New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-22

tons of The TRIBUNE which could be con-
strued as misrenresenting in any way THIS
utterance, were in an article of August 10,
which said:
II has been urged upon Mr. Hayes. by journal whose
Editor was once high priest in temple Of civil Ser
vice Reform land who Ia active and very Jealous
candidate himself the United States Senate) that the
Administration must "de-Conklingze the Federal oices
in this State II said boldly that every friend OF
Mr. Conkng must be removed, hut IL is declared that
the Senator's supporters shall not be allowed 70 use these
offices against the Administration and In Mr. Conklings
favor. But this is mere mincing OF words Tue real
proposition Is that COnkling shall be turned out
and anti onkling men presumably Curtis mem
shall be put in in short, that paronage-ior 10 tns
complexion have some of our refOrmers come NJ last
shall be used TO defeat Mr. Conkling This is said to be
the Presidents duty We deny it. The Presidents duty
Is to do what he can properly toward Republican sue
cess in this State this Fall II IL not the Pres-
dents duty TO defeat Mr. Conklng any more thh S W
elect him The Republicans OF NewYOrk can safeU De
left to choose their Senator Mr. Conklng mas no
mortgage ON the place. But THE TRIBUNE does
not propose to begin fighting any Republican candidate
now neither should the President First eaten your
hare" Let us first carry the Legisatnre-nOt throw II
away by starting a premature quarrel as TO where lts
votes shall go.
If Harper's Weekly had fairly given these
extracts to its readers, it would have ena-
bled them to judge whether we had IN
the smallest degree misrepresented its real
position and purpose. But since it invites at
tentiOn to this subject, by accepting Tor ltseh
our reference to an unnamed journal whose
Editor is now an active and very Jealous
Candidate for the United States Senate" 1t
seems proper to say word or two more. 90
long as Mr.. Curtis is simply private citizen,
exertng himself in the regular course OF ms
known professional duty to enforce upon the
public and the Administration his views of polit-
zeal duty his recommendations to the President
deserve all the weight to be derived from any
reputation he may have acquired for political
sagacity, experience and skill in accomplish
ing results. But when Mr.. Curtis becomes a
candidate for the United States Senate, his
recommendations TO the President for re-
mOvals from Office, in ORDER that a rival
candidate may be weakened, deserve to be
estimated rather as the candidates interested
wishes than the Editors unbiased Judgment.
We are not in the least Directing to Mr.
Curtis's candidacy. On the contrary we
think highly of il, and we shall think 1t a
good omen for the Republican party when 1t
has many more such candidates. But we car
nestly urge Mr.. Curtis, il he wishes to be
chosen by the next Legislature, to bend all his
energies first to the election of that Legisla-
ture. Let him get Curtis men chosen for the
Assembly wherever he can. But where he
cannot, let HIM. at any rate, do nothing to pre-
vent the election of Republican Assembly
men. Meanwhile let his recommendations to
the President stand on their own bottom,
as the counsel of an excellent, up
right and eloquent candidate for Office
who, having been the most extreme of theoret-
zeal Civil Service reformers, signalizes his en-
try upon practical politics with an effort TO
use the Presidential patronage TO weaken his
opponent. For that is the precise extent OF
Mr.. Curts's proposition. The President prom
ised that the officer should be secure in the
reasonable tenure of his Office so long as he
faithfully discharged its duties. Mr.. Curtis
asks him to turn officers out at the opening OF
an important and critical campaign, not on
any pretence that they are not discharging
their duties faithfully, but solely because they
are active COnkling men. This is bastard Civil
Service Reform.