Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-22

BY this line are less to Memphis and
Cincinnati than by any other road.
As a competitive line and one that Is
destined 70 do much for Memphis,
the people there cannot fail 10 give II
q liberal support In their travel aud
husine5s transactions. The road bed
IS excellent, the cars arst class and
the entire equipment as good as any.
/ shall take Rnatkar trip over the
Chesapeake and Ohip and in the
apring time may have something mnfe
in detail to sag regarding this
prosperous highway to the ocean and
the busy marts OF the East. What
ever tends TO cheaper transportation
from the Atlantic seabcrd to Mem
phis and vice versa, interests the thou
sands who read the PUBLIC LEDGER
CIVIL SERVICE PHANTAsMAGoRIA
Dances timeas ct dora ~ierentes, for
the wooden horse is the Pendleton bill.
tho cavity Of which is filled with the
well salaried Office holders of the Re-
publican party. Ifthere be within the
Democratic citadel a simula orune 10
wisdom, let there be no such decep
ton as this. Whatever the joke Of
this or any similar mockery OF politi-
cal decency, there is Ia the Senate one
man whose wisdom. ffankness, cour-
age and intelligence should be
recognized and emulated by the
young men Of the Democratic party.
| alludeto that great aud dignihed
gentleman whom frivolous writers
term Old Joe Brown, OF Georgy.
He has age, it is true, and he may be
old in experience, but no is unques-
tiouably as vigorous aud active in
mind, and as true and as honest
in feeling and thought, as any one
who has ever been a member of the
United States Senate. The PUBLIC
LEDGER, as well as the other journals
of the country. have given space TO
what be said but recently on this bill.
The time will come when what is now,
by some said 10 be an insult to the
Democratic party, shall be proven
true. There are not many men whose
judgment on great questions, whether
Of governmental interests or OF party
policy, that | would accept in prefer
ence 10 that Of Senator Brown. There
are male Cassandras, but the political
mythology Of the present day imposes
90 ineredulity on the man of sense.
Ii the Democrats expect to elect a
President in 1884, they had better
pause and heed the warning Of Sens
tor Brown. He speaks in 20 uncer
tain words; be eyades nothing, and
what he has said in denouncing this
bill as "the merest humbuggery and
nonsense win r~eVerberate all the
thunder Of realistic retribution ,sh0uN
he Democratic party, by a bill .handi-
cap and defeat their Presidential can
didate in 1884. Senator Brown ''hal
spoken out in meeting, and those
gentlemen who occupy seats
in the amen corner haC
better heed his words
This is especially applicable to those
gentlemen who could be induced tC
accept the Democratic nomination fol
President. challenge all the pseudo
sentiment Of the age, all the philan
thropic ethics OF the country, all tht
magnificent proves OF perfected by,
2ocricy 20 answer, much less upsei
what Senator Brown exposes in hi
PLAIN, but simple and logical discus
sion of this bill. He is truly a prsc
teal statesman and so we're all tht
great men af this country. Pass
bill denying Democrats either thu
privilege or the right to bold ofice;bu
a bill to keep in office the present in
cumbents who are Republicans, anC
vet expect the people to foTsake Oh,
Republican and vote for a Dem0craI
to be PRESIDENT The measure is al
insult to the intelligence ofaDy party
There is not In either branch Of Con.
gress a man but what is under more o
less obligation Of a political nature Il
some person or persons. When Dem
ocrats become so independent as L
pass a law denying, iorbidding AM
prohibiting the voters of the Demo
cratic party from holding Office, they
should 60 still further and enac
themselves into q life time seat.
The hypocrisy Of these Democrat
advocates Of the Peudleton gag bill j
not only exemplihed, but il Is oonspiC
uously illustrated by the fact tina
every one OF them has a corps {
political retainers in governments
office, aud the only reason they hav
not put more in is because they al
not have sufficient influence. Thi
civil service bill is wanted by Reput
licans. Twoof the civil service CON
misSioners, who served under Generi
Grant, are the most active lobbyist
in securing the passage Of this bill
In fact, one of these framed the bill
and the Republicans aattered Nj
Pendleton into its adoption. The me.
and measures which were used an
devised by but failed under th
administration Of President Grsu
! are now invoked for the purpose {
reforming the civil service and damr
log the Democratic party. The al
suTdity, Injustice and apparent PM
pose Of this sOcalled civil servie
reform is illustrated By a somowhs
practical incident in an interyie,
! between d. N. Key, when i
was Postmaster General, and Senate
lsham g. Harris, the occasion bein
the visit Of the latter in behalf of
Tennessee lady who wanted an oficl
With Characteristic directness Sens
tor Harris asked Dir. Key if it wer
as be had been told, true that appli
cants for an ordinary clerkship wer
subjected to the list Of questions the
in his hand. yes, that is true.
said MI. Key. The Tennessee Sens
tor, 10 an earnest manner, read th
questions and asked: "Mr. Key. ca
you answer these questions2' Wit
equal frankness Mr.. Key replied "
cannot" ThereupOn Senator Harri
said; NOW, Key, what in the hell
the use Of subjecting a respectabl,
intelligent country lady from Tennel
see who wants a little clerkship |
; such iareichl questions which yo
/ cannot answer, and which | myselfd
not understand" Mr.. Key coul
e give no reason save that it was tb
rule Of the PostOfice Department u
it is said that the Tennessee woma.
got the position, A sample OF thes
q questions are as follows: