Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-01-31

marked departures OF the "God ana
Morality party from the superiine rules
Of political ethics which the leaders OF
that organization are go fond of formu-
lating and of totally disregarding. Per-
haps the most colossal humbug in all the
records OF constitutional government has
been the Republican juggling with what
has been very happily called "Snivel
Service" reform. In its inception this
legislation was intended to secure to Re-
publican partiznns n perpetual lien upon
the Offices which they hold. and to pre-
vent Democrats from ever getting
chance to Lold office. The modas ope.
randi OF the thing is very simple. In
the first place, no Democrat is eligible 10
any position in Washington higher than
$1,000 clerkship. On the assumption
that he might attain ono of these berlhs
all further progress would be ON All iron
clad system Of going through the several
grades to the top. The next salient fea.
turo Of the business is the appointment
Of commission consisting exclusively OF
Republicans. When an unfortunate
Democrat appears before this learned
body, although LIE may be an applicant
for position in which he is simply called
upon 10 copy documents, as in the Patent
office, or to enter figures and statements
in long ledgers under ruled headings,
Messieurs the Republican Commissioners
only need to plump at the unfortunate
applicant some question relating 10 the
differcntial calculus or the lsidorian De-
cretals, and his goose is cooked at once.
1t goes without saying that very few
Democrats are going to subject them
selves to such an ordeal They under.
stand the solemn fraud to nicely, and
they know that some of the most illus.
trious men who have ever filed the Pres.
idency Of the United States would be
foored upon the first turn of the inter-
rogatory crank. Probably most of our
readers have had occasion to remark
that it makes good deal of difference
who asks the questions. Put the appli
cant in n high chair and give him week
to study up abstruso questions, and he
would disable the Commissioners with as
much ease as they dispose of him. A
man ought TO be judged not by what he
happens not to know in certain special
sciences and departments of study, but
by his general intelligence and worth.
When il comes to the case OF the Repub-
lican applicant, however all the Com
missioners have to do us respects their
fellow partizan is to "bo to his faults
little blind and to his virtues very
kind"
1t is this fraudulent aspect of this
much mooted question that will in all
likelihood lead the Democratic House of
Representatives TO decline to appropri-
ate money for the maintenance OF this
one-sided and hypocritical Commission.
What is the history Of the Republican
party in the matter of appointments to
Office? A brief glance at it will prove
quite instructive.
Once fairly planted in clover, the Re-
publican leaders are vociferous in de-
manding that the tenure of office shall
be during good behavior, How was it
with that party in 1860? 1t is matter
of history that no such hungry horde of
oilice.seekers ever appeared in Washing
ton as that which signali2ed the inaugu-
ration of Mr.. Lincoln. Every Demo-
hailed. or what might have been his
sentiments in regard TO the war, WAS re-
morselessly made to walk the plank.
Many of the gentlemen thus dismissed
went into the army and fought for the
Union to the last gasp,
When during the war or since has n
Republican appointed Democrat to
office (of course we are not alluding to
little country post-oilces in which there
is no money! cxceptwhcn he was an apos-
tate from his party. The Republican
party showed its greed 10 hold on to every
crumb of political emolument during the
administration of President Johnson by
passing the tenure of office bill, by
which, in effect, the constitutional APP
pointing power of the President was
materially abridged.
1t ought to be borne in mind that it was
not until the Democrats developed de-
gree OF strength which threatened to
give them the control Of the government
that the Republican zeal for civil SER
vice reform, so-called, was developed,
The agitation, as we have before said,
was intended to throw dust in the eyes
of the public and to give Republicans a
prescription of all the offices.
Fortunately as an illustration of the
Republican hypocrisy in this matter we
have two recent instances. The first
was in the late organization of the SEN
ate. 1t had always been a rule OF that
body TO make very few changes in it's
officers. 1t was conceded ona all hands that
the Democrats, who occupied number of
the posts, were capable and respectable.
Here, in the Senate OF the United States,
we find the very incarnation of Repub-
liean leadership deliberately splitting
upon the civil service reform about
which its members as individuals had
canted so much. Against the protest of
a few members, who saw how scandalous |
and inconsistent the act would look to |
the people of the United States, the
Democrats holding positions in the Sen.
ate were removed and their places were
given to Republicans. And yet, in the
face OF this partizan action of the other
day, the Republican orators and news
papers have the Arctic check to re-
proach Democrats for their honest and
indignant repudiation of doctrine
which is in no sense Democratic, and
which Andrew Jackson would have
trampled under his feet,
Two instances in illustration Of our
argument are as good as a hundred, and
we will content ourselves with a second
example OF Republican devotion to civil
service reform. A subcommittee of the
House of Representatives has just COM
pieted its examination of the Republican
ex-Speaker, Keifer, on the charge that
he insisted, at the last session of the
Foriy-seyenth Congress, Ii the last day
of the session, upon discharging an &c.
coinplished stenographer in order to give