St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-29
n United States SenGtOrsIiip Depending
Upon the Decision Of Cor Hamilton
in the LenlGn- RraHd Case.
What viii He Do with TIP
Especial Telegram to the Globe.


Especial Telegram to the GlobeI
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2S.-"Gov. Cleveland
has now the opportunity to break up the Re
publican or Democratic party, aud / am anx-
ious to know what he intends to do" This
remark was dropped by a southern politician,
who for years has been keen and intelli-
gent observer of events in Washington.
What may have justified this remark or been
the cause Of anyapprehension that Gov. Cleve-
land would break up the Democratic party
know not. Still, it is not to be
denied that there is great feeling of un-
easiness that the new president may break
down at the very threshold of his administra-
tion if he suffers his policy TO be dictated by
a coterie of Independent Republicans who
seek to shackle him with civil service law.
1t is to be borne in mind that all the dec
larations thus far given to the public touch
ing the new presidents attitude towards
the civil service rule came from Re-
publican sources, and all instances
wherein the president-elect is alleged to
have made any declaration on the subject
have been to interviewers on behalf of the
Republican press. Thus far Washington is
not overrun with politicians, but among
those already here there is the hope that Mr.
Cleveland will not forget the services Of the
great party behind him. Leaders of the
party whose counsels will be valuable, If not
Ignored, will differ with any policy which
contemplates an administration OF Demo-
cratic reforms and principles at the hands of
Republican officeholders. Said a veteran
Democrat:
president Cleveland must not overlook
the fact that the so called Independent Re-
publicans are not Democrats. True, quite a
number of this class supported and voted for
Grover Cleveland. This, not because of an
endorsement of the Democratic platform or
principles in contradistinction to the Repub-
lican platform, but because personal hatred
Of Blaine These men do OF intend to STAY
with the Democratic party, and would leave
1t tomorrow If the chance were
given them to vote for any Republican pres
ldential candidate except Blaine. Hence for
the president-elect to be governed by such
men is no more nor less than a Democratic
fgurehead as president, having his admins
sTative policy dictated by a small minority of
he Republican party"
No matter what policy NAV be followed by
the president-elect, it is bound to entail
trouble and dissention. If the civil service
formula is to apply to Democratic appoint
ments, to follow it out would take twice four
years to dislodge the army of Republican office
holders. Meanwhile, the faithful and worthy
Democrats would be set out on the curbstone
to excite the gibes and jeers of the Republi-
can office-holding class kept in Office in per-
petuity under the operations of a law which
has no essence of Dem ocracy in it, and
which, as matter of fact, is damned bv
both parties. 1t is originated to please the
Miss Nancies, and it is the fear of offending
this Jdelectab lie and perfumed class
that its continuance is possible
Meanwhile, in dulging the hope that President
Cleveland will conform to the law, the Re-
publicans are preparing the way to get in
under its cloak every one of their officehold-
ers in Washington.
Under the system as now classified it
applies only to clerkships up to the 81, 800
class. All over that, such as chief clerks,
heads of divisions, etc., are exempt from its
operations, but now comes along senator
Edmunds, who has scheme concocted to
save these. The erudite senator, who is
nothing if not partisan, has pointed
out a serious defect in the civil
service law. The rule referred to exempts
from examination and puts outside of the
provisions regulating entry into the civil
service among others chiefs of divisions
and chief clerks of departments or offices.
he ic hv hot
exempted? All of these officers NAV be now
discharged without cause, and their places
filed directly from civil life as before the law
was passed. As all, or nearly all, now in
the service have been gradually pro-
NOTED to their present grade on
account of experience and fitness
for higher trust, they are under
this Interpretation of the law now enforced,
placed in the anomalous position of being
subject to and inviting, as it were, immedi-
ate dismissal for having deserved promo
ton. This, Senator Edmunds says. attacks
the very object of the law to improve the
civil service of the United States.
The commissioners contend that under
provision of section 2 they are empowered,
with the approval of the president, to make
any necessary exceptions from the eight
fundamental provisions of the rules
which put it in their power
to nullify the intent of the act, aud all that
they are required by the law to do is to give
reasons therefor in the next annual report.
If one class of employees. whose experience
an d fitness ought to protect them from re-
moval except for cause, can be exempted
from the intent of the law, another and still
another class may be included in the rule.
and thus, Senator Edmonds is Quoted
as saying, the object of the law
will have been defeated. With an admins
traiion favorable to the letter and to the
spirit of the rules which have the force of
law, it is urged that there is nothing to be
feared with one which might find the loop
holes convenient. There is, it is said, every
promise for evading them.
This, it appears has caused great futter
among the advocates of the civil service re-
form and hence a stricter and more
perfect classification of the en-
tire clerical force IND the government
employ may be looked for in few weeks, so
as to include all the subordinate places,
clerks and officers in the public service not
hitherto classified and above the grade of