National Republican., 1882-12-16
Tn, Dcmocrn,lc Game Of Blur.


The so-called PENDLEToN civil-service re-
form bill is liable to come TO vote any min
ute. The senatorial takers arc showing
signs of exhaustion, and the people are yawn-
ing over the proftless discussion. The
aydity with which the republican senators
took up the Ohio senator's measure and as
sumcd the burden of its advocacy and passage
was unqucstionably source of the lcenest
disappointment to that gentleman and his
political associates. So long as the cry u'
civil-service reform could be used as q safe
excuse for unlimited indulgence in buncombc
oratory the democrats In congress and out Of
congress have been for reform. They have
been blufiing for n score of years and more
and as there was nothing in tho pot to use
tho expressive but somewhat slangy language
of Mr.. THOMPSON, of Ohio the republicans
never considered it worth while to "call,"
The democratic yawp having become monoto-
nous, however, tho republicans concluded to
surprise tho bourbons by taking it for
granted that they really meant what they
said when they exalted their voices
for reform" Practical reform is in strict
/
publican practice, and there was nothing in
Senator PENDLEToN's bill to excite the op-
position of republicans, 1t simply embodied
in the form of statute the best conscience
and judgment" of the republican party. 1t
may occur to some that law comforting
| powers upon the president which are al
ready vested in him under the constitu-
] Il M .
but so long as congress does not undertake to
nullify the constitution or any of its amend
ments no possible harm can result. Congress
might pass series of acts ratifying and con-
frming each and every section of the cOnsti-
tuition without rendering itself liable for
treason, and without adding one jot to the
force of a single word thereof,
In discussing this measure republican SEN
ators have wisely confined themselves to re-
futing specific calumnies uttered by opponents
of reform in the civil service, and the repub-
lican party as an entirety owes vote OF
thanks to the Ohio senator for giving its
spokesmen an opportunity to vindicate few
democratic lies touching alleged depart
mental abuses. They have not attempted
W uSlCiu a. blluV hStuo Lu dpOl'
ogy; not that it is perfect system but il
is certainly the best system the nation has
ever known, and they have done all that in
their power lies to further the painfully reluc.
tant efforts of the few democratic senators
who have committed themselves to such q
degree that they cannot back out, and aid
them in passing the world purifying bill.
The masquoraders arc in pitiable plight
and ready to confess that they only in
tended to play honest until they could put
their hands on public plunder. They have
talked enough to prove to the country that
their professions of virtue were simply pre-.
tense and, having succeeded in fully estab-
fishing their utter lack of sincerity, they
are about ready to quit. The Rcpubli-
cans having given them all the
rope their democratic brethren required tc
hang themselves, and observing that the .jot
has been admirably performed, they too arc
about ready to go to a vote. The talk may
continue a few days longer, and it may come
to an abrupt stop without moments warning
The discussion yesterday was tame and unin-
teresting.