The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-09-29
A REFo I'M LAW.

Some time ago Senator Edmunds, of
Vermont, had, himself interviewed on
the subject of removals from Office by
the President, and in the course of his
talk he intimated that in the Senate he
was going TO oppose the turning out OF
Republicans by refusing to confirm
Democrats. The party organs are just
now sending the interview on its rounds.
and are chuckling over the prospect of
a battle in which the President will lie
placed in a practically helpless condi-
ton at least during the session Of Con-
gress. Edmunds has been in public
life many years, but he has managed all
the time to conceal the fact that he was
a civil service reformer; now, however,
he makes the announcement boldly,
that he is "a friend and advocate of
civil service REFORM" and so much so
that he will in the Senate oppose "any
departure from the principle in the
matter of appointments, whether the
person Immediately concerned be a
friend or an entire stranger, whether
he be from Vermont or Texas"
He is willing to concede that
President Cleveland's intentions
are good" but thinks his Cabinet are
not linen who would help him in civil |
service reform" Some of Senator Ed |
munds' wards have been removed, |
which accounts for his patriotism and
sudden love for good civil service. The
New York Sun has been running
through his public record, and ascer-
tanning how he has stood on the
question of removals; among tae dis
coveries made is the following, which
was taken from one of his speeches in
the Forty-6rst Congress. The first
time that he opposes a confirmation,
some Democratic Senator will probably
read this to him, and ask for an expla-
nation of when and why he
changed his ideas:
If my friend by using the term
cause" in the sense that he under
stands it means that the party to be re-
moved must have been guilty Of some
high crime, then entirely disagree with
him. The Senator Mr.. Norton cannot
forget that the will Of the people is, as {
found in the statutes of the country,
that no officer shall hold his office for
more than four years. / say no officer,
l mean the great body of then; saying 7
mo officer" is saying it too widely.
But the great body of the administra- ]
tive officers of the government are limi-
ted in their tenure of Office to four 1
years: and the object of that was by
those who passed it, have no doubt, as ,
the object of the State Constitutions is
aloyer the country, that there NAV be
brought into direct review, into neces-
'sary review, within a limited;period, the {
public conduct of every man; and if he
has deserved a fresh lease of power, a 4
fresh evidence of public trust drawn
from the administration of his duties.
then 1t IS to be presumed he will receive
It, That is the theory of his govern
mant as l understand it; at any rate
that is the statute. Therefore | saw that
cause" In the sense that Understand
1t, and IN the sense that-the people L
have understood it, for a change u
In an officer is not aeceSsayiLu K
some misconduct of an officer, but it is il
a general and discreet survey by h
those who are Entrusted with the right r.
ana. nave the DUTY of decidingit of the C
general public and political reasons-not G
political in partisan sense necessarily, o
but IN q wider and better sense-Yhich Il
should govern administration. 81
1t is cause enough for me, sir, eonsti- a
tutlonal cause, when the President of tc
the United States, acting, if heis honest. W
as ne always must, upon conscienti ia
Gus sense of his responsibility to the b,
people and to God, chooses to send in 81
one mans name for a place that an Il
otheS holds. n
When pnblic man has made a pub- ca
nc record the very best thing he can do he he
S to forget that REGARD, as Edm1nds
1as done. 1t IS doubtful if the distin-
'uished Senator would ever have
hanged his views as to the right Of the NJ
President to appoint at pleasure. if neo- SCI
lie have gone on electing Republican e.
Presidents and the latter had allowed is SE
he distinguished Senator to control.fbe ag
'edexal patronage of Vermont. ga
Dr,