Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-12-23
THE MARCH OF REFORM.
IFrou the N. Y. Sun. ]


ming a race tor civil service reform,
under the sharp stimulant Of the re-
cent elections. The old stagers who |
have prsfitsd most by patronage, aud
who are chiefly respopsible tor its |
abuses, shout loudest for . change III |
their own methods. With pockets
full Of plunder they cry out, stop |
thief" hoping to escape detection aud |
punishment. -..
john Sherman. who rewarded with |
Offices he psrjursrs. tho fergers, the
thieves, the conspiratOrs, aud the
scoundrels generally who aided him
IN stealing for the contemplate
Hayes the presidency in 1876, 10 pro-
fessediy very much exercised OH this
subject. Being no longer in power,
he would be quito willing to put q
curb ON his successor. Yet he was
among the first, after reaching WASH
iukton, to rush to the White House to
ask judgeship for his chief hench-
man in OGio, alter having officially,
as secretary of the treasury, i'm
psached the integrity of the presi-
dent, when the latter was colleL tor OF
this port. !
Mr.. hoar, who used the custom
chine to serve his pcrsonxl interests,
and who quarrsliad with the presi-
dent for not reappointing him cOllsc-
lures amendments by the yard for re-
form.
Mr.. Allison, who for the last ei.h.
teen years in congress has been .
conspicuous beneficiary Of the spoils
| d. ~
practices, 10 troubled in spirit about
tho existing evils. 'f
Mr.. Hale. who defended HubbelPs
ex. Ortions at the last session, and
who has crowded his partisaus into
Office in Maine and at Washington,
now masquerades as q model re-
former. J
General Hawlsy 10 80 anxious to sx-
bibit his sudden convention to reform
that he has brought in bill to save
his republican friends from the harsh
grasp of any future Hubbell. 5-t.
> Don Cameron has not yet made his
profession Of faith. but he 10 knowu u
to be on the anxious bench, prepar-
ing 10 become Que OF the new elect.
In the house there 10 . perfect rush
Of this c!ass of reformers, all seeking
to advertise their wares aud to inform
t the publlc that they have removed
from the old stand. Mr.. Kasson, the
most expert acrobat IN that body
has labored hard to keep in front oi
1 tbs scramble for precedence, suppos
ing that position would be equal 10
certificate of sincerity. s-.5 =
But the virtue of kasseu has beet
, pressed by host Of ready-made re-
. formers, every one of ihem with ,
. panaceA for ali the diseases OF the bod
polite. In the mass of bills to cur,
the admitted evils, one feature pre-
8 dominates throughout, which is Gu
d rious enough considering that one 0
= the great complaints is the hug
= standing army OF officsholders. Thes
reformers all want more commission
established and more officers Great ed
!. Where existing officers are attachc,
r to the cummissions, it is proposed L
! give them additional pay Tor that ser
vice, to be taken out of The time TO
u which they are already paid!
II the presldeut is in earnest t
carry out the declarations of his mes
. sage, there 10 nothing easier aud sim
. pier than to issue q peremptory srde
10 that .ffsct, aud make the cAbine
directly responslble for its sxecu' ioi
j. But he mus have more influence wit
D his administra,iOn than he had fiv
y months ago. ''Iu July last" ne say,
Il authorized q public announcement
'r that employees of the governmsu
?, should regard themselves al lIbsrt
d to exercise their pleasure in maxim
N or refusing 10 make political coutri
buttons" Yet it 10 notorious tbs
the ssverest pressure was put o
. these employees after that time b
h Jay Hubbell, and that AahOue dii
missed from Office every Virginia,
black aud white, who declined G
even hesitaled 10 submit to bis blact
7, mail. The heads of department
J. ob-yed his orders like body serv.utl
vi The demands of Hubboil were nc
- confined, by any meaus, to officsholc
- ers at homo. Every minister and ~
ID cry consul and every secretary uf |,
- CATION was assessed like q tide " ii
\. er, aud the lsvies went out thioa.
the department of state to the remo
~ test parts of the world.
Legislation may be needed to pr,
scribe peualties, but the effective reu
IN edy will be found iu an execuiiv
with courage enough 10 enforce \ +.
- form which the president already la
% abundant power 10 carry ont.