New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-11

sion-to aprogress.r General Spinolc, more
outspoken than the rest of his party associates
actually ieered at Mr. Roosevelt for introducing
such bill, and declared, unrebuked oy any Oh
his fellow Democratic leaders, that the wholc
thing was too thin and would deceive NOBODY
And so il appears that it is the settled policy
of the Democracy Of NewYork to resist Clvii
Service Reform. Nobody believes that these
Democratic Assemblymen in bringing these
bills to naught acted simply upon their own
judgments or represented simply themselves.
Legislators do not dispose of bills OF SO much
significance without first taxing counsel OF the
recognized party leaders and managers. There
fore the defeat of Civil Service Reform IN the
Assembly, and therefore in the Legislature,
must be regarded as having been accomplished
gby and with the advice and consent" Of
Grover Cleveland, the official head of his party ;
of Daniel Manning, chairman OF the Demo-
cratic State Committee Of Samuel j. Tilden,
the chief AntiTammanyite of John Kelly, the
chief Tammanyite ard of other Democrats OF
control ling influence in the party. II the men
we have named had urged the Democrats oil
the Assembly TO pass the Civil Service Reform
bills, the bills would have been passed. Hence
we are fully warranted in asserting that the at
titude OF these Democratic Assemblymen is to
be regarded as the attitude of the party. III
splitting upon Civil Service Reform they were
not only revealing the quality OF their own
craftsmanship but showing also what Is the
dominating Democratic sentiment throughout
the State in regard to that commanding issue.
Not long after the death OF the beloved Gar
field, q Democratic State Convention met at
Albany. Pointing to his assassination the
Convention made an emphatic demand in one
of the planks of its platform for reform OF
the Civil Service. That demand was renewed
in the platform uuon which Grover Cleveland
ran. and he himself in his letter of acceptance
aud in his answer to the questions addressed
him by the Civil Service Reform Association
professed to be Jealous for the reform. But
now that the time for words is passed and the
time for deeds has come, the mask falls oil. The
Democracy will have mono of Civil Service re-
form. At the mouth of General Splnola 1t de-
clares that il is "tOO thin political party
that thus chooses TO make shipwreck OF It's
principles because of the cOnstrant OF Its ap-
petite deserves the execration OF all men who
are really public spirited and patriotic, who
really desire the prosperity OF the Republic.
The wsest. most experienced, most conserya-
tive and most unselnsh men in both parties are
at one in believing that the spOis system must
perish if our country is TO go on prOspering
and to prosper Tho Democracy of the fore
most State in tho Union having solemnly
pledged itself to assist in the overthrow OF the
pestiferous system. when the time for action
arrives demonstrates anew its capacity for
laundering and its unworthiness OF public con-
fidence by turning mp rs "A stumbling block.
What wonder that the Democracy has been
ont OF power in the nation for Il quarter OF a
century Never a four years pass by but they
mako such mess of it in some State in which
they have full swing for the time being that
the disgustcd electors say We won't have this
sort of foollshness repeated on a larger scale
That is what level headed men the country
over will say as they read how the Democratic
Assembly OF New-York slaughtered Civil
Service Reform