Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/171

 RUTHERFORD BIRCHARD HAYES 137 of acceptance and inaugural address, and insisted that the constitution imposed upon the executive the sole duty and responsibility of the selection of Federal officers who, by law, are appointed, not elected; he deprecated the practical confusion, in this respect, of the duties assigned to the several departments of the government, and earnestly rec ommended that Congress make a suitable appro priation to be immediately available for the civil- service commission, which was still in legal exist ence, but had become inactive because no money had been provided for its expenses. He also rec ommended efficient legislation for the work of civilization among the Indian tribes, and for the prevention of the destruction of the forests on lands of the United States. The recommendations thus made by President Hayes were not heeded by congress. No appro priation was made for the civil-service commission ; on the contrary, the dissatisfaction of Republican senators and representatives with the endeavors of the administration in the direction of civil-service reform found vent in various attacks upon the president and the heads of departments. The nom ination of one of the foremost citizens of New York for the office of collector of customs at that port was rejected by the senate. The efforts of the administration to check depredations on the timber-lands of the United States, and to prevent