Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-10
The Kind of Office Holders the south
Needs.

The Kind Of Office Holders the South
Needs.
The necessity for changes in the civil
service in the south is very generally
recognized even by the Independent Re
publican newspapers. The New York
Times says that "the curse Of the South
ern service is that it is partisan SER
vice.
/ 1t says, however, that little would be
| gained by replacing the present officials
with Democrats who are extreme par
tisans. The Democrats, it admits, would
be q slight Improvement, even if they
were extreme partisans, because they
would be susceptible TO the influence of
public opinion in their respective COM
munities, which the Republican officials
have not been to any marked extent.
The Times thinks that the South needs
a body of Federal Office holders "Of good
character and ability" who would repre-
sent the Federal government with dignity
and perform their duties with credit to
themselves, and who would not interest
themselves in mere partisan struggles.
Would not such Office holders as the
North as for the South? Is it not as
necessary that the offices at the North
should be filled with capable and con-
scientous men who would not take an
active part in partisan politics as at the
South
The Times touches upon point that,
doubtless, will have considerable weight
with the President in dealing with the
civil service question at the South. The
Times says:
There is a deep-roOted feeling in the
minds of "A large part of the people Of the
North that the Southern people not only
retain some of their luminosity toward the
Union, but that, politically, they have not
attained a high level of capacity, intelli-
gence, and self-contrOl. Nothing would
so surely and effectually dispel this feel
ing as the reorganization of the civil SER
vice in the South with Southern men of a
high standard of fitness. We need not
say that we have not the slightest doubt
that such a reorganization is entirely
practicable, and that MIR. Cleveland
firmly purposes to carry it out. 1t
would be a great advantage to the
South itself; it would be an advan-
tage equally great to the whole country.
The sentiment of distrust still lingering
in the Northern mind toward the South is
an incalculable evil. 1t was inevitable
that il should exist, and it has given way
to an extent that ten years ago seemed
impossible. Its disappearance has been
largely due TO the high character and the
dignity and ability of many of the zen
whom the Southern States have sent to
represent them in the national legisla-
ture. 1t can now be almost wholly re-
moved by the appearance in the Federal
service of local representatives of the
same character.
We are not prepared to deny that the
Times is right about the "deep-rooted feel
ing" which it says is entertained at the
North with respect to the Southern peo-
pie, although we deny that it is well
founded, and we are free to say that. ad-
hitting that it exists, we have no Objec-
ton to having it removed in the way the
Times suggests.
We have said repeatedly that we would
much rather have the President move
slowly in making changes in the Offices in
the South, If by that course the Offices
would be filed with a higher and more
acceptable class OF men, than to act has
tily and fill the offices with officials who
would not have the confidence OF their re-
spective communities and who would not
give satisfaction.
There are good men in every community
in the South who would make excellent
officials. They may not be among the
applicants for office, and they may not
have the sort of ability that is necessary
to force their applications on the atten-
tion of the President, but they can be
found without trouble if inquiry is made
for them.
We do not want extreme partisans in
the Offices. We want for our Office hold
ers honest, efficient and selt-respecting
men-men who believe in the principles
of the Democratic party, but who will
understand that they are to earn their
salaries by faithfully and satisfactorily
discharging the duties Of their Offices,
rather than by talking politics on street
corners and in barrooms and by packing
caucuses and political conventions.