Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-29

auuuifauie MiuistcF, Win Drillian
record When / was in Sweden tn,
King told me that he had been th,
best Minister we had ever sent there
His record confirmed this. Pressur,
came to remove him, even from mer
who had asked his original appoint
ment. He had been away, he wa
out of politics, o new man woull
help the party in Minnesota, and 81
on. | did not think the Republican
party in Minnesota required mucl
help, and / said that / did not Sc,
how, in the face of his record,
could fail to recommission Genera
Andrews. II it had been my first
term could not have stood the pres
sure. These two incidents occur te
me- as showing how Congressiona
influence gave us SO good man al
Marsh, and took away so good a mar
as Andrews. They illustrate my
meaning when say that the Execu.
tive does not appoint, but registers
appointments. Moreover, the Re.
publican party has never been pro.
scriptive. Mr.. Lincoln had to make
many removals and appointments,
but this came from the secession
movement. Mr.. Lincoln was always
glad to recognize loyal Democrats
and in all the departments in Wash
ington loyal Democrat was certain
to remain. As consequence of this
policy, suppose it is not too much
to say that one-fourth, if not more, oil
the officers of the Government in
Washington are Democrats. Some
of the best men in the service are
Democrats. They are never dis
turbed. never removed men be.
cause they were Democrats, if
they were otherwise fit. / never
thought of such thing, nor does Mr..
Hayes. This shows that civil SER
vice reform is growing in America,
IN the only way 1t can grow natural
ly-through time, through the long
continuance of one party in power
and the consequent education of an
experienced class of public servants.
That is the only way. As for cen.
surfing a President because there is
no civil service reform written in
rules and books, it is absurd, for, as
| have said, the President, whoever
ne is, is the one man in the country
most anxious for the reform. Not.
withstanding all that is eaid by the
newspapers I am convinced that our
civil enr";na. TAXA - 81, IL
throughout the country, is in as high
state of efficiency, and, l think,
higher than that of any other Nation
in the world"
Out of this arose q question as to
the abuse which had crept into our
elections, the abuse of assessing pub
lie officials for funds 10 carry on
elections. IL see," said the Gener-
al, 'in some of the newspapers that
under Mr.. Hayes it is a subject for
congratula.ion that Office. holders
are no longer removed because they
will not pay assessments for poli,i.
cal campaigns. never removed a
man. for such refusal, never knew
one of my Cabinet to do 80, and if
had ever knew it, l would have
dismissed the officer who bad made
such removals. Statements like this
belong to the cant of the civil ser.
vice discussion, and throw doubt up
on the sincerity of those who advo~
cate the reform. l can see where
our service can be amended. But
every day the Republican party re-.
mains in power amends it. As to
competitive examinations, they are
of questionable utility. Oae of the
most brilliant Candidates before the
Civil Service Board was 10 Jail very
soon after his appointment, for rob.
berry. The way to achieve the best
civil service is, first to influence Con-
gressmen, and induce them to re-
fran from pressure upon the Exec
utive, then pass laws giving each of
fee special tenure; then keep the
Republican party in power until the
process of education 10 complete. As
it is now, the only danger / see to
civil service reform Is in the triumph
of the Democratic party. AS is,
if our friends at home would only
be candid and see 1t, civil servics
reform has been going on ever since
1861, with the exception of the end
of Johnson's term. During those
yea there has grown rp an educa
ted, tried and trusty body of public
servants. They can not be displaced
without injury. There are black
sheep now and then, failures from
time to time. Bus the great BODY
of the public service coald not be
improved
"There is nothing l have longed
for so much" said the General, "as
q period of repose 10 our politics
that would make it matter of in.
difference to patriotic mon which
party is in power long for that
| am accused, | see, as having O
special aversion to dem ,cI acy. PEG.
pie used to remind me that I voted
for Buchanan, and call me q rene.
gade, The reason 1 voted for Blu
chsnan was that | knew Fremont
That was the orly vote / ever cast
If | had ever had any political sym
patbies they would have been with
the Wings. | was raised 10 thai
school. / have no objection TO tb,
Democratic party az it existed be
fore the war. 1 hope again to Sc.
the time when | will have no obiec
ton to 1t. Before the war, whether
man vas Wing or Democrat, hi
was always for the country. Sine,
the war, the Democratic party ha
always been against the country
That lie the fatal defec. in the Dem
ocratic organization. and why
would see with alarm its advent Il
power. There are men 10 tina. or
J, yanization, men IKE Bayard McCiel
| Ian. Hancock and others whom
know. They are as los al and pa
triotic as any men. Bayard, for 10
stance, would make splendid Pres
ident. l would not be afraid Of th
others in that Office; but, behind th