The Portland daily press., 1884-08-12

civil service the principal question involved
in the campaign and the attitude of the two
parties on this question as shown by their
records and declarations on the subject has
determined him to stick to the Republican
party. Referring 10 the allegation that IN
the past Mr.. Blaine has not been in sympa-
thy with the reform he says:
If it be said that Mr.. Blaine did not formerly sup
port the reform, answer that very few of us sup
ported it or understo cd 1t few years ago. If
it be said that he has used the old methods ans
wer, so have all leaders of both parties who have
been prominent in National affairs. Whatever men
have said of him they have never charged him with
want OF shrewdness or quickness in ascertaining
the current OF public opinion with Bourbon ina
bility to forget outwern methods His letter of ac-
ceptance shows that he recognizes the new element
which, If it be not regarded, will leave the party in
hopeless minority in some of the more important
States. He has learned by this time that there are
in the State of New York alone some twelve thou
sand school districts and that in almost every one
of them there is small number, and in some a
large number, of men to whom this question has
become paramount, who have against the spoils
system something of the bitter hatred which in the
old days was felt against slavery, and which used
feeling developed, and he easily see how this
new feeling will develop. But it may be said that
the Democratic party also has learned something.
Doubtless it has learned something on questions al
ready decided; but not this all important cues
tion of reform in the civil serqice The trouble
with the Democratic party for the last forty years
has been that 1t has never seen any great question
until the country, thanks to the Republican party
had got past it. The only source from which the
Democratic party has learned anything during all
these years has been Republican victories On slav
cry, the war; reconstruction, finance the currency
education in the South-on every great question
the Republican party has had to educate the Demo-
cratic party by Republican victory, and so it must
be in the civil service question Doubtless, af-
ter The Republican party has fully developed it and
carried it to triumph the Democratic party will &C.
cept it; but until then. To teach the Demo-
cratic party that civil service reform means any
thing National victory of the Republican party on
its present platform is an absolute necessity
Regarding Governor Cleveland as a re-
former, President White has this to say:
However much then may respect Mr.. Cleveland
| for what he has done as Governor, 1 see no hope
that he can have any similar career of reform as
President. He cannot resist his entire party They
are Every hungry and very thirsty with the hunger
and thirst OF "a years, and, in of victory no
President without far greater support than he can
hope for could resist their onset. To strengthen
him at Alb any there civil service element in
our State of some value; to support him at Wash:
iDgton, that element. diluted neutrazed by the
party in the whole nation will be practically innit
essima At Albany he had hackers in his party; at
Washington he mnst stand virtually alone SO far as
his party is concerned. With all his good intentions
he would be powerless to resist the famshed CO.
horts of plumber from East and West and South and
North, the sturdiest hunter of the plains would
be to Withstand single and alone rushing herd of
wild buffaloes.