The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-08-29
A Democrat On Reform

While Senator Sherman was making at
Fhday the admirable speech from which
we gave liberal extracts yesterday, General
Durbin Ward was making a Democratic
speech at Gallon. General Ward is the man
Judge doadley defeated in the Democratic
State Convention. He is an old Democrat,
AMI was Union soldier; but is one of the
most inveterate of bonrbons. In the course
OF his speech he set forth his ideas of civil
service reform, and as this part of bis speech
Is most quoted by the Democratic papers, it
not an unfair inference that they approve
of his views and recommend them as a
statement of the Democratic party's posi-
ton. The whole passage was quoted In the
Argus yesterday, and who will question the
zeal of the Argus for reform?
A more illogical and Inconsistent speech
on that subject has not been made by any
body. 1t is such speech as might have
been expected from man who announced
at che State Convention that if the Demo-
Gratis carried the Legislature he would be a
candidate for United States Senator. ard if
elected he would take care that those who
supported him were provided for Let us
examine the reasoning of this spokesman on
ubject about which probably he is as per-
verse as any man living. Here is graphic
picture of the evils Of the service as they ap-
pear to Democrat.
A new party came into power simultaneously
with secession an for twenty two years, except in
rare GASES. his held every Off worth having in the
civil administration. fhe Civil Service has been
during thai period close corporation, in which
none could be stockholders except Republicans
Service TO the countryor fitness for the place passed
for nothing, unless the applicant could show his
party pate OF nobility. The admiuistra
tors Il the Ctvil Service banded together to kee,
their party in power, contributed money to the
sauss, went home on leave to manipulate conven.
tions and essstioneer the polls in short became
trained army of political mercenary soldiers
armed with the influence and patronage of the Gov
eminent, and obeying call but the command of
their master, the Republican party. Their votes
and influence determined the last two Presidential
elections Against this abuse of the administrative
power and patronage The Democracy has been CON
stantly outspoken and bold. But their warnings
AID denunciations have been uuheeded by those in
power.
The Democrats have protested, but only
on the ground that Republicans ought not to
have the opportunity to do such things.
They have not protested against the method
itself, but only against the enormity of re-
sort to it by Republicans The system
was instituted by Democrats, and ever since
General Jackson's day has been worked by
them for all it is is worth whenever they had
power. In the nationaI administrations they
have controlled, and in the State and city
administrations, wherever they have had
eral Ward says, they have constantly opposed
when done by Republicans. 1t is all right
for Democrats and all wrong for others.
AS soon as General Ward ceases to talk
about a particular example and proceeds to
consider the general principle involved he
goes about constructing an argument shich.
so far as it has any logic or force, justifies
and excuses the course of the Republicans
which he as just before complaining of.
He has in his minds eye possible future
Democratic victory when be sets forth the
following rule of party duty.
1eho"-Dothocratss Is IL wise polcy, all things
considered, whatever may be done abroad, TO at
tempt 10 make Civil serytes under in
stitutions like ours? The governing power here is
lodged in the people All reasoning teaches and all
experience proves, that the p ope govern and must
govern, through the instrumentality of parties.
The party in power is the government, and
should be held full responsibility for every de-
tail. IL ought therefore. 10 select its agents.
and not ss aog.a 70 ssssRs sSossn b.
i Sssr..a - : - : = ae'' " n0' 0lioseA =
Ii this is SO, why, in heavens name, do
General Ward and the Democratic party
protest against the course of the ha-fy which
has been in power since secession because it
has selected it's own agents and assumed the
responsibility for them? According to this
exposition of what ought to be, the Republic
can party would have been derelict if it had
appointed Democrats to office. And yet, af-
ter this broad defence, on principle, of the
theory that the spoils of office belong to the
victors and that it is their duty to appropri-
ate them. General Ward has the assurance
to day 81 spit upon and despise the maxim
to the victors belong the spoils.' Offices
should be created and administered for the
public good and not for private and partisan
gain" Now what does he mean? Should
the clerks employed in the civil service be
selected on account of party services, or
should they be selected for their qualfica-
tions to do the work required. regardless of
that consideration?
But 1t is unnecessary to ask these ques-
lions. What he means, and what ninety-nine
In every one hundred Democrats mean, is
that Democratic administration will put
none bat Democrats in Office, that services
to the Democratic party are the best qualif-
cation and claim for place in the civil SER
vice, and that the Pendleton bill must be re-
pealed as soon as the Democratic party gets
possession of both the executive and legisla-
tive departments of the government. The
Republican is the only party which, while
In power, would institute such a reform
and the continuance of that party in power
Is the only way to prevent return to the
scandalous corruptions of the administra-
tions of Jackson, Buchanan and Andrew
johnson, by whom the civil service was
prostituted to baser ends than by any other
Presidents in the line.