The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-11-08
CIvIL-sERvICE REFORM.

The Republican party has ever been
the advocate of reform. Its foundation
stones were laid in the Interests of the
whole people, The rich and the poor,
the strong and the weak all had rights
and interests demanding equal pretec-
ton. The party, in ITS national and
State platforms, and in the u%tterances
of its leaders in the discharge Of the
public duties assigned them, have from
its organization to the present period
never lost sight of reform in its highest
sense. In land reform it opened our
Western wilds to the sons of toll, and
new States have sprung, and a prosper
Gus people till the fertile valleys, and
wealth to the individuals and nation
has resulted. 1t dedicated the new Ter
~,itOries to freedom in the name of re-
form. 1t struck the chains from the
millions of slaves, and babe them as
sumo the duties of citizenship in the
name of reform. 1t has been using ev-
cry possible effort, though often thwart-
cd, to justify with the Indian. No
question affecting the rights and priv
ileges Of the poorest citizens of the COM
mon wealth has ever failed in a hearing
before this party during the years of
its existence. The cry that comes to
us now from the enemies of the party,
that for the sake of, and in the name OF
'.civil-service REFORM" the Organiza-
ton must be abandoned, is simply alb
surd. The statesmen and politicians III
the Republican party, who have made
the question of such Importance as to
move upon untried ground, even in OPP
position to the wishes of the great ma
iority, are deceived, and will have to
retracc their steps. We will not un-
dertake to say that the civil service as
administered is perfect. There have
been great absorbing questions occupy
ing the minds of the people; questions
underlying and e~ndangering ON very
existence as a nation. While absorbed
in these it would not be wonderful If,
through the selflshness of men, there
should have grown up Irregularities
But we emphatically deny that the civil
service of the government under Re
publican rule has been vicious. Public
servants under Republican rule have
administered the government, and han
died the millions upon millions of the
peoples money with as much faithful
ness and fidelity, yes, even more, than
can be found in those alike situated in
the commercial world. OF the 1900
men employed directly in connection
with the United States Treasury, how
few have proved unfaithful. In the
large cities, undoubtedly, there have
been irregularities, and they should
be corrected, and the arm of the law
should reach out unsparingly in pun
ishmcnt. Say what men will, when
Justice is done the administration OF
General Grant, for straightforward
honesty of purpose and intent, will
stand conspicuously upon the page OF
history long after the names Of his ira
ducers have been forgotten.
But II reformers say: "You must
raj Ike the men connected with civil SER
ouree out of politics." What absurdity.
.ad cat is politics? Webster defines il as
Chatt science of government" Appoint
mt on tho an important position-ask
oint o. thold the FORT and cut off all
N they a%pIies. The exercise of the right
ed in Clege, the privilege of expressing
instead of 2 :ISn all questions, has always
though, that somehc right of every citi-
body to Islander. Tlptre nevsnsation we
4 in the history of the mail Yce-holdcr
,orc sober and hard working Itronchisc'
rs on lile ro'u nun 'lere ii"s asr
~, ,,nyt fntr vpapg Did