Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-04-13
THE REPURLIcAN MIsTAKE.

The Republican leaders Of the Sen.
ate have apparently lost their heads
They are certainly making II very
grievous mistake in further opposing
the confirmation of the important
nominations which the President has
sent to the Senate. The mistake even
from a partisan point Of view is SC
gross and palpablc that It Is surprising
that the Republican managers, usually
so astute and artiul in their conduct OF
party warfare, have been led into it
1t is mistake because they are tri
fling with the material interests of the
country in order that couple of poll
ticlans may have the spoils resulting
from disgracelul bargain.
The business Of tho Government
comes to a stand.still that Gorham
and Riddlebcrger may be made Secre-
tary and SergeantatArms Of the Sen.
ate. There is no dispute, among those
who look at public questions in nom
partisan way, that under the PERM.
cious rules concerning appointments
which now obtain tho Republicans and
Malone had the right to attempt to
organize the Senate. They had the
majority, and to say that is to make
argument as to the right unnecessary.
Whether they ought to have set about
the work of organization at this spe.
cial session is largely n question of
taste and humanity, Had the present
employees of the Senate been the ser
wants of private business man who
contemplated dismissing them, they
might properly have counted on con.
sideration. But they are, in fact, the
servants ofpolucians, and as such they
must expect no mercy for precisely the
reason that, under like circumstances,
they would show no mercy. Any man
who enters public employment under
the existing system does it with his
eyes open and ought to bo prepared
for the disaster which will always
come to him when his party is defeat.
cd, When clerks and doorkeepers are
employed as servants Of the Govern.
ment instead Of their party, they may
expect due consideration. Until then
they must take the chances of war.
The Republicans, judged from this
prevailing view of the spoils system,
were right in making their effort to
change the officers Of the Senate. They
were met, however, by an opposition
Of such a character as must have con.
vinced them that they could not hope
to be successful On that discovery
they should have desisted from further
effort. Their duty to the spoils system
was performed. They had the attempt
to distribute the patronage and had
failed because the Democrats filibus
tered. The latter were undoubtedly
without excuse. Their opposition was
for the same unworthy purpose which
actuated the Republicans. The differ.
ence was, that the Democrats, by
measures Of obstruction, sought to
make the minority stronger than the
majority,
The Republicans, however, have
now made the Democratic action re
specially by reason of contrast with
their own, Knowing the useessness
Of their attempt, they nevertheless
persist in compelling the public bust
ness to wait until they shall have
seized the spoils Meanwhile the Dem.
ocrats, with cunning quite worthy
of their opponents, are urging that the
public business be proceeded with.
There can be no sympathy felt with
the Republicans for refusing to do as
the Democrats and the President re.
quest. At the best their cause ia a
very bad one. They are making one
Of the most bareiaced fights for spoils
ever made, and that, too, in the inter
est of two politicians in whom the peo.
plc of the country have no concern ex.
cept that they be kept out Of place.
The truth is that all this trouble is in
behalf Of German, even in partisan
view, an undesirable person. He is
guilty of almost all the political here.
sizes against which the Republicans
have lately contended. He is unsound
on almost every question that touches
the interests Of the country. He has
about az wellbalanced notions about
the National debt as Malone has about
the debt Of Virginia. He has been
driven out of the Republican ranks in
his own State, where he was once
leader, and he has positively no claim
on the Republican Senators except
such as is gwen him by reason of the
successful negotiation of the bargain
with Malone. Riddleberger is not
only repudiator, but he still believes
that the Constitutional amendments
were not legally adopted and that the
Congressional legislation of the period
OF reconstruction was an outrage upon
the people of his State and section.
He is simply the consideration of the
bargain.
For these two men the Republicans
see fit to obstruot the public business.
In order that Gorham and Riddleber
ger may have the spois, the vacancy
on the Supreme Bench must go untitled,
while litigants and suitors 20 without
the justice which the Government is
supposed to be always ready to grant.
The Bench of the Fifth Circuit Is va.
cant and the candidate is awaiting
The other day a term
of court which was to have been held
at Atlanta had to be adjourned in con.
sequence of the deadlock in the Senate.
The District OF Columbia is without a
Marshal and hundreds of Postmasters,
Consuls and other minor officers are
awaiting the action Of the Senate. The
public business Of the country has al.
ready been too long in that unstable
condition which attends change of
Administration, and all this is because
the Republicans want to elect Gorham,
Secretary, and Riddleberger, Sergeant
alarms of the Senate. There is
more than mistake here.
1t is blind folly, in party sense, and |
II is Il grave oflense against the coun.
try. For their own safety, at least,
the Republicans ought to retreat as
soon as possible from the false position
they have taken Philadelphia Times. |
-
SHORT BUT SALTY.-In the course
Of q little speech made by Senator
salisbury, OF Delaware, 10 the United |
States Senate on Monday, he fairly
the Republican Senators for
their opposition to the President OF
-beir choice, in refusing TO go into ex.
,cutive session to act upon his ap.
He said: