Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-04
SATURDAY. SEPT. 4, 1897.
CARD FROM COLONEL BRADY.

Internal Revenue Service,
Second District of Virginia.
nNico

second DlStTlct VI NlIEulld,
Collectors Office.
Richmond, Va, September 3, 1897.
10 the Editor Of the Dispatch:
AS a matter Of fact, have made no
removal from Office in the internal reve-
nue. service of this district.
The term OF office of alb the employees
who. under the law. were commissioned
by Collector Ryan and gave bond TO him,
expired with his term of office. August
Bl, 1897.
/ have strictly observed the law and
rivil-service rules In every appointment
made since I assumed charge of the
Collectors Office. on the LIST instant.
The law in respect to the appointment
and retention in service of department
employees at Washington. custom-house,
post-office, and other officials throughout
the country. is entirely different from the
law in force relative to internal revenue
officials.
law is correct. and in this opinion ]
am sustained by the proper authorities
at Washington. Yours truly,
JAMES ID. BRADY.
The course of Collector Brady in this
matter has been exactly the opposite of
that pursued by Collector Agnew, under
similar circumstances. Mr.. Agnew con-
strued the civil-service law as requiring
him to reappoint the deputies, and he did
so. And so have done all the other new
Collectors. so far as we are advised.
That Collector Brady will be sustained
by the departmental officials we cannot
doubt, since 1T is given out that he and
certain OF those officials discussed this
whole question before he entered upon
the duties of his office. His course will
prove TO be very popular one with
Republicans, and will make him a bigger
man than ever in his party; but all the
same we trust the ousted officials will
appeal from the department TO the Civil
Service Commission. and, IL necessary.
to the President. If all sorts OF techni-
calities are to be used TO evade the pur
poses and provisions of the civil-service
laws, the sooner that fact Is proclaimed
the better.
Furthermore, II would be well for the
country to understand whether or not
the Treasury Department Is engaged in
sustaining the President in his civil-ser-
vice views or is taking advantage OF
7oop-holes in the law 10 discredit the
Presidents protestatons and TO make
places for Republican partisans. The
former inquiry we regard as important
because in Washington Mr. Mckinley is
believed to be a sincere civil-service man
while many OF the Treasury Department
officials are well known spoilsmen.
In what respect Collector Brady has
pobserved" the civil service law here we
do not know. True. few Democratic
deputies have been reappointed. but sc
FAR from this having been done in ODE
dience, either 10 the spirit or TO the
letter Of the civIl-service law, we under
stand these appointments were made tC
crafty leading gold Democrats! Thu:
the help OF the gold Democrats in the las
campaign in Virginia is recognized
Thus. places in this revenue district hav:
been used to reward friends of friends OF
Republicans. So far as the gentlemen
in question are personally concerned. W,
are glad that they have been retained
but we must credit their retention 4
its true cause and not to any 'obser
vance" upon the part of Colone
Brady of the civel-serice laws.
II seems that upon coming into otiic,
here. Collector Brady found. PRACTICAL,
speaking. no "eligible list" Whose faul
this was we do not know; we suspec
that 1t was the Civil Service Commits
fion's. but we can't say so positively
Not having any eligible list" from which
TO select his deputies. Collector Brad.
had all Virginia TO select from for Thu
emergency" Here we see other lax
ness In the ciyil-service system, ever
admitting that Colonel Brady was RICH
In dropping the old deputies and appoint
Ing new ones,
Isallsving that Collector Brady's actor