National Republican., 1884-02-25
sMnIInNY-TniI RcnubIIcnns.

swaIIow-TaiI Republicans.
No ono will dispute the eminent respecta-
bility Of the three hundred republicans who
sat down to a sort of reunion dinner in
Brooklyn on Washingtons birthday. They
wcro for tho most part gentlemen who arc
used to dining out, and are probably more
familiar with dinner-tahlo etiquette than
with tho needs, aims, and purposes Of the
party which they profess to represent. 1t is
also quite possible that they oxaggcrato their
own Importance as a political factor. When
they undertake to weigh themselves against
the great mass of republicans who were not
at the Brooklyn dinner they are more likely
to fly into tho air than to lift Eve millions Of
voters up to their own plano of political
virtue and personal excellence.
1t Is not, however, of the chosen three
hundred who dned in Brooklyn on the
evening Of the twonty-second instant that
we desire to speak. IL is of the seventy
five who camo over to New York on the
following day aud held u farewell meet
ing before they separated. These amateur
statesmen are thoroughly imbuod with the
idea that they are the guardians of the civil
service, and that if it were not for their
vigilance the whole fabric would crumble to
ruin. The main purpose Of tho seventy-fve
who held tho supplementary meeting in New
York was to give notice to tho republican
party that unless candidate is nominated
| for president who is acceptable to them they
will defeat him.
The two objects which the seventy five pro-
fess to have especially at heart are admins
trative reform aud "civil service reform"
We are all tolerably familiar with what is
meant by civil service reform, but admin
istrative reform is new term which seems
to have beon evolved from the Brooklyn din
ner. Mr.. Potts, of New Jersey, is tho cham
pion of this particular kind of reform, and he
said that it would be the leading issue in the
presidential campaign, and the republican
candidate who was not in accord with it
would be beaten. 1t is to bo presumed that
|
trative reform. He ran for governor some
three years ago and was defeated, although
he assures us that tho republicans of that
state are greatly devoted to the political idea
which he holds to be essential to success.
Mr.. Philip c. Garrett. of Philadelphia, was
also ono of the speakers, and he declared that
the republicans whom he represented would
not allow their party to succeed unless "it
adheres to the principles Of administrative
reform" Mr.. Garrett has attained some dis
tinction as chairman of the Philadelphia com
Brooklyn dinner somewhat depressed from
the effects of the defeat sustained by his COM
mittee at the late municipal election. In
| view of the result of his efforts in behalf OF
the democratic candidate for mayor Of Phila-
delphia his threat to work against the repub.
lican candidate for president is not specially
alarming.
Mr. Thomas Leaning, who is represented
to be "young" republican of Philadelphia,
gave it as his opinion that the country would
go to the dogs unless the better class of peo.
pie took hold of politics, and he declared that
he would not care to dine with tho Pennsyl-
vania republican state central committee II
the independent" republicans of Philadel-
phia are wise they will relegate this dude"
in politics to the drawing room circles tc
which he belongs The plain people of the
country have more or less prejudice against
the professional civil service reformcrs be-
cause they fear fixed tenure of Office may
beget snobbery, and speeches like that made
by Mr.. Leaning in New York on Saturday
greatly tends to confirm the belief.