The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-08-23

think that the people of the United States
would like it too, the knaves always ex-
cepted.
Mr.. Cleveland had never been a professed
civil service reformer. But he soon showed
that he understood and adopted the vital prin-
ciples of civil service reform by instinct, He
said in his letter of acceptance when nomi-
mated for the Governorship: !Subordinates
in public place should be selected and retain
ed for their efficiency, and not because they
may be used to accomplish partisan ends.
The people have a right to demand here, as
in case of private employment, that their
money be paid to those who will render the
best service in return, and that the appoint.
ment to and tenure of such places should de.
pend upon ability and merit" This is the
whole in a nutshell. And he not only under
stood it and said it, but he acted accordingly
when in power, for he favored and signed and
faithfully helped to execute the civil service
act for the State of New York which embodies
just these principles, although he knew that
it cut off the loaves and fishes of public spoil
in a great measure from his own party. But
more. He said in the same letter of accept.
ance: "The expenditure of money to inhu-
ence the action of the people at the polls or
to secure legislation is calculated to excite the
gravest concern. 1t is useless and foolish to
shut our eyes to the fact that this evil exists
among US, and the party which leads in an
honest effort to return to better and purer
methods will receive the confidence of our
citizens and secure their support Having
said this he favored and signed q prohibition
of political assessments in the civil service of
New York, although he knew that this meas
\ ure would most severely curtail the election
eering funds of his own party.
AS member of the Civil Service Reform
Association, | may say that when we prepared
and urged legislative reform measure we
never inquired whether Gov. Cleveland, al
though Democrat, would sign it, because we
knew he would if it was good one. When
the citizens of New York City sought TO cor
rect the crying abuses of their municipal gov
ernment, they, too, always counted with the
same confidence upon the Governor, no mat
ter whether the Democratic or the Republican
Party might be hurt by measure of true re-
form, and that confidence was always justified.
And, by the way, it is rather shabby piece
of business that some of the gentlemen who
leaned upon the Governor as one of their
principal pillars of strength, and were then
full of praise of him for his courageous resis-
tance to party pressure, should throw paltry
bubbles at him since he has become candi-
date for the Presidency. Had he not been
nominated it would have been said that the
unbending courage for the right with which
-, tI -, ST. Al JHsf91ataJ IL:
;nJaoJ tba ,b;no-e H,b;ob r,aJa IL o1o,,,;aS
hate him so bitterly. But take his whole re-
cord. When he ceased to be Mayer of Buifa-
10 a Republican paper said: yesterday
Buffalo lost the best Mayor she ever had"
When he ceases to be Governor, to become
detno I'll, III Ino oHsseI oE8teS, 'nese very
r,,,.a "a; 80 Go,,o,o, r. IN; "'U
T., ;,,st;no NC o.o ho,,rd ~ sa III, IT. Luo :;
~ Lo,o - ade L 20 Ii;aS neio -
ril:'n "HIoe IcI"o VI nono'', "i"
eiiGieliI 1uiliiliis'iii'lon are Siear
ntlu mno mas loe only Protllseu pu.
pPLood nf ~ L II. Is,'
SaIf 70 ,,oSso,s =, o., arn;aot Jaono AZ
c;noi ranm;S;tes Of fnvnont;va offe;ono r"C h;oh a
arc ;ncdrrunt;bIa ;ntear;tv oioar aad al.
well. informed mind n deviation to dntv s5rink'
inc from no labor n cool Indictment n bigb
sense of official honor. n keen Instinct of ms.
t;co and that rare conra@e which wbsnever
the nnblic good reouires Il frmIy res;sts NOT
only tbe onnosition of n hostile Marty Init
which is more difficult. the entreaty Of party
friends You fear that another marty comin1
into power will, in its eagerness to get posses.
sisn of the offices, turn out the GOOD men TO-
gether with the bad, and Won ask whether
there is a man who as President would be
strong enough to withstand the pressure of
his partisans admit you cannot find many
strong enough to do this, but do not think /
risk anything in saying that Mr. Cleveland is
one of the few. l should not be surprised if
he were the strongest of them all. AS to the
higher spheres of craftsmanship, it may be re-
membered that in every position of power
assigned to him he has shown an ability to
perform its duties beyond the expectations of
his friends And when he now says, as he
did week ago in accepting the nomination,
that he considers himself pledged to give to
may recall the fact that so far not one of his
pledges has remained unfulflled. Indeed, a