UNITED STATES. 



759 



connected with the political faction in New 

 York city known as the County Democracy, 

 and a few days later the claims of the Tam- 

 many organization were recognized in the ap- 

 pointment of William Dorsheimer as District 

 Attorney and Martin T. McMahon as Marshal 

 for the Southern District of New York. When 

 in August the Civil-Service Commission called 

 upon Surveyor Beattie to name two or three 

 persons from his office from whom 

 a member of the Examining Board, 

 might be selected, he named only 

 his private secretary, and urged 

 his appointment, intimating that 

 he would name no other unless 

 reasons were given why his choice 

 was not a proper one. No reasons 

 were vouchsafed, and his choice was 

 not accepted. Considerable interest 

 was excited in September, when 

 Collector Hedden removed Capt. 

 George B. Bacon, chief weigher for 

 the Brooklyn district, and appointed 

 George H. Sterling, a local politician, 

 to his place. A few days later Mr. 

 Sterling was suspended by order of 

 the Secretary of the Treasury, and 

 directions were subsequently given 

 that the place be filled on com- 

 petitive examination. Mr. Sterling 

 passed the examination, but was 

 rated low on the list of eligibles. 

 By order of the President, the en- 

 tire eligible list was certified to the 

 Collector for appointment, but John 

 W. O'Brien, first on the list, and a 

 veteran soldier, was selected for the 

 place. Near the close of the year 

 the term of Thomas 0. Acton, As- 

 sistant Treasurer at New York, ex- 

 pired, and after several persons to 

 whom it was offered had declined 

 the office, Mr. Jordan, the Treasurer 

 at Washington, took charge of it. 

 Mr. Acton went out under protest 

 on the 2d of January, 1886, claiming 

 that he was not discharged from his 

 bonds until his successor was appointed. A 

 few weeks later, Charles J. Can da was ap- 

 pointed to the place, and qualified for its 

 duties. 



Civil-Service Incidents. Criticism of the ap- 

 pointments of the President and heads of de- 

 partments emanated from two sources from 

 Democrats who desired that more changes 

 should be made, and that party service should 

 receive more consideration; and from those 

 who insisted that in those grades of the service 

 which had no connection with the public policy 

 of the Administration, and in offices in which 

 there was no confidential relation with the ap- 

 pointing officer, no changes should be made 

 without cause before the expiration of terms, 

 and that qualifications and fitness should be 

 chiefly regarded in making appointments. Com- 

 plaint was caused by the appointment of Eu- 



gene Higgins, of Maryland, as appointment 

 clerk in the Treasury Department, at the in- 

 stance of Senator Gorman, it being alleged 

 that as a political manager his methods had 

 been disreputable, and that his standing in his 

 own State was not good. He was retained in 

 the service notwithstanding the complaints. 

 The charges against Higgins were made by the 

 Maryland Civil-Service Reform Association. 



WILLIAM CKOWNINSHIELD ENDICOTT, 

 Secretary of War. 



Aquila Jones, the newly appointed postmaster 

 at Indianapolis, was charged with disregard- 

 ing the civil-service rules in making changes 

 in the office, but an investigation by the Civil- 

 Service Commission did not sustain the charge. 

 The removal of Gen. Henry S. Huidekoper, 

 postmaster at Philadelphia, called forth an in- 

 effectual protest from Grand Army Post No. 1 

 of Pennsylvania. The appointment of ex- 

 Gov. Noyes, of Ohio, as Government Director 

 of the Union Pacific Railroad, on the recom- 

 mendation of Gov. Hoadley, called out a Dem- 

 ocratic protest which caused its withdrawal. 

 An investigation of the affairs of the Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey revealed (it was alleged) 

 abuses and inefficiency, and Prof. Hilgard, the 

 Superintendent, and several subordinate offi- 

 cers, were suspended. 

 Early in November changes were made ID 



