Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-09-13

officers are kept III their places as long a.
their personal character remains unfair
nished and the performance of their duties !
satisfactory the result viii be "a permanent
aristocracy OF iceholders." Is this so ?
Look back into the history of the Republic,
and you will find that under the early adj
ministrations, down to John Quincy Adams,
public officers were kept in place as
long as their character remained unfair
nished and the performance OF their duties
satisfactory. Where was the aristocracy
of Office holders" during that period? The
officers of the Government were then set
Of quiet, industrious, modest and unob
trusivc gentlemen, who did not try to con-
troll party politics and did not steal, but
did as a general rule, studiously endeavor,
by strict attention to their official business,
to win the approval Of the Government
which employed them, and an honorable
name for themselves.
The plan put forth by Gov. Hayes is moth
ing more, and nothing less, than the revival
of the principles and practice which pre-
vailed nuder the early administrations,
whose elevated tone and purity are still the
pride of American history; the principles
and practice of the men whose wisdom
and virtues we have exalted In the
Centennial year with glowing eulogie,;
the men who, could they now appear
| among us, would say: " If you want truly
| to honor our names, do it little less by
prai>ng our virtues, and a little more by
| following our example"
Now, let us see what promise of civil serv-
| lee reform the Democratic candidate, Gov.
| Tilden, holds out to us. In order to be per
| fectly fair to him will quote the whole text
| Of that part of mis- letter which refers to that
| subject:
| The Speaker here quoted the civil service
portion OF Mr.. Tilden's letter.
When you have read this somewhat clab
crate paragraph, and pondered over it
while, you still ask yourselves: How far
| does he mean to 90, and where does he mean
to stopy There is plenty of well-expressed
| criticism; but what is the tangible, specific
| thing he means to do? The difference be-
| tween these utterances and those contained
| in Gov. Hayes letter is striking and signih-
cant. There are none of the precise, clean
cut sharply defined propositions put forth
by Gov. Hayes, indicating how the spoils
system, with its demoralizing influences, is to
be eradicated, and what is to be put in its
place.
When we boil 1t all down--and ! think |
am doing Gov Tilden's language no violence
| in saying so-the offices are first to be filed
with good Democrats in the way OF n =" clean
| sweep" and new deal of the spoils," aud
| afterward 1t shall be patiently and care
fully considered how and where "tests Of
proven competency and fidelity can be es-
tablished, SO as TO fill the offices with good
men. But, first Of all things, " the offices
for the Democrats, the spoils for the vie
| tors"
Is there any sensible man in the land even
among Gov. Tildens independent friends,
who expects anything else than simply
new distribution OF the spoilsy II there is,
| let him read the Democratic newspapers, let
| him look round among the leaders as well
as the rank and file, and he will soon be-
come aware Of his mistake. Who does not
! know that the principle :" to the yictors be.
| snni1 tpd hy
the Democratic party; that the spells sys-
| TEN Of the civil service was developed by that
| party in all its characteristic features; that
| for the last forty years it has been its trad-
tional and constant policy and practice,
| and that nj this moment their struggle for
! success is in great measure inspired by the
hope of an opportunity TO precipitate them
selves upon The public plumber? Is Gov
| lllden the man, in case of his election, to
constitute himself breakwater against the
universal tendency, The unanimous, inn
| patient will OF his partly VIII Gov.
| Tilden, II elected, without support In his
own party, at the risk of his popularity
with his own friends, brace himself up
| against the furious onset of hungry patriotsy
| Has he ever promised anything of the kindY
Certainly, he has not. Is he not too inveter-
ate "A Democrat and too closely welded TO
the traditions of his party even TO think
of itY
|
| brought about by Democratic victory
| The accession of the Democrats to power
will be sgnalized by the most furious rush
| for Office ever witnessed in the history of
this Republic For years and years hun
| dreds OF thousands have been lying in walt
eagerly watching for the opportunity. You
| find them not only in the North, East
and West, but still more in the South. The
Southern people have many good qualities,
! but IL is notorious fact that among them
! the number OF men thinking themselves
peculiarly entitled to public place has al
| ways been conspicuously numerous. Now
| they have been on short fare for many years,
! and long waiting has sharpened their appe-
| tite. They will also be quick 10 remember that
! Democratic success could be brought about
| only by united Southern vote, and that
| above all Others they have claims to reward.
/ Our brave Confederate friends have won re-
| nown 10y manga gallant charge during the
war, but all their war-like feats will be left
/ in the shade by the tremendous momentum
of the charge they will execute upon the Of
1 fees OF the Government 1t Will be a rush
! OF such cagerness, turbulence and confusion
that men of this generation will in vain seek
/ for II parallel.
We had a specimen OF that ON small
! scale when the Democratic party took pos
session OF the House OF Representatives,
! aud had To dispose of number of more or
! less desirable places. What happeuedY A
score of applicants for ever position II
/ clean sweep "a new deal;" neither
I honesty, nor indispensable experience, nor
usefulness, nor character was spared; the
offices for tie Democrats! And what Demo
/ Gratis
Do YOU remember the Fitzhughs and Ham
/ hledons, aud the general ridieule and indig-
nation tuay followed their prompt eNposurcy
/ Coy. Tilden Is now exhibited to us In the
I character of reformcr, and | have already
/ said tina. | shall not deny To him in that re.
/ Spcct what credit he deserves. But 1t must
not be forgotten that toy. Tldeu, long be
Z fore he disclosed himself as a retormer, had
! become, in theuot altogether ytrtuuus school
of Democratic New lorN politics, The adroit-
! est manAger. the must MeNnmnLlshnl nolitl-