The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-04-10
THE NEW YORK P0STOFFICE.


President Cleveland has reappointed
Henry G.. Pearson postmaster OF New
York city, in some respects the most i'm
portant place in the pOsta' service
Mr.. Pearson is a mild type of Republi
can in politics, although it is not al
,eged he ever made himself disagTeea-
BILE or oficious as a partisan. His re-
tention was urged from New York by
leading Democrats and the Independent
Republicans who turned the tide of bat
tie in that State last November, and
without whose active aid Mr.. Cleve-
land could cot have been elected. 1t
Was opposed by many Democrats, in
cluding the World and sometime Demo
cratic Sun, who maintained, with
good show of reason on their side, that
Pearson's reappointment would be in
the nature of a confession Democrat
as well qualified for the Office could not
be had, and this would be bad admis-
sion for party assuming control OF
public affairs. The machine Republi-
cans were also bitter against Pearson's
reappointmeut, because in the last cam
paign he would not permit bis Office to
be used as a political machine, and as
serted il he had done his duty as par
tisan-that is, worked it for all there
was in it',-the influence of .he great
metropolitan postoffice would have easi-
ly overcome Cleveland's meager plural
iJy in the State. We have little ques-
tion this is a correct assumption.
President Cleveland was doubtless
governed by two considerations in max
ing the appointment 1t was in the line
of civil service reform a recognition of
high official capacity and integrity, as
we'll as extraordinary success in admin
istering the office. This was evidenced
by the appeals of great business and f.
nancial interests for the retention or
Pearson, and the equally important fact
no serious attempt was made to present
other names for the place. And iE the
second place, as the reappointment was
urged by the Independent Republicans,
en- 7lasse, and by such newspaper or
gans OF their opinions as The New York
Times, the Evening Post, Harper's Week
IN, the Nation. the Stats ZeituRg (speak-
ing for the Germans), and the anti
Blaine and anti-machine Republican
journals of other States, the President
deemed this recognition of their wishes
not only an act of political gratitude
and justice, but as in the highest de-
gree expedient, looking TO the continued
success OF the party that nominated and
elected him. In this last respect we
believe the Presidents action was wise,
and comprehended political drifts hav-
ing an important bearing Oh the future
OF parties.
So far President Cleveland has ap-
pointed only approved Democrats to fill
vacancies, whether caused by expira-
tion of terms, removals or designations.
This is the one exception, and we hon.
estly believe the facts as to the New
York postoffice, and considerations of
the highest political expediency justify
it. Mr.. Pearson, the reappoiuted, is Of
different species from the run OF Fed
eral officers we have knowledge of in
this part of Uncle Sans broad domain,
or anywhere else we guess. He has
never prostituted his Office to the re-
quirements of the boss and the machine;
aud because he would not do 80 had
been marked for speedy removal in the
| event of Blaine's election. The Office
has been Conducted by him on n purely
| non partisan plan of work on the theo-
| ~ that public office is public trust. -
| He entered the office as minor clerk
| when only seventeen years old. in 1860,
| and has steadily advanced from that po-
| sItion through all the grades, until on
! the appointment of his chief. Mr..
| James, as Postmaster General in 1881,
/ he was appointed postmaster solely on
! the grounds of merit and regardless of
| political considerations.
| Democratic discnntent and growing
| has been predicted by the interested Re-
| publican press iu the event of this ap-
| pOintment. We do not believe it will
be forthcoming. The ranks have not
| vet been demoraliZe by the rings, boss
/ es and machines, resting on mudsill OF
/ patronage and plunder, thas worked the
| dishonor aud destruction of the Repub-
/ liean party. The mass of the Democ
/ racy, and the people as well, will see 10
| President CIeveIand's action further ev.
/ idence of the honesty and sincerity Oi
his ante-electiOn declarations and pledg
es. And 1t may he added. whether they
see this or not, the work will go OF
much the same. The hand at the helm
is firm and directed by a high sense o.
duty and unflinching courage Pitts
b,Irgh Post.