Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-24
The Political Significance OF Bayard
TaylOr's appointment.

lDr' J. q. Holland in Scribner for Juhe.l
There has probably never been, in the his
tory Of this country such popular endorse
ment of a governmental appointment rs that
which has been given TO Mr. Taylor's. II has
been so pronounced and so universal that no
politician cen shut his eyes to the fact that it
means n great deal Mr.. Taylor, by his char
acter his achievements his eminent fitness
for the post to which he has been elevated,
has called forth II considerable share of the
friendly demonstration that has attended his
appointment; but there has been something
beyond this. lie is certainly Il popular man
but it can hardly be said that his personal
qualities are those which arouse great enthu-
siasm. Yet his appointment has been greet
ed by the greatest enthusiasm, and his life has
almost been worried out Of him by such Sc
ries Of complimentary attentions and festiyi-
ties rs no other American was ever favored
with. We will accord to Mr.. Taylor himself
more of the motive to this enthusiasm than
he has ever been willing to claim, and we
shall still have left an amount TINT we can on
ly account for ON the ground that the people
not only approve this particular thing, but
this sort of thing. II is MS if they would say
to the President, to Congress- and to the pol
iticians universally "lhis is the kind of APP
pointment that we like. You cannot repeat
such work rs this too often. We are tired of
your jobbing politicians we are tredof your
ofiice-seelting men we are tired of represen-
tatvcs abroad who cannot speak the language
Of the nations to which they arc accredited (;
we are tired of men who have no fitness for
the work they are set to do. This is what we
mean by civil service reform, and the more
of this kind of reform you give MS the better
we shall like it,"
The politicians at Washington are quick to
recognize the significance of these demonstra-
tons. Nobody in the country knows so
promptly and SO well exnctly what these dem
onstrations mean, MS they. They know that
If the President had it in his power to make a
f,w more such appointments rs this their oc-
culnt.on would lie gone. Now, it does not
matter much whether the President has lived
up to his professions or not it does not mat
ter whether he has been wise or simple. In
dependence of the machine politicians of the
country is what he stands for in the minds of
the people. They know that the politicians
do not like him: they know that he does not
ask counsel of the machine, and that Bayard
Taylors appointment was one that was made
without consulting the machine. So, while
approving of Mr. Taylor as man most fit for
the place, they have said as loudly as actions
can speak that they like the way in which the
appointment was made and that in this thing
they are heartily with the President and
against tie machine politicians of both stripes.
In the long run, this sentiment will tell upon
the policy of the country. II the President
stands by his colors he will win the good
opinion and the goodwill Of the masses Of the
people Just in the proportion that he loses the
goodwill Of the machine politicians and the
latter will he forced into unity with him 10
save their own neckS