The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-01-08
Mr.. Cleveland's Letter.

Mr.. Cleveland's Letter.
We published last week the letter OF
President-elect Cleveland to Geo. w. Cur.
tbs, giving his views of civil service and
indicating the policy that will govern his
administration in his appointments to Of
flee. 1t is q frank, straightforward state
ment of what Mr.. Cleveland considers
proper and conservative in the distribu
ton of patronage. OF course it was hard.
ly expected that it would meet the appro-
val of extreme men of either party, no
more than an expression of conservative
sentiment on other subjects would. We
find Republicans who construe the letter
as studied plan to give full force and
ample range to the spoils system, and that
it is simply the employment of words to
conceal purposes, looking to u general
sweep in the public service, by which all
Republicans will be brushedaway and Dem
ocrats invited to fill their places. In other
words, they assume that the object of the
letter was to deceive the public, and es-
pecially that class of civil service reform
ers which Mr.. Curtis represents. And
singularly enough there seems to be sweet
harmony between this class of Republic
cans and the moss-back Democrats. who
believe it is divine right that pertains to
themselves to fall heir to all the benefits
and perquisites of official patronage, and
have for quarter Of century considered
that they have been cheated out of their
birthright because they have not been per
mitted to Appropriated themselves all the
fat things of the earth. This class do not
denounce the President for intimating
that it is possible for some of the present
appUsseNas to hold over, but they interpret
the letter as a masterpiece of deception,
intended to reach direction by lndirec-
ton, and encompass all the ends cherished
by the machine manipulators, under the
guse of affected reform.
1t is quite likely that both of these
classes of critics have deceived them
selves. 1t is entirely possible that Mr..
Cleveland intended in his letter precisely
that which the plain meaning of the Ian
guage he employed imports. There was
no occasion for him to resort to the arts of
the demagogue to conceal latent purpose
OF assume virtue that he had no thought
of practicing. He was addressing gen.
tleman who does not profess to be a Dem
ocrat, but who, for reasons satisfactory
to himself, preferred to support the nomi-
nee for President of party against which
he had always warred, to the selection Of
the political force with which he had al
ways been identified. This gentleman, too,
spoke in his letter to which Mr.. CIeve-
lands was response, for an organization
independent of both the great political
parties, composed mainly of revolving Re-
publicans, who were sufficiently strong to
determine the Presidential result. Mr..
Cleveland wrote in the knowledge that he
was not elected by the strength of the
party which nominated him-that the con-
tingent support he received, which assured
a favorable result, was from considera-
lions directly the antipodes of the moss
back notions Of official duty. He could
not have been unmindful OF these deter
inmate influences so suspicious on the
4th of November last, nor of the nice
adjustment of margins which turned
the scales on that pregnant day. He wrote
like man who understood the situation
who appreciated the combination of forces
and accidents, and that it was not to the
confidence of the people in Democratic
methods OF policies, that was due his cleo
ton. For this reason, were there no 9TH
er, it was proper for him to get above
party ruts, to indicate purpose of depart
ing from machine methods, and elevate
his thoughts and his motives above the
atmosphere of bummers and camp fol-
loWars-
These considerations are sufficient to
justify the belief that Mr.. Cleveland meant
in his letter precisely what he said. Yet
there were other facts related to the SUBJ
ject, which justify this conclusion. 1t
must be borne in mind that since the last
Democratic President who had the honor
of dispensing the favors of government,
there has been radical change in condl-
tions, fact that the traditional moss
back seems incapable of recognizing. The
issues and policies which were then mat
ter of controversy have passed away, or
been lost amid the thrOes and commissions
of revolution. We are confronted with diff
ferent questions affecting government-are
invited to the consideration of new prob
lens of administration and new pol
icies relating to the general welfare
In all the legislation which has been
instrumental in lifting the country out
of the environments of chaos, the moss
backs have simply stood as obstruction-
lists. Our financial system is the pro-
duct of Republican brains our reve-
nue. laws are the outcome Of states
manship to which fossilized Democracy
is stranger our industrial system, diff
fusing its benefits throughout all the ram
ifications of society, is the result of care
full study Of the agencies to assure COM
mercial independence. Under such infiu-
ences Mr.. Cleveland has stepped upon the
stage of political action, surrounded by
conditions and circumstances which did
not exist when MI. Buchanan listened to
the appeals and yielded to the importuni-
ties of the unwashed and unterrifed De-
mocracy. He must address himself to
these new relations, and to do SO success
fully he will not look solely to the advice
and suggestions of the class of politicians
who have learned nothing and forgotten
nothing within the past quarter of a GEN.
tury. The hungry and thirsty Will beset
his pathway at every turn. Indifferent to
the failure or success of his administra-
tion, so they are provided for. The spoils
Of Office constitute the Alpha and Omega
of their political creed, and to grasp them
there will be no resort too offensive and no
deVfseEent too questionable for them to
avail of for the accomplishment of their
ends.
There is however, progressive element
identified with the Democratic name-an
element that is alive to the influences
which are directing the progress of the