Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1884-01-24
THE WIPERS

The Democrats are not very power
ful at originating legislation, but they
are terrible fellows at wiping out laws
that other people have made. A few
years ago they were engaged in wipin {
every vestigu OF tho war legislation
from the statute book, and SO Wig
orously did they pursue the job that
in the end they cains uncomfortable
near being wiped out themselves. Just
now they are engaged in wiping ont
the civil rervice law, with what result
to themselves remains to be seen.
SO long as the Republi ans were so
firmly established in power as to show
no probability whatever of an up.
preaching change, the Democrats were
the most virtuous civil service reform
ers in the world. They could not hold
a convention OF any sort without
solemnly "arraigning" the Republi,
cans for gross partisanship in the dis
tribution of Offices, and declaring that
merit AMI not favoritisn should be
the true and only Guide in making ap-
pointmsnts. Even as late as last year
they.uere so'much impressed by their
own pretenses in favor of civil sevice
reform that they did not as body
place them selves in opposition TO the
bill, and it was allowed to pass without
becoming.distinctly party measure.
But by talking to each other in
private AID t. other people in public
the leaders have for some months now
bsen delniinS them selves into the be-
lief that they can carry the president
i'll election of 1891, and tho first thing
to troable them in that connection has
been tho impe1inent, in the shape OF
certain provisions OF thu civil service
bill, that would be in the way OF an
immediate seizure of all the politics al
Spoils, AID it was determined that, if
by any means possible, the civil ser.
law must be wiped"
Mr. Pendleton of Ohio was wiped -
4 few days aso. and all because Of his
connection with the civil service b IL.
The Democrats evidently thought tina
il one Of tn air own number didn't
know better than TO act IA though he
thosght the party declaration, ia
convention III ealt som thing, it was
time to put him out of ths way. His
fate will warn other Democrats not 70
indulge in the recreation of COMPOSING
civil service reform bills 50 long e.
there is any possibility OF their pa ,5age
tin ou;h congress.
a gallant Dem ,crdt from Knntucky
introduced bill in the house day o,
two ago OF abolishing the civil seryic,
law outright. This goes To the root o
tn. matter. The new bill has gone tc
thr select c)n nittee on reform il
til' civil service OF viii IN Mr. Mulch
Ter o. Pennsylvania is ch tirinaa and
eight of the thirteen membrrs ar,
Democrats. II they do not bring in 4
favorable report it will be- because. un
like most OF their fellows, they hay,
sufficient wisdom to make them ti!nid
! 1t is most likely, hove ttiat til,
Democrats will wipe out the civil ser
vice commission by the process o
starvat on rathe ian b. direct ab. Ii
! ton. That Is thc favorite process
; among towards tor killing off thei
enemies. Democratic lawyers are be
; ing impressed anew with the great fac
that the commission is an unconstitst
ional body, and before the executiv
appropriation bill is brought in prot
= ably the scruples of the Democrats o
I the score of unconstitutionality wi
2 become so serious rs to prevent the
9 voting for any money to carry Oh tn
( reforms undertaken by the comIni
= sion.
Whatever way they may be compe
led to adopt in order to get rid of I'll
: spectrs of civil service reform, I'll
II Democrats will III msrch on to the glo
n ious work of wiping il out, and luck
a will they be if they do not perceive b
fore the year is over that with all the
pains they have only succeeded
t once more extinguishing the prospec
q of their own party.