The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-12-23
Democratic Civil Service Reform.

O6mOcraU1c C1Vll Service Reform.
Then many Republican journals last Fall,
speaking out of wide knosledge and long
acquaintance, expressed disbelief in the sin
cerity of Democratic professions of desire
for civil service reform, Democi attic journ-
ais pretended to be indignant at the doubt,
and some of their independent journalistic
allies were really indignant. Congress is
now in session, the Pendleton bill, so much
talked about during the campaign, is before
the Senate, and but six Democratic Sena-
tors give to their support The thirty who
oppose it claim that they want civil service
reform, but that there is misunderstanding
about the meaning of the term. To them it
means that all Republicans shall be turned
out of office and the vacancies filled by the
appointment of Democrats, the reasoning be-
ing that Republicans are bad men and DEM
ocrats good men. Senator Brown of Georgia
states the Democratic position with great
frankness and honesty, and we commend
the following words of his to those misguid-
ed ones who gave ear last Fall to Democrat
ic professions:
1t is not worth while for us to mince words
here. for the country understands this whole
question. The Republican party has had the
Offices of the government for the last twenty
years consecutively. The executive has been
Republican, and they have had the distribution
of the offices and places. They still have it.
Lately there has been an avaOanche sweeping
over the country, carrying with it the severest
condemnation of the practices of this party. II
is true it was an off year, not a presidential
year; bnt prudent, conscientious men on the
other side OF the chamber understand this as
well as we do. II we make no great blunders--
and / have heard it said on the other side that
they rely great deal on Democratic blunders
unless the Democracy is guilty Of great folly
on some important questions, there can be to
my MIND, and think to the minds of Senators
generally, little doubt that the next President
of the republic will be Democrat How do
you go into that campaign? Suppose you put
up my honorable friend fr IN Ohio Mr.. PEN
dleton or my honorable and worthy friend
fro Delaware, Mr.. Bayard, or any other one
OF the prominent and able gentlemen men
TONED for the nomination, and you go before
the Democratic masses of the United States
and tell them that you are handicapped; that
all the offices that amount to nything, all the
more important places are already disposed Of
disposed Of" they will say. HHow so?p
why. the Republican party has had them for
twenty -one years, and seeing that there was
probability OF change OF administration.
they have taken good care of themselves.
They have pressed civil service bill and Dem
scrats have helped them to enact it, and we
have it on the statute books now that there is
no Democrat to be put into office in any of
these larger executive brapches-noue except
the lowest departments Above these, Repub-
iicans already in compete with each other, but
leave no chance for Democrats" Now do you
believe the Democratic lea ders in all the diff
erent States would work with the same energy
and zeal, and be SC well satisfied as they would
II you hold out to them the chance of change?
1t would be contrary TO all experience contra
ry to all history OF the past, to expect such
work.