Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-11-21
THE QUESTION OF OFFICIAL
EHANG LES

is not to be described as the anxiety OF
greed for government positions. The
mass of the people never get office, never
seek it and never have any thought of it;
nevertheless these same people are very
much interested in knowing who of their
neighbors are to fill the lesser ones and
who of their party leaders are to fill the
greater ones. For instance there are fif-
ty-two thousand post Offices in the land
and, every one knows, there is no man
better known to his neighbors than the
village postmaster and there is no position
| they discuss the occupant of with more
| criticism. The fact, also, that for the
| first time in twenty-four years another
party than the Republican has the dispo-
sal of the public patronage, is of itself
novelty likely to arouse the livellest in
terest. This patronage consists Of about
| $4,000 official positions, large and small.
| In the city of Washington alone the enor-
nous sum of $560,000 is paid out annual
| ly in salaries to the office holders. The
absence of Democrats is so absolute
in the official circles of the government
| that it is estimated nine-tenths of the
office holders are Republicans and the
other tenth is composed Of Democratic
officials of Congress Or relatives or friends
| of Democratic congressman, to whose in
| fluence with the administration they owe
few obscure and unimportant places.
| No administration is likely to be sue
cess that has not very large percentage
of its assistance ia political sympathy with
| it; but we think Democrats had as we'll
prepare themselves 10 time to expect from
| President Cleveland no such sweeping
| change of Office holders as the public mind
seems to be conjuring up. He is emphat-
| ically a civil service reform advocate, ard
his connection with that reform in his
| administration of the governorship of
New York. has shown pretty clearly that
he is not to be driven from his position by
the strongest pressure from his party The
same may be said of his record as Mayor
of Buffalo.
On the other hand Mr.. Clevelands con-
some office holders out. las to keeping others
| in. 1t is admitted that the long contln-
uance of the Republican party in power
has produced an accretion of political ia
| voyites in office, especially in the hive of
the Departments at Washington, who
neither earn their salaries, nor are compe-
| tent to do 80 if they were really put in in
| good faith instead of as political reward;
| in short class of dead-heads who attend
! to no duties and are lot expected to.
Another class, yet, are on the government
pay rolls and do work at all. To allsuch,
| Cleveland's administration will bring an
end of official life; but We doubt If his ad-
| ministratiou will cost single man or
woman their place who has been faithful
to duty and not mixed up service to their
party with their service to the govern
ment. We believe the following letter
from prominent leader of the Indepen-
dent Republicans of New Y ork, gives just
about what the incoming President will
adopt as rule; at least it is what his
past political history would warrant US to
infer
WEST New BRIGHTON, S. l., N. Y, Novem-
| Der 14.-Dear Sir: I have your letter of the
18th There is no doubt that Mr.. Cleveland
will encounter tremendous demand for
clean sweep. But think that, while changes
| will be and ought to be made for perfectly
| legitimate reasons he will respect the letter
| and the spirit of the reform law, and that non
| political officers who have been honest and
| effective in the discharge of duty, and who
have not misused their positions for party or
| political ends, will not be arbitrarily dismiss
| ed for political reasons.
Of course, [ have no authority to speak for
| Mr.. Cleveland. My faith is founded upon some
knowledge of his character and convictions
Truly yours,
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS.
| The following extract of speech deliv-
| cred by Samuel j. Randall before the
| Tammany Society of New York Saturday
night, outlines the same path:
| We want an Administration which will tell
| the oficeholder that he holds office as sacred
| trust; that offices are not made for the benefit
of those who will contribute the greatest sums
for party advancement. The Administration
will be governed by the laws, including the
Civil Service law, one feature of which is that
| the officeholder shall not devote his salary and
time to partisan services. Those who have
violated the law will be treated as Thomas
Jefferson treated the delinquents who had
violated the law under Mr.. Adams by interfer-
ing improperly in public affairs.
1t may be thus taken for granted by the
people who are interested in the matter of
official changes to come, that those Fed
eral officials who have coafiled them5 elves
to the simple discharge Of the duties of
their positions and have discharged them
efficiently, will not be disturbed; while
those who have used their positions for
political or party ends will be arbitrarily
superseded. This rule will severely affect
Senator Mahone's appointees in thu de-
partments of Internal Revenue, Customs
ial position has depended on the activity
shown in partizan service. But the Sen
ate is, and will for some years yet be a
Republican body. 1t IS to be presumed
that it will offer no opposition to the re-
moval of incompetent or inefficient officers
of any kind, but whether Republican
Senate will regard activity in behalf of the
Republican party as ineficiency, is re-
h9ction that must give the man waiting
for the vacancy, serious concern. Upon
the whole, we would advise those of the
Democracy looking TO places under tn g
new administration to possess their
souls Ia patience, give President Cleveland
their hearty support, and feel that the
change 10 the Federal government is
a;,ia ausa of thank fulnAsS if