New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-07
aKEEp THE R1SCILS OUTyp

The public mind should be concentrated upon
the fact that not single Democratic Couven-
ton held during the present year has had
word to say in favor of Civil Service Reform.
All the Democratic platforms have contained
imprisoned appeals for the election OF the
Republican party from the control OF affairs,
but that is all. There are no assurances that
if the Democrats are put in power they will
perpetuate the present Civil Service Reform
law. but there are abundant evidences that
the repeal of that law would be the fist
Democratic act after getting possession. AT
the recent Ohio Democratic Convention the talk
was all in that vein Senator Pendleton, the
author OF the law, was snubbed. and openly
denounced. The leading Democratic organ OF
the State says be brought this treatment upon
himself when he declined to "place himself IN
line with his party against the law. General
Ward. in declaring himself candidate tor the
Senatorship, took care to say that he was in
favor of giving all the offices TO Democrats in
case of Democratic success. The platform
demanded a schange" yocferously, but had
not word TO say in favor of Mr.. Pendleton OF
his law.
This is no new development. Every aspiring
Democratic statesman who has wished to stand
we'll with his party has been sneering at the
Pendleton law ever since its passage. Senator
Thurman said months ago that he was in favor
of staking the boys in ont OF the cold and
warming their toes" Governor Batter put the
same idea in more absiruse form when he
declared his belief in the principle that the
Government belongs to its friends" More
recently the organs of the party have invented
III. 10 Of al fha
same idea. They shout "Turn the rascais
out I" meaning all the time, Put us rascals
back None Of these cries deceive the public
for moment The whole Democratic party
is rushing headlong after a clean sweep of all
the ofiices and is 80 confident of success that 1t
has thrown of all disguise. 1t has simple way
in which it can express its determinations to
stand by the Civil Service law, and 1t studious-
ly refrains from using it. A plank in each con-
vention platform approving Senator PendIe-
toms work would be all that was necessary, but
such plank has not appeared yet and is not
likely to.
Not only are the platforms silent. The can
didates are either silent or openly against the
law Judge HOadly is trying TO pose before
the country az an independent, progressive
Democrat who is considerably better than his
party, yet we venture to predict that he will
not be so reckless rs TO champion the Pendle-
ton law His prospects are dismal enough now.
They would be absolutely hopeless were he thus
to put himself out of line with bis party" He
attempting an impossible role. The Democrats
are not looking for a progressive candidate, .snd
they will not support one. What they want Is
candidate who If he is elected to the Presidency.
will take the boys in ny the fire and warm their
toes. That is the kind of reform they ale after,
and the only kind. Perhaps the country
yearns to give 1t 10 them, but there are no
signs of such a disposition at the present mo-
meut.