The Leavenworth weekly times., 1876-07-27
Democratic Practices Versus Demoerstie
Promises

We UCCI6%tS AsoSs4SSb |SA>SS>e~-s
Promises
From the Chicago Inter-ocean.I
Unfortunately the Democracy are the
party of promises, not of performances
The keynote of its St. Louis platform is
the word "reform :" still there is no reason
drawn from experience to indicate that the
party, On being placed in possessson OF the
Government, would convert word into prac.
tice. A whole plank is devoted 10 energetic
utterances in favor Of civil service reform
but there is no evidence whatever that these
loud professions would become rules Of con-
duct. Democrats charge that the distribu.
tion of official stations under the Govern
ment has grown into hot-bed OF political
corruption, and set up the absurd claim
that The party that stole forts and arsenals
and navy yards in 1851 is eminently fit to
inaugurate and carry on the work OF re-
iorm-the party whose "shibboleth" has
ALWAYS oeen, "to the victors belong the
spoils." OF course, promises Of Office are
never used by any Democratic candidate
TO gather around him a body OF
adherents, who give their best energies to
secure his triumph, not because he is the
iittest man for the place he seeks, nor be-
cause his political principles are most con-
duciye to the public welfare, but because
his success is the stepping stone TO posi-.
tions of honor and profit. Who ever knew
a Democrat TO stoop 10 such a scheme OF
conduct as that Nor, of course, has there
ever been a case under such circumstances
where a Democratic henchman, plausible
in address and adroit in manipulating the
machinery of nominations, has found his
way-a as steward OF partisan services, into
clerkship for which he had no atom OF
qualification, or where some stump speaker,
full of persuasive talk, but empty of real
industry, obtained fat place to COM
pensate him for his unremitted use
OF his OILY tongue, and performed
his official duties in such a
slip-shod manner that he did not earn one
quarter of his salary. OF course, the pub
lic interests have never suffered from such
heavy inilictions of Democratic incompe-
tency and laziness. OF course, If ihe
Tilden and Hendricks party should get
possession of the government, it will not be
any recommendation for an applicant for a
tax-collectorship that he has exhibited re-
markable aptitude on getting illegal voters
through th. naturalization mill, or has dis
PLAYED wonderful ingenuity in manufactur-
ing roorbacks ON the eve of an election. OF
course, a HemOcratic President would not
consider it any reason why a man should
obtain the handling OF the peoples money,
because he knew every doubtful elec;or in
his county, and the lowest sum that would
purchase the support OF those who were for
sale. All such things are, have been, and
will be, foreign 10 Democratic experience,
and repulsive 10 Democratic methods, as is
known Of all men. OF course-Ju hch :
What did the pure Democracy do when
they got control Of the National House
OF Representatives? They seized every
position, great and small with eager
haste turned out crippled Union soldiers,
right and left, with glorifying shout Of
'To the victors belong the spoils," and
filled the vacancies with hungry swarm Of
Democratic retainers, many of them unre-
pentant rebels Of the most offensive class,
one of whom 80 exulted over assassination
that he had named child after the mur-
derer OF Lincoln. On the Inauguration Of
Tilden such would be the practical illustra-
tions and the positive realizations OF Demo-
cratic professions OF earnestness in behalf Of
civil-service reform. Why, the national
capital would become, under such an admin
istration, as corrupt as the carcass OF an
old horse, hauled out of sight and smell,
but fostering in the sun, bloated with pu-
triied gases. and assailiDg with the
most sickening stencil the nostrils of any
person who should venture into the neigh
borhood.