The times., 1899-07-16

cal material, barring, of course, the Com
missions list.
Instead of resorting to the country at
large for this entire temporary force,
| conceived 1t to be my privilege, under the
law, &c transfer from the regular depart
| mental service number of experienced
and valuable clerks. They had come into
| the Treasury Department in strict accord
with the civil service law, and when they
were transferred to the temporary roll
they left vacancies which could only be
| filled in accordance with the civil service
| law.
Not Unfriendl,' to Reform.
Can he find anything in this action In
/ imical to the spirit of the civil service act
Let ME state for his better information
that this construction of mine did not ac-
| cord with that which Congress placed upon
| the act for, by the legislative appropria-
| tion bill. approved February "a, 1899, the
| legislative authority decreed that places
| upon the temporary roll which had been
! filed by transfers should be vacated on
or before the 1st day of July, this year.
In this connection cannot avoid an ex-
preston of regret that he seems to stray
far away from fact and truth in order to
| justify criticism. / believe in the prin-
eiples which the Civil Service Reform
| League is intended to foster and protect,
| and | am heartily in accord with every in
| teiltgent effort it makes looking to the
| public good. | am entitled TO some fair
| presumptions in this regard by a reputation
! earned by Jealous endeavor in the fields OF
State and municipal reform. covering. per-
| haps. more than all the years the secretary
| of the league numbers: therefore, it is a
| matter of keen regret to me that, instead
Gygf1nFR fhaFi nItraqT ont
| from body whose purposes are acknowl-
edged to be for the public good, only cap
| tious criticism is accorded
1T appears to me his citation that a
member of Congress said that such ap-
| pointments would he few. and that he
.had been assured by offirers of the Treas
ury Department that In the emergency ex-
| isting it would not. be practicable to get
them under the civil SERVICE rules is too
vague and uncertain a specification to merit
any notice. How many officers so assured
him? Who were they, and. II he can name
| them, what has It to do with the case?
| Il might with propriety also enquire as
! to the bearing of your secretary's state
! ment that a son of an Assistant Secretary
was appointed on the temporary roll. ex-
cmpt as it was by lawnfrom the classified
service Has that fact--if 1t be a fact
anything to do with the observation, or the
/
| spectfully submit that such evidences are
a poor support to his. main proposition.
and justify suspicion as to the sincerity of
his purpose.
Another Specifications.
Another specification he presents-le-
| gitimate in kind il it will hold together
is as follows:
| You displaced the chief of the Bureau of Sta
tstics. making charges and giving no reason,
| except that you wished the position for another
| man.
81 am not called upon to explain to him.
nor to the gentlemen that he represents,
all the details of administrative action.
and neither he nor they have any right TO
PREJUDICE them. However. will waive this
point and state the facts in this particular
/ case.
''It is true that the gentleman was asked
for his resignation. He was at the same
time assured. however. that he would not
be removed. and that he was at entire lib
erty to decline the request if he so desired.
The gentleman requires no sympathy from
! the league nor from the public. With fine