Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-06-26
Offensive Partisan.

aid, an able democratic sheet, has
fears ",h4t the phrase offensive
partisan, b.c.u of its con 'ta"t
misapplicat,on, will return to plague
the D.mncracy." 1t believes 1t has
become second nature with the
American people to lave Wing Ad'
minlstrationS carried on 10y Wblg|.
Republican Adn'nis'ra'inn- by Rs-
publicans, und Democratic Admins
tration. BY Democrats. This custom
had it's origin i'll che instructive prac.
tical good sense of the people and OF
those who have hsld the power of
appointment, aud, being, as it Is,
grounded in tho necessities OF our
system, thou, b it may bs deranged,
or temporarily abandoned in defer
ence to the cla,nor of theorists, it
will always be returned to IN the
end unless our Government ceases
to be Democratic except in form.
Not only is it a necessity that the
party in power should act through
agents Of its own faith for whose
conduct it Can properly be held re-
sponsible, but it is essential to the
healthy operation and organization
of parties that the Opposition, which
should at all times be vigilantly
watching the Administration both in
whole and in detail, should be in
spired by the hope when in it's turn
it gains public confidence of holding
and enjoying the Offices with their
powers and emoluments as we'll as
responsibilities. 1t is Of the opinion
that honorable political activity con-
stitutss-capability being assumed
the first claim to Office at the hands
of an incoming parry. Surely the
Democratic party does not wish to
put its best M n in Office, and there.
after have their lips sealed on public
questions. A healthy political party
will desire to put its best men in Of
fee not to fetter their hands and
paddock their lips, but to strengthen
and encourage. that they may be Of
more service to their party and coun-
try in the future than they have been
in the past. The Herald has seen
noihins in the public utterances nor
in the appointments of President
Cleveland which indicates that be
subscribes to the absurd doctrine
now put forward by mugwump jour.
nails, that ull the Offices should be
nom partisan. Nothing is more evi.
dent than that this idea is NONSENSE
cal and impractical. 1t would de.
stroy all healthy political life, render
impossible ~ organization and ag-
gressive watchfulness which breaks
up corrupt rings and porities the
me, hods Of administration, aud it
would introduce o train of intoier.
able evils into our system OF govern
ment.
II there is a Republican in the
land who does no. subscribe to the
doctrines 40 clearly expressed by
our Democratic exchange we have
vet to meet hm. Of course the null
ii uh,nou, Government clerkships,
which are competed for, by men and
women, under the civil Service rules
should not be classed - Offices any
more than clerks IN dry goods stores
are c!assed as merchants. But post.
masters, collectors Of revenue, land
Office officials and such are cOnsid.
cred ofice-holders by civil service
and all other rules OF designation,
should be strongly in sympathy with
the principles Of the party at the
helm. It is ihe height Of impotence
for Republican holding one of these
positions to expect to continue in
Office under Democratic Admins
tration.