The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-01-06
Latter Day Reform


being deprived of the appointing
power by the result Of the next presi-
Dental election, the leaders of the
Republican party in Congress have
become tender in the region of their
consciences in respect to the unstable
character of the tenures of those Of
fees which are filled by appointment.
Hitherto, so long as the power was in
its own hands, with the prospect Of
continuance, the moral qualms of the
party at the manner in which depart
mental offices were filled and emptied,
have been OF the most gentle and
mitigated description; and the rules
from time to time adopted to serve as
checks upon arbitrary removals and
appointments have been obeyed or
disobeyed, observed or neglected, ac-
cordingly as, for the time being, was
most convenient. Now, however,
when coming events are casting their
shadows before, and the sceptre is
about to depart from the hands Of
those who have held it so long and
swayed it SO dcspotically, new light
has broken in upon the tacticians of
the party, change has come over
their spirits, and they are as jealous
for reform in the civil service now as
they were indifferent before.
But this tardilyawakened zeal is,
after all, only piece of thinlydi
guised hypocrisy. Desire for the
improvement of the public service is
scarcely an appreciate element in it.
1t makes its appearance too late in
the day to admit of the presumption
Of sincerity. 1t is simply q strategic
movement to save to the party that
the surrender of which is implied by
the fact Of defeat, to Withhold from
the victors that which is a lawful
appurtenant to signal success. In
manoeuvres wherein, as well as the
interest of the country, those of the
party are involved, the leaders Of the
Democratic party have been too often
incautious enough to permit them
selves TO be outfanked by those Of
the Republican party, and thus have
assisted in their own defeats. Instead
of profting by the example Of the
enemy, which would be wise, they
have many times taken his counsel,
which otherwise, and have thereby
for small consideration parted with
important advantages which, with
better management, they might have
turned to account.
DESTROYS, as every just man must
be, to have the civil service of the
country placed upon the best posi-
bic footing, there is reason to doubt
whether under present auspices there
is ground for the hope that this will
be accomplished. In the first place
our fabric Of government is SO con
structed that to lay down rules which
will serve as practical restraints upon
the conduct of men in high offices
who have their own interests and the
interest of their party to snbserve, is
beyond the stretch OF ordinary wis
dom.
In the next place, the bill elabora-
ted by Mr. Pendlcton and now under
consideration in the Senate indicates
anything but proper comprehension
Of the factors of the problem he has
more ambitiouslv than wisel " attemp-
ted to solve, and seems to have been
framed rather with view to mount
it's author conspicuously upon a
popular hobby than to bring about
any essential improvement in the SER
vice. Finally, considering the ma
nipulation the bill is undergoing at
the hands of those who think twice
for themselves and their party while
they are thinking once for the public
or any other interest, it is rational to
conclude that the proper attitude for
Democrats to maintain towards the
measure is one of antagonism. A
bill the provisions of which, while it
is under consideration, some of its
advocates interpret to mean one thing
and some to mean another-some
SitiHiiiS III IL buiS anu SUNNI euC
opposite effects too loose in its
texture to be allowed to become a
law; and as law would be too slip
perry and equivocal not to afford
abundant avenues for evasion. The
vigorous opposition to the plan pros
ecuted by Senators Brown and Noor-
hees, therefore, is wise and timely;
and, although the measure will proba-
bly, pass the Senate, it is to be hoped
the Democrats of the House will not
fail to discountenance this attempt of
the Republicans to leave behind them
a legacy of obstruction.-Am. Regis
ter.
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