Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-23
TIE coMIN0 oAMPAIGN.
Can the Ciyii-Serviee Laws be Manipulated
for Political Ends!
fny teleeraph % the Dispatch.

rBy telegraph 10 the Dispatch.i
WASHINGTON, July 22.--The Star this
evening publishes the following: Demo-
Gratis say that an important question In the
coming campaign will be whether or not
the ciyil.seryice laws may be 50 manIpu-
lated as 10 efYec. political ends. The Re-
publicans are already making point lpon
the claim that the Democratic party Is OBJ
posed TO ciyil-seryice REFORM and cou-
oiled with this claim the Democrats say
that the work OF the Civil-Seryice Com
mission may be so directed as 10 prove
a most powerful weapon in the hands
Of shrewd politicians. Patronage NAV DC
distributed through the South, they
say, much more effectively under the
disguise Of civil-service reform than II
ever was under the old practices. Patron
age given In this way l. an innocent otter
ing. and being apparently gratnitous II will
be ten times more potent rs fa'tor In the
campaign. The way this Is 10 be effected
Is thus explained bya Democrat who thinks
he secs before him \ danger threatening the
loss OF one or more Of the southern States
to the Democrats. Just at this critical
moment. when Blaine is looking towards
the South TO make up for any Losses sus-
tanned through the action Of the lndcpend-
ent bolters," he saws, "the CiYil'Servlcc
Commission announces that much OF
TIE patronage created by the past scs-
sion Of Congress must go TO the south
ern States. It being now their turn
for recognition under the law. Mind, |
do not mean that the commissioners inten-
tionally arranged so rs TO have the APP
pontments 20 TO the South at this particu-
lar time: Il is rather the result OF circum-
stances, but II will have an effect upon the
election all the same. The Democrats acted
unwisely In creating so much patronage
when they know that it, usc would effect
political ends. They knew that the CIVIL
Service Commission would have to dis
tribute the appointments through the
South il they complied with the law,
and Il would have some effect upon
the election, yet they created more
new Government positions than has any
Congress sin e 1860, except in the eNtraOrd-
nary case OF the establishment OF the new
PonSiOn-oilicC. OF course the examinations
will be fairly conducted, and, rs the Demo
crat, i'm the South are. As rule, better edu-
Gated than the Republicans IN the same Sec
ton, the appointments will 90 largely 10
our party. This renders the situation still
more dangerous. for rs soon as the appoint
mcnts are all made the stump-speakers will
go TO Mort h Carolina. Tennessee. Florida,
and Louisiana, and argue the fairness Of the
Republican party. calling upon their civil
service experience 10 bear them out, and
then say, Gentlemen. 10 vote the Demo-
cratic party in i 10 vote this noble reform
out BY this means they have n chance to
carry two or three southern states. They
are now LAYING the foundation for this
work by creating the impression, and
making Il widespread. that the Democrats.
and particularly Hendricks. are openly de-
claring that the ciSi-scryice law viii not
be regarded il they are successful. This
will be great issue IN the campaign. Walt
and See"