New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-25
THE NEXT BATTLE,

Exit the rpet-bagger; enter the Ofiice-beg-
gar. Six weeks of Hayes have sufiieed for the
Southern question, which has kept the country
in such turmoil for twelve gears. But ne has
next to deal with an evil which has cursed the
land for fifty years. 1t has been growing ever
since Andrew Jackson began to reward his
friends and punish his foes. With every year
it has intrenched itself more strongly, in our
party organizations, in our political habits. and
even in our laws. political Hercules in hon.
esty cannot hope to cleanse these Augean sta
bles in day. Can the civil service be really
reformed That is the question which, above
all others, will test the qualities of President
Hayes and his advisers.
1t will be forced into prominence at once,
by his adversanes if not by his friends. The
angry men who are cursing because "the
president has sold out his party" will
presently find it convenient to seek some other
point of attack than the Presidents Southern
policy. Nursing every feeling OF wrath
because of "the abandonment of Southern
"Republicans," they will make open war
only upon the reform which threatens to
break up the machine in all States alike. TO
all the outs they will say, "Reward for your
devoted labOrs is refused" To all the lbs
they will say, "Reform means, to cut your
81 head Off" For once it seems possible that
the men vino have got Office and the men who
want Office as a reward for personal or party
service may be rallied to do battle under the
same banner.
We shall hear great deal, no doubt, of
"the One-armed soldier" or his widow or his
children. 1t will be said that it is abominably
cruel and ungrateful to turn anybody out OF
Office merely because he or she is not needed
or is not competent. Tears enough were shed
to produce freshet in the Potomac when the
number of female clerks at the Treasury and
Interior Department was reduced last week.
Correspondents who passiOnately demanded
reform before the election now berate I'M
sparingly the Cabinet officer who wants to
reform anywhere in particular-and would be-
rate the President if they dared. 1t is very
strange too, that every man or woman who
was turned out happened to be, according to
some Senator or Representative or editor or
other influential person, an absolutely Indls-
"pensable" person, and lone of the very best
CLERKS in the service" Out of hundreds who
went Messrs. Schurz and Sherman did not
happen to hit a solitary one who ought to have
gone. So it will be to the end OF the chap
ter. The place to begin reform is always
somewhere else. The average politician pre-
fers reform where the afflicted person thought
it most desirable to have boil, con some
other mans nose"
Not less Jealous, but vastly more numerous,
will be the people who want pay for party
services. The five thousand men who " first
suggested the name of Hayes" are all dead,
it seems, because he does not recognize that
as a qualification for Office. But none the less
the great army of men who have done some
fling for a Senator or Representative an
influential politician are rushing to the front
to get recommendations. To the distress OF
these patriots it is noticed that the President
is not prompt with his appointments BY the
time the Senate meets, the murmurs OF thou
sands will swell into a roar
All the outs and all the ms who know that
they ought to be out, all the jobs that exist
and all the jobs that want to exist, will be
rallied with the carpet-bagger and his friends
for grand assault upon this Administration.
Every step toward real reform of the public
service will be resisted. Every selection of
dangerous men who mean business in reform
will be defeated if possible in the Senate. For
each case there will he reasons plenty as black
berries. But for all there will be one motive
TO break down il possible the Administration
which has become hated and feared because it
is trying to keep its pledges and do its duty.
The assault will fail. we trust. But it will be
desperate one. To defeat it will require not
only resolution but an infinite deal of patience.