Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-25
FATHER OF CIVIL SERVICE
Career and Labors of the Late Dorman B
Eaton.
influence on the Adoption of the
Merit System I'm Government Of
fces-The First Commissioner.

| the father of the merit system in the gov
| eminent civil service in the United States,
died in New York Saturday. An eminent
civil service reformer who was interested
| with Mr. Eaton in his efforts to secure the
| merit system permanent institution in
the nation and the state. in speaking of Mr..
Eaton said: Mr.. Eaton was one of the first
| to take up the study of civil service re-
FORM and his interest in it never tagged
up to the day of his death. Realizing that
| the application of the principle would arouse
| intense opposition among politicians, who
| had long looked upon political offices as
| their legitimate spoils, he was disposed to
| be conservative Others who were associ-
| ated with him wanted the entire federal
service to be placed upon 4 merit basis at
| once. but he opposed this policy and advo-
Gated the extension of the system slowly.
I'm this he showed his wisdom, and his
| advice, followed out. in a large measure,
| has contributed greatly to the present stat
| US of the merit system. He was easily the
| pioneer in the application in a systematic
fashion of the English civil system In the
| movement which resulted n the enactment
| of the state civil service laws Mr.. Eaton
| took great deal of interest. and his coun-
| sci was eagerly sought by those who adro-
Gated the original act
A Lawyer by Profession.
Mr. Eaton was born at Hardwick, Gale
/ donna county, Vermont June q, 1923. Grad
| uating from the University of Vermont in
| 1S4S. he took a course in the Harvard Law
School. from which he was graduated in
1850. He moved to New York city and be-
gan the practice of his profession IN part
| nership with the late Judge William Kent,
| the author of 'Kent's Commentaries
His first connection with the civil service
reform movement followed closely upon a
visit in 1866 to Europe. during which he
gave considerable study to the develop
ment of the civil service in various coun-
tries. After his return Mr. Eaton took a
prominent part in the movement which re-
suited in the crushing of the Tweed ring,
and as consequence of his work he was
assaulted by one of the followers of the
Tammany boss and so seriously injured
that for several years he was unable to
practice.
During this time Mr. Eaton gave himself
up to the betterment of the civil service,
and in pursuing his studies in this direc-
ton he made an extended visit to England.
Fight for the Merit System.
Returning home in 1873, he was selected
by President Grant as a member of the
first national civil service commission. One
of his colleagues was George William Cur
It's. The opposition to the reform was so
great that the labors of the commission
were almost nullffied by the refusal Of Con-
gress to appropriate money for carrying on
the work. and in 1873 he resigned.
Hayes, Mr.. Eaton again visited England
for the purpose of preparing a historical
report upon the English civil service. This
report was published by order Of Congress,
and 1t is regarded as the foundation stone
of the present federal civil service system.
Later Mr.. Eaton prepared an elaborate
| report which was also presented by Con-
gress, upon the administration of the New
York post office and custom house. and
comparing the results under the spoils sys-
tenn with those attained under the merit
system. which was then beginning to be en-
forced in those Offices
Mr.. Eaton was the PRINCIPAL author of the
Pendleton act-the existing civil service law
and President Arthur appointed him as a
member of the first commission. He re-
signed in 1852 and was reappointed in the
same year by President Cleveland. In
April, 1886, feeling that he had done his
share in the establishment of permanent
merit system, Mr.. Eaton handed his resig-
nation to President Cleveland.
The New York Times pays the following
tribute to Mr. Eaton's labors for the merit
system: 9
His contributions to this reform were Of
high value and were most unselfishly given
His study of the history and the principles
and methods Of the reform of the civil
service in Great Britain, and his exposition
of these in his weil-known book and in his
frequent articles and addresses after his
residence in England, were of incaIcuIable
use in spreading the ideas underlying the
merit system. They were especially eff
fect1Ve in combating the absurd faisehood
that the merit system was in some Way an
invention of the English aristocracy the
fact being that it was adopted for the ex-
press purpose of breaking up the costly and
corrupt monopoly of place holding so large
ly enjoyed and so desperately cherished by
the aristocracy. By his patient and intelli-
gent study of the British system Mr.. Eaton
was able to aid greatly in the constructive
work of the reform in this country and to
suggest the notifications required by the
differing condItionS.'