The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-09-18

Tho Democracy and Civil Service Reform.
Civil service reform is giving the De-
mocracy Il good deal OF trouble. The set
OF public opinion is in favor OF placing the
public service on better business basis,
so that applicants for Office shall be APP
pointed for merit, continued for good SER
vice and removed only for cause.
About fifteen thousand government en-
ployes are already within the civil service
act. which cost Mr.. Pendlcton his Scna-
torial head and many columns OF abuse in
the newspapers OF his own party. Here is
4 the Democracy's dilemma: 1t would not
rashly fly in the face OF public opinion
before election-and yet would firmly
hold to the good old Democratic doctrine
and practice that public office is party
sroils. Hence we have such sparring rs
this between Democratic "sluggers." The
extract is from the Cincinnati Enquirer,
which makes no bones OF its own position:
The New York lToru is nothing ii not
positive. In its edition OF Friday last it
publishes the following:
The Cincinnati Enquirer is engaged in
exp0unding the theory that there is moth
ing worth mentenioning in politics save
'spoils,' and in the face OF Mr.. Clevcland's
letter OF acceptance, is informing it read
: ers that Democratic success in November
will mean the expulsion OF every .Repub-
lican Federal oiIicl holder in the land.."
m I'll I, o
Does it voice the sentiments OF Governor
! Cleveland? Are Democrats to under
! stand that in the event OF the success of
the Democratic ticket in November the
country is to continue 10 wear the yoke of
the office holders who for twenty years
have been the beneiciares OF place and
power? With due reference TO the opin-
ion OF the World, and with the sole pur.
pose OF inquiry, the Enquirer asks the
question. 1t is not abstrusc. Will the
World be good enough to be explicit?
The New York World is angling for
Independent Republicans. The Cincin-
natl Enquirer is endcavoring to infuse the
Democracy OF Ohio with the ardent hope
OF spoils. The Enquirer is also standing
by the party doctrine, and knows the
party it is dealing with. Senator Brown,
OF Georgia, admitted that the Democrats
were hungry, for which reason they would
not approval the civil service act that on
such 4 platform the party could not sue
coed; that for his own part he wouldn't
dare so home and face his people after
voting for such bill. Senator Pcndlcton,
more brave, pushed the bill, went home,
and was defeated
Mr.. George William Curtis appreciated
the Democratic idea OF civil service reform
when he declared that "thc Democratic
party, very hungry and, as you may well
believe, very thirsty, 80 n party
which fell from power as a conspiracy
against human rights, now attempts to
sneak back to power as a conspiracy for
plumber and spoils.p This was before
Mr.. Curtis found that Grover Cleveland
was the only man, and the Democracy the
only party, good enough for his support
about twenty.four hours before that.
Tho Enquirer mustn't let the World, the
flesh or host OF Clevelands, swervc it |
from its sense OF duty. The Enquirer is |
on the right, the Democratic, track in the |
mnttar NJ civil caryico roforu -s sf