Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-09-21

| can support reformer who has
the courage thus TO feel and thus TO
speak.
| do not pretend TO csll Coz.
Hayes, as Mr.. T,lden is sometimes
callsd by some OF his over-poetlc
faiends, The wisest man in the
world" do aot put him, in the
point OF courage, above all the heroes
antiquity and modern times. | do
not predict thai. if elected President
DO will cure in three months ali the
ills human society is heir Ia, and
plunge US straight into the mil lnium
ideal existence. Bat be is man
who has nobody to fear because he
has nothing to cover up. ID, has no.
body to reward, because be did not
seek tho presidency and promised
nothing And he has no future fa>
vors to ask for, because he has no
ambition to serve except to make, as
president, his one administration a
blessing to lis country and an honor
to himself. His reform plan is the
pro!uct of experience wisely turned
to sccOunt, of mature ref scti0n and
of an unselfish desire to benefit the
people. Behind that plan stands a
clear, Solid, cultivated int llect, the
unostentatous but firm force of quiet
persistent energy and the inviolahls
pl5dge OF a born gentleman. And, l
t1Ion e. ha
err OF the presidential office goes, be
will carry out. | speak with oouf-
denc', for that confidence | possess.
| have his word for it. you have his
word for it. the whole American peo-
pie have his word for il; aud, as
Gov. Hayes is man Of hlnor, that
word will be kept
But yon may say, 'Gran,ing all
thls, W Ii ho b. able 10 carry out his
good intentions il he face of tht ad-
verse interests aud IhflIenc,s Of tho
Republican party which will combine
to defeat the contemplated reform
This is al4o u legitimate question.
L It as fairly examine it All those
who understand our c.: s.itutional
system Will admit thut tho Presiden',
himS,l Ii and alDne, can dc many
things toward that end by . s'mpis
exercise of the powers Of his office.
H. can, tor himself and for the heads
of depar, ments, establish the rule
that not party service but hon
esty competency and tidel-
ity, shol be regarded as tho only
qualification for nomination or APP
pointment to be consderde, He
can keep every officer in place who
has performed his duties with integ-
rity and efficiency. IIs can make
the i3crs Of the Government un-
de,stand that the civil service is not
party agency, aud that they will
have to condact themselves accord
ingly. lie can refuse to DO governed
by the recommendations OF Congress
men who Gene TO him or TO the
heads of departments to dictate
appointments. He can, ii noed be,
even without appropriations from
Congress, adopt certain methods for
ascertaining the fitness of candidates
for Office and have them carried out
through competent officers in the de-
partments. All this the President
can do in the exercise of the consti
tutionaI powers of his office. The
only ff,ctive resistance possible, but
only with regard to new appoint
ments of a certain class, may be Of
fered by the Senate in refusing to
confirm his nominations. But wheth-
er a systematic opposition of that
kind can long continue will in
great measure depend upon the spir-
it animatng the elements compos.
ing the administrative party as well
as the drift of public opinion general
IL. or that more hereafter.