Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-03-20
The Neu Ahminia, ration.


The View Administ ration.
All the accounts which come from Washing
ton agree in conveying the impression that
President Cleveland has entered on his high
office with sincere purpose to make his &C.
tions conform to his civil service reform de-
clarations, to resist the pressure Of the spoils-
men, and fulfil the high expectations which
the promises of his friends have raised for him
and his administration. The letters and des-
patches which come to stslwart Republican
papers, like the Boston journal and New York
Tribune, concede this, and the bourbon Dem
ocratic papers concede it by their respondent
tone and the doubts they begin to express
whether, after all, it is Democratic admin
istraton which holds the power.
The picture of political life in Washington
which the dispatches have brought since the
4th of March has been lively one. At first
they showed great mob of offioe-seekers be-
seiging the White House and the departments,
each man supposing or hoping that he was to
be given the reward of his party fidelity in the
shape of a country post-office or other Federal
place, and so be sent home happy in the calm
assurance that the country was at last safe"
These fingered, gradually lessening army,
while their money or the good nature of their
friends lasted, finally departing with curses
and not blessings on their lips, and with a
heavy doubt in their hearts as TO whether the
alleged Democratic restoration is not all a
myth. The mob has at last gone and the men
who are left, or who now go on missions to
the capital, are party leaders from the various
sections, state delegations, and representa-
tives of Democratic organizations in the CEN
tres of population and influence. These in
their turn are approximately demanding what
the administration means to do for them and
the party behind them, but the reply which
they get is not more reassuring than was
given the mob. II believe in civil service re.
form; 1 am pledged to its principles and 1
mean to put them in practice" This is sub
stantially what Mr.. Cleveland says to all his
party friends, whether of high or low degree,
who call on him to urge the claims of indi-
viduals or of sections. The following extract
from Boston Journal dispatches illustrates
this:
"The complaint of the Congressman is not because
changes not rapidly made-they admit that the
Administration is right in proceeding slowly and eau
tiously in turning out old officials and putting in
men-but they are mad because the party leaders
not admitted to the confidence Of the Administration.
They are indignant at being kept in ignorance Of all
the plans and purposes OF the new regime. They
would be satisfied they say II the President or his
heads of departments would assure them that the
time is coming when Republicans must make way for
democrats but none OF them can get any such assur-
ances. The most prominent Democrats outside the
members OF the Administration cannot learn anything
definite in regard to appointments about which they
inquire. 1t is not uncommon to hear Democrats
plain already that Republicans are treated with q
much consideration at the White House they are.
why said one Of the most Influential of the Demo.
cratic senators, the people ask TO help them about
post-ofces and all sorts Of things. do not believe
there s post-oce so small that could control it,"
OF the same tenor is a Tribune despatch
which relates the experience of an Alabama
delegation who called and informed the Presi-
dent that they had agreed how the Federal
Offices in that state should be parceled out.
Mr.. Cleveland listened courteously and in re-
ply commended to his visitors careful exam
ination of his published views on civil service
reform, and observed 81 desire you to un-
derstand that am seriously in earnest in re-
gard to that subject" The despatch adds,
almost unnecessarily, that after the Alabam-
ians had retired to a safe distance 'they gave
vent to their disgust and wrath in curses,
some loud and all deep"
southern Congressman, who had made
fruitless visit to the post. Office department, is
quoted as saying in q sort of desperation
at seems that we do not know enough to sp-
point a Democrat to country cross roads
post. Office. If Blaine had been elected there
would at least have been some changes AR.
thurs friends certainly would have gone out,
and Blaine's would have gone in but now
We stand up here against dead wall 1t is
Ridiculous"
The following expression from Senator
Coekrell of Missouri to his Office -seeking con-
stituents does credit to him no less than to
the President:
Gentlemen, I have been twice TO the White House
kindly, and after he had told me what be hoped to
do and bow he intended to do it, should have been
ashamed to put my oar In and ask him TO break all his
purposes to put my friends into ONCE. You get
some one else to represent you In this matter. will
do anything else In the world for you, but will not
go up to the White House and ask the President to
break his promises and violate his idea Of what s his
duty In order to satisfy me-"
All these incidents and expressions, which
might be multiplied indefinitely, are to the
same effect. They show that Mr. Cleveland
has begun with q determination TO give the
country business-like, reform" admiuistra-
ton. Even to Vice President Hendricks the
correspondents declare that his reply is the
same-that his civil service reform express
sions have meant what they said, and that
they define his position exactly.
All this is exceedingly good, and is eminent
ly satisfactory to all men who put public af-
fairs above party interests and are anxious first
of all for clean administration and good gov
eminent But the vital question is whether the
new President will be able to hold himself up
to the high mark which he seems to have set
for himself. The present generation has seen
conspicuous instances of the woes OF Presi-
dent at war with his party, but all these woes
will be doubled ten-fold on Mr.. Cleveland's
head il he develops tho backbone, coupled
with sound judgment and capacity for public
affairs to hold to his own course to the end.
II he proves to have this grace of continuance
break in his party will come, by the
time the next Congress meets in December,
which will leave him without anything that
can be calleda Democratic party behind him
but in place of such party he would have the
cordial support of the best men of all parties.
President Cleveland has before him an op-
portunity to make himself the coming man of
his time. The opportunity is given him to
incur the eternal hostility of all self. seekers
spoilsmen, and traders in the government pat
ronage, and to make himself the man to whom
the people, as distinguished from the poliu.
CLANS, would spontaneously turn for leader
ship at the end of his term of office. Our own
antieipations are not raised to the height Of
expecting to see him do this, but still there Is