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Show CLEVELAND AND REFORM The Change in the Civil Service Com-mission Com-mission Has Progressed with the Best or Feeling. He Finds It No Easy Task to Fill the Positions Satisfactorily All Bonnd. But Stumbling Blocks Host Go, For Ciril Service Reform Is Intended to Do Practical Good. The President and the Commission. Washington, November 6. President Cleveland yesterday expressed himself as follows to a member of the editorial staff of the Post, in regard - to the reorganization, of the Civil Service Jommission : "The reorganization reor-ganization was made necessary by the resignation resig-nation of the members of the old board. In Buch reorganization'" it seemed to me that friends for the cause could be made in the party to whioh I belong, and which is at present to a, large extent charged with the enforcement of the law, by CHANGING THE POLITICAL COMPLEXION OF THE ' . COMMISSION. This view was, I think, shared by all the old fonimiflsioners, and the change has thus far progressed with none but the best of feeling so far as I know, on their part. In the selection se-lection of new Commissioners there were so many different qualifications which I deemed desirable, that I have found it no easy matter mat-ter to fill the positions with men who could combine elements which I consider most ! essential to a fair, honest and successful enforcement en-forcement of the law. Prominent leaders in the civil service movement strongly advised me to select ONE OP THE-COMMISSIONEBS FBOM THE SOUTH. This I have done, and the person selected from that locality I am quite certain possesses pos-sesses the qualifications necessary for an efficient officer. Mr. Edgerton I never saw until yesterday, and I don't remember that I ever heard of him until Chief Justice Waite urged him upon my attention as a most excellent m&a. for the place. From my impression of him upon a personal interview, and from representations made by his friends, I am entirely satisfied that ho mis-. take has been made in his appointment. I can't rid myself of the idea that this civil service reform is something intended to do practical good, and not mere sentiment intended in-tended for the purpose of affording an opportunity op-portunity to ventilate high sounding notions and fine phrases. My plan of giving it the greatest possible usefulness involves THE REMOVAL OF STUMBLING BLOCKS From the way of good, honest men who are inclined to its support, and demonstrates in every public manner its value as adopted to every-day affairs of government. Thus two Democrats were selected, and I certainly intended in-tended to select them for two prominent po-si.iona po-si.iona in the Commission, and this was doie largely in deference to sentiments and opiaions held by good men in the Democratic party, and it has also occurred to me that it was;he plain dictate of common sense that one f the old Commissioners should, if possible, pos-sible, remain for a time to aid the new ones. The pieparation of tHE BEFOBT OF THE COMMISSION Is a most important matter, affording occasion occa-sion to recommend reform to the people by exhibiting to them all it has accomplished, and the report ought to be very useful, too. In removing misapprehensions and objections, objec-tions, deeming the experience of one who has been in the Commission during the time to which'the report will relate, of the utmost value in its preparation, and fully convinced that the knowledge gained by connection with the administration of the law. would be a great help to the new Commission, Com-mission, I obtained the consent of Mr. Eaton to remain temporarily in the Commission, and I have appointed him -in place of Mr. Thoman, the former Democratic member. When Mr; Eaton finally retires, I shall appoint a Republican, whose selection will, I hope, detract nothing from the strength and efficiency of the new Commission. My attention has been called to statements in some newspapers . BELATING TO MB. STEELING. I have heard that he has applied for examination exam-ination as weigher. I have no information whether he has passed or not, but I judge from something appearing in the papers that certain people fear he has, and are already lashing themselves into a dreadful state of apprehension lest he should be selected after examination to fill the place to which he was appointed without examination, and from which he was suspended. When the Civil Service Commission consulted with me as to the status of Mr. Sterling and the true construction con-struction of the rule bearing on that subject, sub-ject, I agreed with them in the opinion that the position of weigher was subject to an examination, and that it should be filled by one who, by means of a proper examination under the law, proved himself eligible; but it seemed to me that the good of the service required that the person to be appointed should be possessed of certain traits and qualifications which no theoretical examination exami-nation would develop. One having charge of two or three hundred men of the class with which the weigher has to deal, should possess PEBSONAL COUEAGE, ENEBGT, DECISION And firmness of character. It i3 entirely certain that the possession of such qualifications qualifi-cations could not in the least be determined by the result of an examination organized for the purpose of testing an applicant's knowledge . and education, so I suggested that the examination for this place be noncompetitive,- but finding that the law and rules did not permit that in such a case, it was proposed that instead of sending the appointing power only four names from those who had proved themselves eligible upon examination, and obliging . him to select one of them, the whole number who successf ally passed - should be sent up, thus permitting an opportunity to judge of the qualifications not developed by examination. This, as I understand it, was agreed to among us, and I have ever since supposed that such course would be f ellowecu I think it certainly should be. I might, perhaps, add that at the time it was supposed settled upon, I had not, and I am quite sure that no member of the Com- mission had, the slightest idea that Mr. ! Sterling would appear as an applicant for examination. Now, if Mr. Sterling has submitted sub-mitted to the conditions imposed by the Civil Service law, and if he has passed the examination prescribed, HE SHOULD BE TBEATED JUSTLY AND FAIRLY. I do not mean to say that the appointing power should be unjust and unfair to others by appointing Mr. Sterling over the heads of those who have passed a better examination examina-tion than he, and who are found on inspection inspec-tion to possess qualifications essential to an effective performance of the duties pcrtain-ma pcrtain-ma to the office, but I think all ' who have passed should be certified, and if under a fair application of rules and in the exercise honestly and in good faith of the selection thus afforded, Sterling should be chosen, no friend of civil service reform has any right to complain. com-plain. No cause can gain by injustice, or by twisting of its purposes to suit particular tastes, and when a result is fairly reached through proper methods adapted to further reform, it should be accepted, especially by the friends of the movement. They should not permit those from whom they require submission to say with any semblance of truth that they themselves submit only when the result accords with their views." I m , ' mwHir-r- " '" |