New-York tribune., 1876-06-26
4 MODEL REFORM CAMPAIGN.

The Democratic party declares that the cam
noicn of 1876 must be fought upon the Issue
of administrative reform. That is rather a
| large and general announcement, but 1t has a
comfortable sound, and we have watched the
organs of Democratic opinion for an explana-
ton of its practical bearing. I've years ago
the Democracy made fine headway by attack
ing the shortcomings of the Republican Ad-
ministration but there is no more to be made
by that policy. No party can thrive forever
on the faults OF its adversary, and besides the
Republicans have not only censured the bad
practices of their own associates, but have
| pointedly excluded from the honors OF the
| next Administration all who could fairly be
held responsible for the errors OF tins one.
What then is the Democratic idea OF admin
strative reformf
Is il reform in the currencyf There was n
time when at least a section of the Democracy
distinguished itself by an uncompromisine
devotion to the principle OF honestly paying
the nations debts in real money; but the
very men who led in the resumption move
ment two years ago now propose to give up
this point for the sake of pleasing their infia-
ZIONIST brethren, and to treat the currency ques-
tion as a mere abstract and sentimental issue
which has 40 more bearing upon practical
politics than the metaphysical disputes of the
Thomists and the Scotists. We should Like to
resume, say the New-York Democrats to-day,
but since you gentlemen in Ohio and Indiana
say no, we are willing to give up and admit
that resumption is impossible. There Is no
reform III that direction.
Is ii reform in the civil service Why, the
A
Democratic House of Representatives recently
gave us Fitzhugh and HambletOn, and since
the party won its little victories two years
ago there has been the most indecent scramble
for the spoils of Office that the country
remembers for many years Wherever the
Democrats have got power they have shown a
decided tendency to make the civil service
n,eaner than it ever was before; while as Tor
reform in the methods OF appointment they do
not dream of 1t.
Is il reform in the national expenditures
The Democratic House has tried to starve the
army and navy. cripple the post-olice and the
signal service bureau, and deny the appropri-
ations actually needed for decent admins
tration of the Government while it has de-
yetad enormous and unnecessary sums to local
improyemsnts, and resolved TO give away
something Ike "a HuDuGcu HHlloIS 10 Fihi6 VI
claim agents. If it went on for two or three
years, doing what it has tried to do this Sum
mer, it would break the Treasury and disgrace
the nation.
What then is the Democratic measure OF re-
form II is as one of the principal organs OF
the party expresses it, to "driye the Radicals
"out of power" That is the only thing at
which the opposition profcsses to be aiming
lust now. We commend the franancss of the
avowal. Heretofore it has been customary Tor
every political party to have Il creed, and pre-
tend at least to something like national pol
lev. But this year the Democrats appear to
have discarded these formalities and made
ready to go into the campaign disguised rs
| truth-tellers. We propose to reform tins gov
ernment, they say, by putting you out OF Office
| and getting IN ourselves. Could anything be
more simple
We doubt whether the American people are
prepared to conduct political contests with any
! such brutal fIankness. There have bccn III
the history of the world, "a few campaigns
such as the Democracy proposes, but custom
seems to require that their hard realities OF
scliishness should be covered 10y little civil
! and patriotic pretcnsc.