Evening star., 1924-08-24

" HERE is just one individual in
the entire history of the Fed
eral service who through
close devotion to his duties
has climbed up from the low
est grade in the classified civil service
to the position Of First Assistant Sec
retary of a great government depart
ment That is Edward G. Finney
| whose fidelity and efficiency have
been rewarded with positions of high
| trust under both Republican and
Democratic administrations, and who
Is now second only to Secretary HUI
bert Work in the administration Of
the Interior Department.
1t was just 80 years ago (come
September - that Mr.. Finney through
| competitive civil service examination
| was appointed clerk at SIS a month,
! then the lowest grade in the civil
service. in the General Land ONCE,
and since July 1 last. under the NEW
| classification act, he has been receiv-
| ing $500 a year.
His first work for the Government
was in filing papers. and he has been
promoted successfully through every
grade of the service. during which
experience he has written land pat
ents, done typewriting. examined land
claims. acted as law clerk and attor-
ney. acted as commissioner of the
General Land ONCE, also chief law Of
| flcer of the Reclamation Service dur
ing the time that big projects like
the Roosevelt Dam, were building.
! was appointed to the board of appeals
of the Interior Department by Secre
| tary Lane under the Wilson admins
tration.
Merit Won High Post.
There have been good men before
| who worked their way up in the serv-
| ice to become bureau chiefs. but Mr..
Finney, more commonly known among
his associates and those who do busi-
ness with the Interior Department. as
Judge" Finney. is the first man to
take the last high hurdle into the
| big administrative job of. Assistant
Secretary. This appointment was
made on conspicuously proven merit.
| There are on file in the White House
hundreds of the strongest testimo-
malls ever given any man. written un-
solicited by members of Congress
urging that Judge" Finney be given
this appointment for the good of the
He was made First Assistant Secre-
service"
tary because of his all-round eff
cheney, his wide knowledge of the law
and of work of the department. 1t
mas Deen puDllCIS tSStihSo W 'hS
highest. authority that Judge" Fin
ney knows as much about the public
land laws as any man living, and it Is
generally admitted that he knows
more about the Interior Department.
it's people, it's specialized work and
duties and laws than any one else.
This is not only because he has been
so long in the Interior Department,
but because he has come up step by
mn r.
the bottom to the top.
How time makes changes in the
Government service was particularly
exemplified few days ago when
Miss Clara Hollingsworth retired
after As years of service. She was the
last of the people in the mineral
division of the General Land Office
who were there when Mr.. Finney
started in filing papers, in 1894. He
made the good bye speech in behalf of
her fellow workers.
Not only have executive officers,
cabinet members and Congressman
recognized the value of Mr.. Finney's
services, but his humblest fellow en-
ployes from charwomen and mes
sengers up. are proud of him and his
unobtrusive success. His is as a big
him their worries over reclassifica-
tfon, over domestic troubles, blighted
ambitions, etc, and are always sure
of sympathetic hearing and wise
counsel.