New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-27
THE PLICR TO BEGIN.

The Democratic newspapers that have
stopped both ears to any reference to that
great stroke of policy by which the tide of
disaster was turned in the closing days of the
late campaign, and California, Nevada and
New-Jersey were saved out of the wreck-to
wit. the issuance of the MOrey letter---and
have plunged into discussion of Civil Ser
vice Reform for change of subject. are
great deal funnier than they know. The Sc
robustness with which that great Democratic
organ of the interior, The Osrego Palladium,
announces that " after some reflection upon the
"subiect" it has I" decided TO join with The
l." World, The Buffalo Courier, The Rochester
Union, and other leading Democratic papers
Gin the movement lnaugurated by them TO
bring about reform in the Civil Service OF the
Government" is so essentially c0mlcal that
il must excite laughter even in the Offices OF
the leading Democratic papers" to which,
after so much deiberation. IL brings the rein
forcement Of It's reflective and cautious mind.
Then, too, the calm. and sclf-pOised ponder
osity with which it goes on to describe
the bill which " We shall urge the present
" Democratic Congress, at its next session, to
"passn i'll order TO remove the Civil
Service entirely from politics.; the modest air
with which t SAYS, lie shall favor COM
"petitve candidacy and the retention of all
appointees just long rs the public inter
ests shall be best served by such reten-
"top," and " We propose to make this "a
" Democratic measure and 10 lnaugurate it
Immediately, while the Democracy have
" both branches of Congress y and the frank
ness with which it adds that - the party was
never In better shape to adopt Civil Service
than it is nOw,o for the reason that ait has
wears at least and it has. therefore, no
"ofices to lose ;"-all these things are great
deal funnier than the writer had any idea Of
The conventional deaf man of the stage-who
answers the loudest dun with philosophical
remarks about the weather, and says
promptly "A drop o rye" to the whisper
"Whatl you drink ?"-is an absolutely mel
ancholy spectacle compared with the roaring
comedy these people are enacting with their
serious discussion of Civil Service, when they
are inquired OF concerning the Morey forgery
and the great swlnde by which the Demo-
cratic party stole New-Jersey, California and
Nevada.
The hilarity Of the performance is greatly
promoted by the s0beness brought TO the
discussion by The Charleston IS. c. NecS and
Courier That journal thinks likewise that
"the conditions are singularly propitious."
The suidenness of the discovery in so many
Democratic newspaper Offices that a Demo
cratic defeat furnishes singularly prOpitIOus
conditions for reforming the Civil Service is
as remarkable as the uDanmity and lervOr
with which they urge immediate reform
=. Al
Oswego organ permits itself, "after some re-
Fiction" TO be included, that the most aus
piciOus time to reform the Civil Service is
when the Democrats have nothing to lose by
1t. The tune has changed just little since
the election. Before the election they were
crying for change winch should give
the Democrats all the Offices. Since then they
have been calling for "reform" which
would give them not more than half. The
Charleston paper avows two objects in urging
the reform. One is to improve the char
"acter of the service by exacting fitness
"apd capacity when appointments are
"made," and the other " to get rid of
" those public men who procure exalted
"postions by promising Offices to the boys
"who run the machine" Could anything be
more delightful than thisf Consider for a
moment who it is, the organ OF what party,
that philosophzes on this high plane concern
Ing the need OF exactIng fitness aud capacity,
and of getting rid of the boys who run the
"machine.n 1t is the same party that split
in twain in this State little more than year
ago oyer-whatl Any question of principle
Not the slightest but SIMPLY and confessedly
upon differences over a distribution of the
"a