Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-07-25
THE ADMINISTRATION.

A Correspondent on the Continuance in,
and Appointing to, ONCE Of EePubli-
cans.
Editor 9th Register.
1t cannot be denied that the conduct Of
the present Administration and many OF its
sppointees have shown q timidity IN re-
placing Republican o~fice-holders with
Democrats, which gives just cause of alarm
to the Democratic party at large. Speak
ing IS do from a standpoint where office
does not enter, for l have neither sought
nor expect to seek any place in the gift Of
the Government, | am bold to assert that
the enthusiasm of the party has been weak
ened, if not destroyed, by leaving all but q
few positions of trust in Republican hands,
or returning them to places Of great power
and emolument, as, for instance, Postmss-
ter PIerson, of New York City. Mr.. Burt,
the recently appointed Naval officer, reap
pointed his seven deputies q few days ago,
all of whom are Republicans, and who are
now fixed in their places. Throughout
Virginia some changes have been made,
but the persons ousted are distasteful alike
10 Republicans and Democrats. Even there
has been q hardness that has enthused Ma,
hone and dispirited his Democratic oppo
nents. In West Virginia scarcely a change
has been made, and 50 throughout the list
of States; so that whilst the Republican
party was really defeated last fall, it prsc-
tieAlly holds full and undiminished
sway over the Government, and
so far as States and their indi-
vidual elections are concerned nearly every
element Of strength remains with the Re
publicsns, and whether Democratic or Re-
publican victory is declared at the polls the
result is the same. The masses Of the
Democrat, party, that is, h 81 who coui I
on election day are not seeking or expect
ing Office. l live in a county where there
are eight hundred Democratic votes, every
one Ct which has been at the polls when
needed, q county IN which there Is a clear
Democratic majority of over four hundred
and there are not three men Of them who
are applying for any position under the
Government, and those only for some small
thing like deputy marshall. Il give that
number to be safe, but / know of but one
/ take it that this county is about on a par
with most other counties in the State, and
clearly demonstrates that the greed for
Office 80 loudly shouted against Us Is q
chimers of the Republican brain. Let it
be understood then that the masses do not
want Office, what they want is that the In
solent office holders who have been tor
nearly Q quarter of a century lording it
over them, whose tauntsa and jeers they have
borne with the rank submission which
becomes the vsRquished he 10 longer
left where their insults may again
be cast into their very faces, but that these
vampires be. removed and competent and
decent men appointed in their places and
these men Democrats. This is the only
greed for Office" belonging to the Demo
cratic people of West Virginia, and this
greed is p~ardonable, for they want this done
as much in New York as in West Virginia.
Certainly we have borne the naughty insult
of the Federal officer until patience has
ceased to be q virtue. IL is useless to deny.
and nobody Of any sense does deny that if
this cry Of civil service reform or anything
else preventing the Administration from
making changes of officers, or if when
changes are made Republicans are preferred
TO Democrats that the Democratic party
will fall TO pieces in less time than noE lies
between today and the next Presidential
election. aft Republicans control the Gov
eminent" Democrats will say let it be in
their own name and not in ours"
This delay in appointing, y where
when the appointment is made the person
is bound to be q Democrat, rs unwise in the
extreme, since it gets up between party
friends great contests for the position, and
when at last the appointment come the de-
feated or disappointed aspirsnt and
his friends are chsgrined to
that extent sometimes of almost driving
them from the ranks. This could never
occur but for this delay, aud but for it many
would never have been applicants. Such
defeat is the most dispiriting of all defeats,
because there is no redress When ones
enemy has him hors de combat be hopes
some day to meet him again upon q veto.
rious Held, but when your very friends prove
more hostile than your enemies your career
is finished.
If there are not enough Democrats In the
United States to practically gil the Offices
under q Democratic Administration, the
party does not deserve the power, and the
present four years will end it. If there are,
the masses would like to see them there, 80
that If the Government is ruined the censure
may fall on Democrats. As an humble cit
izen / firmly believe, and believe further
that / touch . chord of sympathy in every
Democratic bosom to whom these lines
come, that If the President Wishei heart aud
soul to destroy the party that elected hin in
Virginia and West Virginia, he Q do so
now and for al time BY putting in Office in
these States any present Republican incum
bent or appointing some Republican not
now in Office A dose of prussic acid would
not kill quicker. l have seen no Democrats
whose sentiments / have not volcsd.
ID q II