Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-02

the declarations of the Democratic party
in favor of the civil service bill were iusin-
cere is justified, first by the choice OF Me-
Hoadly in Ohio, the rebuke of Mr. Pen
dleton, and now in the choice OF Mr.
Payne. The latter gentleman, we judge,
is a self.respecting man, despises subter-
fuge, and believes that an open fight is the
best. Hence we find him expressing the
belief that the "Augean stable of Re-
publican corruption cannot be cleaned out
with the toothbrush " OF civil service re-
form. He believes that Democratic
President should have power to turn out
l04, 900 Republican offce-holders and put in
l04, 900 Democrats, and to bring about this
contamination lie, in his opinion, reason
enough for the election of a Democratic
President.
The first Democratic paper to warn Mr..
Payne that this kind of pleading would
not do was the Louisville Comier.JoWnoL
The lesson Mr.. WateIson reads Mr.. Payne
on the proper course to pursue in the next
campaign is singing rebuke. Next IN
the list comes the Washington Post, G
Democratic organ of admitted ability and
authority, and the party loyalty of which
no well.informed Democrat will question.
That journal emphaticslly says to
Mr.. Payne that his sheer at civil
service reform will injure the party. II
declares that &C. to the politicians it may be
question of office and office-holders tc
the people it is a matter of deliberate Gov
eminent reform. The people demand re-
form in the civil service, reform in the
tariff, reform in the internal revenue sys'
TEN, reform in our foreign relations and
reform in the direct administration OF the
Government at Washington. The differ
ence between a Democratic spokesman and
q Republican spokesman in the White House
is a question in which the honest voter
takes no further interest than is expressed
in general desire to prevent unnecessary
change. If the doctrine, to the victor
belong the spoils, is to be the Democratic
watchword in the year OF grace 1884, the
party no more deserves success than it will
be able to attain it"
This ia remarkable language, and more
clearly than anything yet presented
shows the broad rent in the party, on one
side OF which stand Democrats honestly IL
favor of economy and civil service reform
and on the other side of which are ar.
ranged the partisans who look upon gov.
ernmental offices as mere means for re.
wards, and governmental trusts as mere
aids to party advancement.
But there are Democratic Congressman
quite as blunt and outspoken as Mr.. Payne.
One Mr. Shaw has introduced bill to re.
peal the civil service law, and tells Wash,
ington correspondent that he has done Sc
because "the civil service is only tom
foolery, nonsense and interference with
the rights Of the dominant party" lie
added that the law will keep an army OF
ofice.holders in power, who, when we
come into power, will play hide-and,seek
with US and keep our fellows out of their
rights" There is a spice of humor that is
irresistible in MS further remarks: "If it
prevents our fellows from getting in, it is
bad enough, and l am against it on general
principles. l want to get our fellows in
and get this law out of the way. 1t is
contrary to the spirit Of our institutions. %
Another Congressman, Mr.. Clay, is more
discreet but his purpose is the same. His
bill is for a repeal also; but he yeneers his
position with a thin disguise by saying
that he is not opposed to civil service re.
form. On, no he favors it ; but you see
in its demands for mathematical knowledge
and all that, for a mere clerk, the bill
is absurd. "Why," he added, 81 doubt if
the average Congressman could pass the
examination Probably not.