The evening times., 1900-09-14

Won't Republicans ia Their Stead.
President Mckinley, despite his protesta-
fions to the contrary is regarded by the
friends of civil service reform as an enemy
TO the Civil Service act and rules. This.
opinion of the President is held by the.
Civil Service Commission There is pen.-
ing in the Federal courts today a case
which shows most malignant violation
of the law on the part of a Republican
appointee to an executive position. The
case, before being taken into the courts,
was brought to the attention of Binger
Hermann, Commissioner of the General
Land Office; Cornelius n. Bliss, when he
was Secretary of the Interior, and the
President No step looking to the enforce-
ment of the law or the punishment of the
offender was ever taken.
The man against whom the charges were
brought is Jospeh Perrault Surveyor Gen
eral for Idaho, and the victims of his Re-
publican malice are eight Democratic
clerks
The charge against Perrault is that he
violated the executive order of July 27,
1897. amending the Civil Service act. This
order recites: No removal shall be made
from any position subject to competitive
examination except for just cause and
upon written charges filed with the head
of the department or other appointing cth
GER. OF which the accused shall have luii
notice and an opportunity to make de-
fence"
On November l, 1897. Joseph PerrauIt.
1t is said. as reward for services rem
dered to the Republican party. was nomi-
mated by the President for the office OF
Surveyor General for Idaho. He went into
the office of the Surveyor General be-
tween 3 and 1 o'clock on the day of his
appointment. with his predecessor and
took an inventory Of the stock AT about
4: 80 o'clock on the same day, having com
pleted this task, he called the Office force
into his presence or the twelve employees
eight were Democrats and all We're within
the classified civil service. The new Sur
yeyor General informed the Democratic
employees that they We're suspended until
he, the Surveyor General could ascertain
If there was any work for them TO DO
Two of the eight Democrats resigned On
the morning Of November 2 Mr. Perfault
appointed eight devoted Republicans as
emergency clerks to MI the vacancies
which he had created by the suspension
of the Democrats
The regular clerks who had been su-
perseded by the emergency apPoin-e
wrote to Commissioner Hermann, ac-
Cuainting him with the circumstances.
They informed Mr.. Hermann that they
had been dismissed from the puolic sar-
vice in violation OF the executive O. GeE
of July 27. 1897, The Commissioner, IN
his brief answer called the attention or
the clerks to the fact that they had 1T
been dismissed. but that they had Cnly
been suspended and for that reason the
executive order referred to was not a9-
plicable to their case Efforts were mad
by the Civil Service Commission TO bring
about the reinstatement of he suS-
pended clerks. but without avail.
Finally. a prominent Republican Idl-
no State official visited Washnz ten, and,
calling upon the Civil Seryies CemmiifS- 1lEElifi-
selves toward securing the reinstate-
ment of the ousted employee a mem
Der of the Commission, with the Ra2ub-
lican official called upon Seci etary i5s
and laid the facts before him. Mr.. is5
insisted that he had nothing to do with
the case and could do nothing and re-
ferred them to the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office The member of tie
Civil Service Commission wES equally IL
sistent that the Secretary of the In
rior might have some influence in the
matter. Mr.. Bliss sent for Mr.. Hermann
and asked his questions which bTOuE ht
out the Facts reIaUed.
The result of the interview was that on
June 22, 1898, Commissioner Hermann
sent letter to Surveyor General Per
rault. informing him that his statement
that he had no work for the suspended
clerks to do was not consistent in view
of his appointment OF emergency clerks.
and that unless he preferred charges
against those whom he had virtually dis
charged, he must Teinstate them.
The Surveyor General acting upon the
Suggestion of Commissioner Hermann at
Dnce preferred charges against six of the
rlerks. One of these was James Wicker
sham, who is said to be a very worthy
young man and upon whom a widowed
mother depends for support. Perrault
charged him with being drunkard and a
gambler Notice of these charges and
copies of Cnem were formally served upon
Wiekersham, who in contravention of the
charges. furnished aff1davits from the Gov
ernor of the State, the Mayor of Boise and
many prominent merchants. bankers, and
professional men of his home town in
Cluding the chief officers of the Republi-
can League. All Of these men swore that
to the best of their knowledge and belief
the charges against Wickersham were
false. Perrault's accusation was not cor
foborated by single witness. Upon this
testimony the charges against Wicker
sham were found to be untrue but still he |
was not reinstated, and is not now in the
public service.
Notwithstanding the attemnt of +ba
Surveyor General to blacken the character
or Wickersham. and Notwithstanding his
refusal TO reinstate him, Perrault contin |
ues to draw the salary OF his Office as a |
reward for party service
In obedience to the letter of Commits |
sioner Hermann. Perrault reinstated Mrs
Alice 3. Howey but without nav until |
such time as work could be found for her |
to do" No work has ever been found for |
Mrs. Howey to do from November /. 1898 /