The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-15
CARTOONS THAT ovERsHooT THE MARK

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Puck of the current week contains another
significant cartoon, for the publication Of
which the Republican party cannot be too
grateful. Scandalzing the Catholic Church
to get material for an illustration, it represents
government employees and minor officials hur-
rying to buy absolution by contributing to
the Republican campaign fund. Gen. g. B.
Raum is represented as the Catholic priest
selling dispensations for price, while his
companion bears with him Golfer labeled
Republican Campaign Fund" Ignoring the
gratuitous and irrelevant insult offered the
Catholic Church and its adherents, let
us examine the merits of the cartoon
First as matter Of fact, there has been
absolutely no evidence offered that any inn
proper methods have been or are employed in
obtaining contributions from the class Of
public servants Of whose welfare Puck and
the Democratic press in general seem SO so
has been adduced that anything like com
pulsion, tangible or implied, by threats or
hints has been employed by any person rep
resenting the Republican party. But taking
it for granted that any cry Of fraud, f.co-
ercion, or stop thief will be taken up by
the multitude without question: the Demo
cratic organs have again rushed forward with
the alarm ssWolf! wolfY and as patiently as
possible are waiting to realize on their
specious effort to deceive.
Turning to the cartoon again, let it be CON
ceded that all federal employees from scrub
women to chief clerks in the bureaus have
contributed tothe Republican campaign fund
What then9 Who more than Thomas A
Hendricks, the Democratic nominee for Vice
president, is responsible9 What Republican
has ever dared go to such lengths as
he did when he secuted the idea of civil
service reform by deliberately asserting that
in event of Democratic success, no less than
90, 000-think of itI-of these public servants
would at once be turned out to make places
for Democrats Was there ever time when
federal employees had such incentive to come
to the aid of the party in power7 They are
well assured that if the Republican party is
again successful but very few will
be molested in their positions. But if
the opposition succeeds-the word has been
uttered by one of authority in Democratic
councils-not less than so, 600 of them must
ego" The deliberate utterance of Thomas A.
Hendricks has left them no choice. Repub-
iean success only stands between them and
dismissal. According to Mr. Hendricks the
idea of civil-service reform is to be torn to
tatters, spit and trampled upon in event Of
the success of his party,
We invite the attention of independent re-
formers to this cartoon. Let them read be-
tween the lines and realize upon whom the
responsibility must rest. Mr.. Keppler, the
artist, would do the Republican party still
greater service if he were trife more ex-
plicit He should have pictured Mr. Hem
bricks standing in the doorway of Democratic
success, with the motto above him; III my
party goes in not less than $4,000 faithful
federal servants must be driven out Such
is his and his party's contempt for civil service
reform. The love Of spoils is as strong to-day
in the heart Of the Democratic party as it was
in the days Of jackson. Puck ought to be
pensioned for its effective manner of portray
ing this Characteristic.