The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-08-15

be the judges, then Mr.. Cleveland
has failed in his duty to the country
and to them. He has not sought
the counsel of the politicians, but,
on the contrary, has in some instan-
ces where advice was Officiously
proffered intimated in the most I'M
mistakable manner that he was re-
sponsible for the proper conduct of
the Government. Consequently some
of the politicians consider the Pres
ident failure But the people have
a far different opinion. They be
lieve that the President has been
honest and sincere in his endeavor
to give the country pure admins
tration; that he has faithfully ad-
hered to the pledges he made in re-
gard to sustaining the Civil Service
law; that he has had the firmness to
withstand the opportunities of office
seekers, and has striven to select the
best men for the public service.
His care and deliberation in the
matter of removals have brought
upon him the charge of hesitation
and slowness, but computation
will show that something over five
thousand changes have already been
made. By these changes the public
service has been benefited and the
standard of efficiency raised to a
higher plane. In all the Govern
ment departments excessive and in
competent employees have been re-
moved, and those who have remain
ed have been given to understand
that the Government expects from
them honest, conscientious and eff
ficient work. Wherever it could be
accomplished, methods of keeping
accounts have been simplified so that
the force could be reduced and all
duplication of work avoided. In
the prosecution of reform many in
stances of glaring irregularity, if
not actual fraud, have been brought
to light and prompt measures taken
to avoid their repetition. In word,
the different Secretaries have
brought the work of their depart
ments down to business basis, and
the work is being transacted with
economy, efficiency and dispatch.
In the general operation of the ad
ministration there is much to com
mend and applaud. Secretary Man
ming has taken measures to main.
tain the public credit and avert a
financial disaster through the con-
tinuance of the coinage of silver
dollars. Attorney General Garland
has rendered an opinion which will
prevent the United States from be-
ing bound by contract made not
in accordance with an act of Con
gress, but apparently solely to ena-
BILE a favored contractor to foist bad
work upon the Government and com
pei it's acceptance, and the Secre-
tary of the Navy, in consequence of
that opinion, will now be enabled to
secure the building of Government
ships in substantial manner
through the fair and honorable com
petition of bidders who know that
honest workmanship and strict
compliance with the specifications
will be required and that the ele-
ment of favoritism will not enter
into the award of the contract. The
Postmaster General has shown by
his arrangement for the transporta-
ton of foreign mails that he is not
to be forced into a distribution of
an appropriation not for the best in
terests of the Government, and has
secured perhaps, quite as satisfactory
a service at the old rate. The In
dian question has been treated with
a wisdom and firmness that COM
mand admiration, and an outbreak
which threatened to swell to alarm
ing proportions has been nipped in
the bud and an amicable settlement
arrived at
There is therefore much cause for
congratulation in the brief review
that we have made. The foreign
service has been improved; the
credit of the Government strength
ened; frauds and irregularities I'M
der Republican rule detected and
the proper remedies applied; the
business of the Government is being
economically and efficiently con-
Quoted, and the provisions of the
Civil Service law strictly adhered to-.
= Washington Post.