The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-07-15
HAYES ACCEPTS.

resolutions generally OF the Cincinnati Con-
venuon, and then proceeds to elaborate or
give emphasis to an idea or two therein set
forth Most notably, the declaration of the
Cincinnati platform on the subject Of civil
service reform was contessedly weak and
k.qnd.watery. Mr.. Hayes makes good
deal Of that subject. He thinks no public
officer, save cabinet officer, ought to be dis.
placed so long as he does his duty faithfully.
no matter whether he belongs TO the domln.
ant party or not, Mr.. Hayes may well say
that by way of comfort 10 the vast army Of
republican Office holders now in pleasant
places, and who, if threatened with removal
by his election, might fail TO support him
with the zeal usually displayed in such cases
by the hordes of well-fed Inns" But aside
from such a consideration, the sincerity of
Mr.. Hayes earnest professions IN favor of
civil service reform may well be suspected
As contemporary remarks, "it would have
a more welcome utterance if Mr.. Hayes had
spoken from the act, not the thought" One
looks in vain for any eXemplifca;ion of
his professions N his six or eight years
administration Of the executive office
of Ohio. 1t is noticed that every time
his election displaced democratic ad.
mnistration in Ohio every shelf and Granny
of the Office holding household was swept
ana garnished Of democrats and republicans
put in their places.
Again, Nj Hayes new born zeal on the
subject of civil service reform is accounted
for in way more ineligible than on the by
pothesls ofhls sincerity. His utterances on the
subject are SAID to be almost a cerbatim copy
of what Carl Schurz had to say on the same
subject at the April conference of political
saints in New York. Mr. Schurz, after the
Cincinnati Convention, based his support of
Hayes and Wheeler on the condition that the
Hayes letter Of acceptance suited him. Mr..
Hayes was grateful to Schurz for pulling
him through year ago, and as the latter
was opportunity in Cincinnati when the
Hayes letter was in process Of incubation,
who can doubt that the distinguished German
was allowed to shape that portion of the letter
of acceptance-who, in short, can doubt but
that Shurz wrote it himself? Especially as
Mr.. 5, since the publication of the letter, ex
presses himself satisfied and ready to support,
Hayes,
But Mr.. Hayes knocks all these beautiful
professions into cooked hat in the very
next paragraph by his emphatic endorse
mcnt of the platform which declares Of Mr..
Grants administration, that
at merits commentator for its honorable
work in the management of domestic and
foreign affairs, and President Grant deserves
the continued hearty gratitude of the Ameri-
can people fer his patriotism and his eminent
services in war and peace
No President ever made more emphatic
and apparently honest asseverations and pro-
misses in regard to civil service reform than
Grant, and by no administration was every
thing in the shape Of reform in that depart
ment more outrageously ignored and defed
and all this Mr., Hayes cordially endorses
AS If he had said, "in all the Babcockism,
Caseyism, Belknapism, Rehmism, whisky.
ism, and robberyism generally Of Grants
heartily concur!'
1t is sheer inpudence, because he has thus
allowed Carl Schurz to put pleasan. words in
his mouth in favor of reform in a single de-
partment Of the government, TO claim Hayes
as reformer His nomination, comprised
through Cameron, Conkling and Merton, to
the sacrifice of Bristow, was clear aban-
Comment all idea of reform on the part of the |
republican party. "a retormer mus. be posi-
tive. Hayes is absolutely negative, A re-
former has convictions; Hayes is a piece OF
putty, and could be worked into any conven.
lent shape by men like Blaine and Morton.
The nomination Of Hayes is confession of
and IS a wet blanket to the ele.
nent in the Republican party which believed
hat it was capable of reforming itself"
His election would be but perpetuation of
under the joint auspices of Gamer
IN, Conkling and Morton, through whom,
should it occur, it Will have been brought
about, and who will rightfully claim and use
t as their success and not that of their crea.