National Republican., 1885-08-12
THE IMpENDING CONFLICT.

THE IMPENDING CONFLICT.
1t is evident that the civil service law
is q source of profound dissatisfaction to
q numerous, noisy, and not uninfluential
element of the Democratic party.
Democratic state conventions do not
indorse the law nor the theory which 1t
embodies. The Democratic press Of the
United States is almost solid against that
theory. In New York strong effort is
being made to have the law condemned
in the Democratic state convention. In
Ohio the same scheme is being vigorously
worked, and there is a strong probability
that, when the Democratic party meets
to formulate platform and name candi.
dates, the anti civil service faction will
be in majority, and will put into their
enunciation of principles plank denun.
ciatory of the civil service statute, the
commission, and all things thoreunto
pertaining.
Among the thousands of Democratic
politicians, including senators and repre-.
sentatives in Congress, who have visited
this city since the new administration
came in, it has been next to impossible
tn find anybody who has had a good word
for this law, On the other hand, there
is not corridor in any department build
ing, not lobby in any hotel in Wash.
iugton that has not echoed with con.
temptuous and bitter denunciation of the
civil service law from the lips Of Demo.
cratic uotables. No other theme has
been so much discussed, no other thing
has been so much denounced.
Perhaps there is no other newspaper
which more clearly recognizes the ten
dency of Democratic sentiment on this
subject than the New York SIN, and
it is certain that no other paper gives such
clear and forcible expression to that sen.
timent. In an editorial commenting on
a paragraph in the speech Of Mr.. Cur
tis at the annual meeting of the Civil Ser
vice League in Newport last week, tl;e
Sun says;
What ground l. there for the ingenious ex-
ultation of the civil service reformorsY wha,
possible significance can be attached to the
TACT that tresidgnt cleveland executes .hi
he is doubtless well disposed toward the civi
service theory. But herein does he represen
his party? On the contrary, it is his grea
point oi variance WIN ms party anu M ~ Is mo- no
arisen in tho Democracy since Clevelnnt
came into oilicc has been due to this cause anC
no other That discomfort is perhaps les
a" ,h ob,m ~ m ] Vr 20 amv @ srowinS % love sO
the civil service delusion, but to tho incroas
ing rapidity with which Republican official
are turned out anu .,ii y, !" put M
there IL much grumbling about il; vet ther
is small hope for the civil service rcformer
in the fact
ii the laws to stand 1t mustbe defended
W .N' "D,,'"' P"''' "nu nv, ~
gent OF the democracy lhat IL ough
to be preserved, not as the sum of al
oood In civil service reTorm. Int as
a., .;.i,, l;.oo,;a, - L.
s'ep !" tme i'su' u''e'''o"' We n"'' y.
doubt. There nave Deen mistakes II
some of the details of the work per
cormed undar ,b;s law. no vas bnt main
'"~ =. -
raj, yer, on 'he Wnoie, its results nav
been good. IL has elevated the ton
and increased the efficacy OF the publ
service. 1t has accomplished much Q
the good that its advocates predicted
and it has significantly failed to hrin
forth the evil results that were predic,e
by its enemies. If it hos not proven
panacea 1T has certainly come to be re
garded as sale anu reiiapie speclhc.