointed in a few
Gays possibly before Congress meets
| The Case Of MIR. Lyman.
The rumored possibility of Commissioner
Lyman's removal also could not be veri-
fed. Commissioner Lyman said today that
If any such action as to himself is in con-
temptation he has not been advised Of it.
Mr.. Johnston was appointed in July, 1892
His removal recalls the fact that President
Cleveland during his first admnistratio
removed democratic member Of the COM
mission. Mr. Edgerton. The removal was
made upon the ground that Mr. Edgerton
was not in accord with the spirit Of civil
service reform.
The Annual Report.
1t Is stated by q well-known. southern
Congressman. who is perfectly familiar
with the facts. that Mr.. Johnston filed with
the President a minority report on the op-
erations Of the commission during the last
year. and took such radical views upon i'm
portant questions. differing SO widely from
those Of the other members. that it became
practically impossible for the commission to
continue as constituted. 1t is stated that
Mr.. Roosevelt made the direct issue with
the President. and stated frankly and DOS
itively that either he or Mr.. Johnston must
leave the commission, and that, after ex-
amining into the facts in the case the
President decided that he could much better
spare Mr. Johnston than Mr.. Roosevelt.
and therefore asked the former for his res
| ignation. This, 1t Is said Mr.. Johnston de-
ciined to give, and was at once informed by
Mr.. Cleveland that either the resgna ton
must be forthcoming or he would be dis
missed.
| The Correspondence.
| Mr.. Johnston feels that the removal is an
imputation upon him, especially as no fur
ther explanation is made He feels that II
Is due to himself that the following cor
respondence in the matter be made public:
| EXECUTIVE MANSION. Nov. 25. 1893
| hon. Geo. u. johnston:
Dear Sir: l am sorry to hear through
your friends. Senator Caffrey and Mr. Sec
retary Herbert, who conveyed to you my
request that you acquiesce in your transfer
| from the civil service commission to an
other post of honorable duty, that you de-
cline the proposition and refuse to resign
your present position. 1 am so certain
| that the public good requires a change in
| the commission, involving your retirement,
that l am constrained to request you to re-
I ;-sz~
session of your resignation as early as Mon
day afternoon, the 2Ith instant, at o'clock.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
| To this Mr. Johnston replied as follows:
u. S. CIVIL. SERVICE COMMISSION.
WASHINGTON. DC. Nov. "a. 1898.
The President.
Sir: Your letter of the 26th instant is re-
Herbert conveyed to me YOUR offer of the
consulship at Victoria. which meant, of
course, that You propose to retire me from
the civil service commission You did not
communicate to me through these gentle
men your reasons for my retirement; nor
have you ever spoken to me in regard to
this or any other matter connected with
the discharge Of my duties. or relating to
the commission or its work. Though con-
scious of having discharged the duties OF
my office faithfully and. as 1 believe, in
furtherance of the best interests of the peo-
pie and the government. l would promptly
acquiesce in your wish that 1 resign had
you given me an opportunity to be heard
before you decided upon your action. IN
der present circumstances. however, cannot
consistently, with my sense of duty to my
self or my friends who recommended my
appointment. consent either to resign or
accept a position inferior to the one / now
hold. Respectfully.
GEORGE D. JOHNSTON
Summarily Dismissed.
Upon the receipt of this reply Mr.. Cleve-
land sent the following letter OF removal:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1S93
Hon. George D. Johnston.
Sir: You are hereby removed from the
office of United States civil service COM
missioner.
Yours truly, GROVER CLEVELAND.
Mr.. Johnston acknowledged the letter of
removal as follows:
WASHINGTON, DC, Nov %, 1893.
The President.
Sir: Your note Of this date informing me
that you have removed ME from the office
of United States civil service commissioner
is hereby acknowl edged.
Respectfully. GEORGE ID. JOHNSTON.
Mr.. JOhnstOn's Statement.
This correspondence states a part of the
| story" said Mr.. Johnston. Il would how
oJd he Sfo