New-York tribune., 1881-07-13
DUTY or OHIO DE1fOCP1 ATS

|
DUTY or OHIO DEMOCRATS
The Ohio Democrats who meet in State Con-
ventlon at Columbus to-day are, as usual, some
what lnharmonous upon all political questions
except the one involved in the gospel of the
main chancc, on which they are as unanimous
as one hungry dog in front of IL bone There is
a difference of opinion upon the question of
Free Trade, and the Hon. Frank Hurd, who is 70
be member of the Convention, is expected to
lead an earnest and devoted body of followers in
support of the Free Trade dogma against those
who hold with Hancock that the tariff Is q local
ISSUE 1t being only question of politicoI
principle and not of candidates, the controversy
over it will not be warm or exciting: the dis
| putc Will be cold and ColOrc5s, and personal
| interests not being involved, it Will be settled
| without heat or anger to the satisfaction of
| everybody 1t not being the habit of the Demo
| cratic party to let little matters like differences
| OF political principle and doctrine stand III the
way OF the great aim of the organization-the
! pursuit of spoils There is another smoudcring
cause OF differences in the ambition of the new
| converts to Democracy since 1872 to rule the
| party and nominate their own men for Office.
and the bitter opposition thereto of the Rour
| hons.
We read with interest, however, in tie Co
| lunlbuS correspondence of q Democratic con
| temporary, that recent events ut WASHINGTON
promise to heal all differences between the fac
| tlons and unite Them in the old common DIR
pose "Thc attempted assassination of Prcsi-
dent Garhcld,' says the writer, " for "A time
put an end to party discussions and differences
| in ONO, but II is generally believed that its
"eiiects Will contribute largely to Democratic
"succcss, not only in Ohio but all over the
| ~ IT,,i., 4
| scented to be that the attempted assassination
was the natural growth of the present spoils
system in the administration of the civil ser
| vice, and that the only real remedy is TO turn
the Republican party out of power. Ii is inter
esting to know this. Ohio being among the
first States to hold conventions and opcn a new
campaign since the closing up of the old score
| and the advent Of the present Administration.
thcpnblic feels an interest in Knowing what the
party plans and policies are likely to be, and
what new departure, if any, is proposed.
1t Will be no surprise to the public to find the
Democratic party attempting to utilize as polti-
cal capital the attempt upon tho Presidents
HE lhc country has yet to see a calamity or
| an approach to one that has not been eagerly
seized upon by the Democracy for that purpose.
from disastrous battles to crop failures they
have used them all no public misfortune has
escaped going into their hopper. And of course
1t was to be expected that on the heels of this
crime OF disappointed office seeker they would
run to improve the occasion by preachments
up"h the evils OF the spoils system, the need of
civil service reform and the necessity for turn
ing ont the Republicans and bringing them in to
set the reform afoot. No doubt we shall pres
emily see them marching in Ohio and elsewhere
under the banner Of civil service reform. in
VltIng the people to iioc> to their standard i'm
order that the Democrats may be given the oD-
portunty To reform Republican abuses No one
need be surprised at Il. 70 be sure. the worst
evils OF the existing system are of Democratic
origin, have grown rank under Democratic cul-
tlvation and been enlarged and extended when
ever Democrats have had momontary acccssions
TO power, while the only effort ever made 10
correct them and improve the system has been
by Republicans. That does not prevent their
assuming to be champions of reform and the
only party whereby polite, can be pagiticd. In
whatever else they chance their mountainous
check ever retains its adamanrinc character.
Undoubtedly the Ohio Democrats will en-
brace the opportunity in their Convention to-
day to take ground in favor of reform in The
civil service. We have no expectation that
they Will indulge i'm anything but buncombe
resolutions and stale dcmngo@iSm, bat we take
leave to suggest To them that if they do actually
desire to correct some of the more CRYING abuses
OF the spolls system they may easily pnt them
selves on record by adopting resolutions put-
ting themselves under pledge instead of merely
hndnS lault with their opponents. Suppose
they promise Tor themselves to favor no change
In any office for partisan reasons or any other
than good cause. If the Lesson of Guitcau's
crime is for Republicans it is much more for
Democrats. For if the small chance that falls
to Office seekers in the change from one Rcpub-
lican Administration to another is sufficient to
provoke one such crime, what must be the
consequences if the change were to Il Demo-
cratic Administration with IL clean sweep of all
the Offices? The obvious duty of the Ohio
Democrats is to say something practical on this
subject and not indulge in snivcling abstrac-
tOns.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENCE
At the meeting of the Board of Education this