The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-04
THE OFFENSIVE PARTISAN" FARCE.


tense of believing that Republicans are greatly
distressed over the manner in which Repub
icans have been turned out to make room for
Democrats The Louisville Courier Journal
representative Democratic paper, says that
"while such is nothing more than they could
expect from Democratic President, they can
not refrain from crying out in their wrath,
and it seems that all they can cry is that the
administration is stultifying it's promises of
civil-service reform by turning Republican
offensive partisans' out and filing their places
with Democratic offensive partisans." This
is exactly what the Republicans do complain
of. During and even after the campaign, and
at the time of the Inauguration, Mr.. Cleve-
land and his champions, notably the mug
wumps, claimed that his campaign was not for
the spoils of Office, but for the betterment Of
the civil-service. The public was given to
understand that the millennium of politics had
been reached, and that, with the beginning of
President Cleveland's administration, the coun-
try would witness such an exaltation Of merit
as had never been known. Men who had
been honest and efficient in the public service
were to be retained, and only such discharged
as had failed in their duties as officials. Pub
lie affairs were to go back to the arcadian sim
plicity of the fathers. The phlegmatic Cleve-
land had been shrewd enough, however, to
put in modest proviso and it is the wonder
full and erratic working of this pro-
viso, in utter defiance of every
pledge and profession, that has caused Repub-
licans to call attention to it. Republicans
were not simple enough to expect anything
else When the ballots were finally can
vassed in New York State inlNovember last,
there was not Republican in any federal
Office anywhere but did not know that he
would have to ego" The specious promises
of 'reform" deceived nobody, not even Dem
ocrats. Immediately succeeding and even
prior to the Inauguration of Democracy's
great reform President, Washington was
thronged with hundreds and thousands of
very importunate Democrats. From the 4th
of March to to-day. the situation there has
remained practically unchanged, as the news
columns of the Courier Journal testify A
special Washington dispatch to that paper,
published yesterday, says:
'There is no talk here now about tariff or
anything else much but office. Wherever you
go you will meet man who wants an Office,
either for himself or friends. There are men
here at present seeking for Office that came
soon after the Inauguration, and they publicly
declare here that they intend to remain until
they get place"
Not one of all these hundreds of representa-
tive Democrats believes in the professions
made by and in behalf of Democracy. The
same dispatch says that the rush for diplo-
matte places is wonderful and that New York
alone has 783 applicants, Pennsylvania GAL,
Ohio 479, Indiana 1884, and far-awaN California
SIG. All these men are representative Demo
Gratis and not one but is Endorsed by Democratic
senators and congressman, the latter with the
former placing nc confidence in the reform
pledge signed and promulgated for effect.
The farce is rapidly playing to an end. Ithas
been spit upon repeatedly by the President
himself. The only pretense of retaining a Re-
publican official under the new order of things
was in the case of Postmaster Pearson, of
New York, the retention of whom was but
the payment of partisan obligation to as in
consistent a body of renegades as ever dis
graced American politics They understand,
and the President understands, that Pearson
was the mugwumps' portion Of the spoils
of victory. 1t is puerile and idle to plead SUI
perior virtue in the business of filling Offices
and to remove men because offensive parti-
sans, only to supply the places vacated with
men even deeper in the business of active poll
tics If reform credit is to be taken for the re-
tention of Pearson, what must be said of the
removal of Palmer, of Chicago, who was SUI
perseded by S. Corning Judd, one of the most
active partisans in Chicago, man who, after
his appointment, took an active part in the
scheming to elect a Democratic senator
from Illinois Tho removal of an efficient
postmaster like Palmer is only one of the
scores of the kind.
The only point that Republicans wish to
make in this issue is that Democracy of to-day
is the Democracy of old. Its promises are as
lightly regarded, its political honor an idle
boast, its consistency existing only in being
persistently inconsistent and dishonest Re-
publicans are going, and having prepared for
it since it became apparent that Democracy
had carr;ad tho alactior thov aro ru;to raady