Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-21
A Serious Rennhlican ConfessIOn.

The Cincinnati Commercial, the per-
sonal organ of the head of the late fraud
ulent administration, and the Ohio rep
r~esentative of the present President, took
occasion last week to exalt its voice in
favor Of immediate strife in the Repub'
lican party. 1t said:
'Tf Senator Conkliug wages war upon the
Garfield administration in the spirit In which
It has been opened by the journals that made
a speciality OF the third term, it is the duty of
the President to use his whole power to teach
the Senator the virtue of discretion. II he
wants peace on terms becoming reasonable
beings with responsibilities, he can have it
without roubl but If he is resolved upon
war, the administration owes it to the country
and the Republican party and its own self
respect TO defend aud sustain itself by instant.
lncessant and relentless aggression, and the
full employment Of the war club and the
scalping knife"
This has had the effect of startling the
New York Times into a genuine political
confession. The Times is an opponent
of Conkling, but an organ of Grant and
the third term. 1t has always claimed
to be respectable. but it never fails to be
partisan in the presence of an emergency.
During a campaign it condones its
party's sins with zeal. When the politi-
cal world is at peace it sometimes ex-
poses them. Its present remarkable
avowal is as follows:
The enormous increase In the extent. cost,
and power of the civil service. which was MADE
necessary by the war. came at time When the
country was deeply moved In regard TO ques-
%fDna = = lHa ~ lnogh II HIinO the OFFICES
then created it was inevitable that Republicans
should be chosen almost exclusively. Tina
was In accordance with custom. and at the
time the opponents of the Republican party
were regarded as directly or indirectly In
sympathy with the rebellion. 1t would
have been practically impossible to adopt
the policy Of q non-partisan civil service. SO
there commenced that system Of Senatorial In
huence, amounting often to dtctation, or
which men of the type Of Mr.. Conkling be-
came the natural opponents, as they were,
also, its natural fruit. The period when in
tense p~artisanship was logically the same as
patriotism passed away, but the partisan
system Of appointments remained because IL
served the interest of a vast army OF poltl-
primary managers. It was a bad sys-
tenn, unconstitutional unrepubllcan, I'M
business-ike, unjust and Improbable
for the country and the party in power
as we'll 1t nearly ruined the Republican party,
and it cost the country not only millions OF
dollars, but many delays in the Fighting OF the
currency, many errors in the reorganizatlon OF
the South, many blunders in our fiscal laws;
for year after year the real issues in politics
were put aside or trifed with to save the pat
ronage to the men who enjoyed it. The gov
eminent was benumbed. the party was render
ed cowardly by the wretched system whlcn
placed the political machinery in the hands OF
men who ran it mainly for the spoils.. I'm
questionably, Mr.. Conkling is a product OF that
system
This, says the Washington Post, is a
most important contribution to the politi-
cal history of the country, in matter
and in fact. 1t places the responsibility
for the invention of this disgraceful sys-
tenn of machine politics upon the
shoulders of the Republican party. where
it belongs. Such credit as it deserves
for its frankness, the Times will receive.