New-York tribune., 1877-03-08
REEORE IND A EIER.

BEFORE AMI ar
It has been the standing jest OF poiltlcai
satirists that platforms are not made 10 iasC
longer than the canvass, and that letters ol
acceptance are only written to deceive oh
the night after election the torches are
put ont, the flags taken in, the PLATFORM
knocked to pieces, the timbers stored away for
Use at some future time. The orators put
their speeches in their pockets, the CLUBS tear
I'D their reform resolutions, the leading patri-
OTIS retire into the back Office to count the
votes and the managers who have been de-
nOuncing the abuses of civil service winch
rewards partisan activity with the spoiIs Oh
Office gather up their vouchers and go Tor AL
the places in the gift of the Government. Inc
promises of the day before election are not
exactly forgotten; they are only disreGarded
rs things that have served their purpose, like
last nights fireworks. After the rockets and
Roman candles have been set of, why should
ANYBODY bother about the charred sticks and
empty pastebOard cases!
Most of the Republican politicians who have
heretofore kindly taken care of Our nominating
conventions for us evidently supposed that
under President Hayes matters would proceed
in the same old way. They did not pay
much attention therefore either to the plat
form which they had made for him to stand
on, or the letter in which he expressed his ap-
probation of it. In both there were proies-
sons which they would find it very incon-
venient to reduce to practice, and promises
which they would perish rather than keep
The platform declared that Senators and Rep-
rescntatlves ought not to dictate appoint
merts to office that honesty, fidelity, and
capacity ought to be the titles of the ap-
pointee; that even the politics OF the
Dlace-hoder ought not to be considered, ex-
cept in those positions where harmony
and vigor of administration require the
policy of the party i'll power to be repre-
sentcd. Mr.. Hayes not only cOncurred III these
declarations but expressed his convictions
with great earnestness. He explained the
evil consequences of the present system OF
distributing patronage, and he assured his
supporters that if elected he would employ
"all constitutional powers vested III the Ex-
"ecutive" to break it up. He said he would
make neither appointments nor removals Tor
partisan reasons, and he would not allow
Congressman to control the patronage of their
States and districts. In word he would give
us the Oft-promised and long deferred civil
service reform.
That was pretty serious thing for some of
his friends. But they did not suppose it
meant mischief. They had heard it from other
lips a great many times before. They made
the canvass as usual, spoke all the woll-worn
rcform speeches before the people, made all
the customary arrangements with hungry
patriots at the committee headquarters, and
laid out the places i'll their own districts after
their own private plans They had their lists
all prepared when Mr.. Hayes came to Wash
ington. The schedules of FavOTite Sons were
ready; the delegations were III waiting; some
of the principal statesmen of the party even
furnished the new President "a catalogue of
names from which he might choose the Cabinet
officer to which the locality controlled" by
them was supposed to be "entitled." In the
Inaugural Address Mr.. Hayes again announced
! his determination to reform all this business.
| But politicians did not believe in the Address
any more than they believed III the Letter and
the Platform.
Now it appears that Mr. Hayes was in
earnest after all. He is doing precisely what
he promised to do. He is making his appoint
ments on his own judgment of fitness, he is
politely rcnandng Senators and Representa-
| tiyes to their proper functions, he is Kidding
| the public service of one of the most fertile
causes of corruption and decentralization.
What right has any Republican to complain
| He is only practicing the doctrines professcd
| at Cincinnati, approved by every stump
speaker during the campaign, appauded by
every popular audience. Is there never to be
any sincerity in political acts of faith
| THE FORK OF THE NEJT DMINISTRATION.