Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01
TO CIVIL ssa,.ss aEroRy.

oPpos-- LON TO CIVIL sEAs.0s REFoRF.
lis quite possible that the Civil Service
reform bill may be defeated in the House
by Democratic votes. The supposition
that the Democrats would at the very
Threshold of their first lease of power
consent to forego the spoils, is indeed
scarcely tenable. Nothing but a profound
conviction that their future depended
upon such a sacrifice could induce any
party to make it, in fact, and it is very
questionable whether this conviction has
thus far been sufficiently borne in upon the
Democratic Bosses. In all previous at
tempts at Democratic reform the experiment
has failed because of the overpowerIng
pressure exercised upon the leaders by the
office-seeking crowd behind them. There
has indeed been little room for choice
between the parties, but no observant
critic has ever thought it possible that the
Democracy either would or could inaug-
urate a genuine reform movement. At
this moment some OF its leaders are shrewd
enough to perceive that the party caElot
afford to put itself on record as hostile to
Civil Service reform, but these farsighted
politicians are in the minority, and the
strong probability is that they will be
unable to maintain their position when
the test comes. The Republicans in the
House are not at all generally believers in
reform of the civil service, but they have
had very rude awakening from their
political dreams of late, and no doubt
many of them are prepared to swallow any
dose, no matter how bitter, if it is calcu,
lated to bring their party to the front
again.
The Democrats, however, will now be
forced to face the situation. For several
years past it has been safe enough for
them to pretend that they were in favor
of reform, because they were not in power
themselves, and because they knew that
the Republicans were not disposed to do
anything. But all that is changed now.
They represent the denim ant rarty of the
hour, and they must prepare to make a
record for that party. The question, there
fore, is, what will they do under the cir
cumstances? They may attack Pendle-
toms bill indirectly, by Offering all sorts of
amendments to it, by pretending that it
does not go far enough, and 80 forth. But
do what they will, they cannot in the end
avoid vote which will show how they
really stand, and we do not think it likely
that they will be found voting for the pas
sage of the bill. OF course if it is defeated
through Democratic opposition it will give
the Republicans great deal of capital for
use in the next Presidential campaign, and
it will most certainly prevent the indie
pendent element from supporting the DEM
ocratic ticket next time. But the truth is
that there is danger that the bill may be
banded about from one party to the other
until it is effectually killed, and there can
be no doubt that if the opinion of "prac-
tical' politicians could be polled. this is
the disposition of it they would prefer.
We have always expressed belief that
the successful Inauguration of civil service
reform could only be possible after long
and tireaome struggle. The fact that the
Senate has now passed the Pendleton bill
does not induce US to review that opinion
at all. Il is always in the House that the
real strength of the opposition to ouch
measures is developed, and it is there that
the fate of this one will be decided. II we
could think it possible for the Democrats
to accept and submit to go radical reform
as this, we should feel that we had done
the party great injustice previously. But
we do not think it possible, and we do not
think that we have in any way misinter-
preted the external signs of Democratic
corruption. The Democratic politicians
undoubtedly look forward to I" clean
sweep" in the Federal offices. They are
sanguine enough to think that they will
carry the country in 1884, and they do not,
therefore, want to put their hands to any
measure in the interval which may inter-
fere with the fullest qualification of their
ofice.hunger. That is the plain truth, and
because it is the truth there is no ground
for anticipating that the Democratic Con-
gressmen will, if they can possibly avoid it,
fall into line behind their antagonists, and
help to pass the Pendleton bill.