New-York tribune., 1885-07-08
THE COMING CONTEST.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT ON PARTY POLICY.


souri, River in Dakota. and after few days stay
went to his country home, near Oyster Bay, on
Long Island. His face is brown with exposure 10
the sun /; while his sturdy walk and firm bearing
show the vigor he has acquired while hunting
in the West. 1t partly to see to the puDlcatioh
of his book describing his hunting trips IN DAKOTA
Wyoming and Montana that Mr.. Roosevelt came
Eas'.
While at home yesterday he was visited by
TRIBUNE reporter aud asked to give his views on
the approaching political contest in this State In
reply he SAID
II have been very glad to SEQ the interviews
with various prominent Republicans which have
appeared i'll the The TRIBUNE. 1t seems to me to
be peculiarly desirable this gear that the members
OF the Republican State Convention before they
meet together should have pretty definite idea as
to the principles and policy to be set forth in the
platform as we'll as to the kind Of men who are TO
be nominated"
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
"What political ideas do You think should be
expressed in the Republican State Conventions
platform ."
81 think that one of the main points should be
Civil Service Reform. This reform has been brgun
under Republican auspices, the attempts to check
and put it back have been defeated 6ay by Repub-
licau csrts, and it is honestly desired by the great
mass of tho Republican party, while on the con-
trary the rank and file of the Democracy seem to
be really opposed 10 it. was greatly pleasedIwith
the Civil Service plank in the Ohio patform there
is hardly any so-called Independent Mugwump
vote in Ohio, and that plank was evidently put IN
not to please outsiders or get their votes, but be-
cause II represented the honest feeling of the Re-
publican constituencies who stood behiud the dele
gates"
"In what fern would you have the Civil Service
plankY
Il should favor having our convention take the
most advanced ground on the subject; declare for
the repeal of the four years tenure of office act and
favor tho extension of the Civil Service
rules to all classes Of public officials, as
far practicable. and that even to
those of far higher grade than any affected by
the act. We should pledge ourselves "a party to
resist any efforts to repeal the National .or State
Civil Service Reform acts, either in whole or in
part. BY thus defining our position we woud make
1t clear that any Republican Representative who
voted as some Republican members of the Leglsla-
ture did last winter in favor OF such q
bill as the one introduced by Assembiyman
Mortimer G. Earl, of Brooklyn, to exempt soldiers
and sailors from ths operation of the reform act,
was playing the traitor to Republican principles
and was deliberately taking the course most likely
TO work injury to the party. l believe that our
declarations in regard to Civil Service Reform should
notoaly be general bat .saonld also be exact and
specific and that We shonld make it evident that
we intend to hold our representatives responsible
if they do not act up to them.
ave should dwell upon the fact that every
assault upon this reform, whether at
Albany or Washington. invariably originates from
Democratic sources and invariably relies upon the
Democracy to furnish tho INN ,nso majority Of Its
supporters"
MUNICIPAL REFORM.
"Would you suggest some further panks to the
platform"
"It wolld also be q good thing" said Mr. Rooso-
vet, "to take pronounced stald IN favor Of
municipal REFORM and to declare for simpler laws
affecting the government of great cities
and for laws which VIII enable the people
to fix res possibility with grea,cr case and
certainty than at present. Every move In
the direction of municipal reform has 80 far come
from Republican sources, and we sislld take care
that such continues to b, the cas-, in the future.
AT the same tms we most assure lily sioud not at
present permit any constitutional anon dment to
pass limiting the power os the Sta:e TO pass
laws for any particular m incipality; Tor while 1t
is highly inexpe lent that this power should bs
exercised excep: in extreme case IL would be even
more undesirable to deprive ourselves OF the
CAPACITY of taking action wasn such eases arse.
Of shSas aS9 and nS
ground out at Albany and should declare IN favor
of sone scheme by which the law-makers will be
relieved from ths pressure thus caused AMI Will be
left free to attend To measures of State import
ance. go .
"A rigid economy in tho public finances should
be insisted upon"
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND AND GOVERNOR HILL.
"What should be said about the National aud
State Administrations
"No merely captious criticism on President
Clcveland's course should be In1ulgsd IN; and at
the same time those acts of the Administration
which need criticism should be criticised fearless
ly.
"Governor Hill has b en- severely and properly
attacked on account OF cor iin OF ais deeds. for
winch. nevertheless, his predecessor was to the
full as responsib as he was For example: the
recent disclosures in regard to ths continuance OF
the same old system of blackmlii In the sherfs
Office in New-York calls to mind the refusal of
Governor Hill to remove that official upon the
charges made by special legislative committee
Certainly wo have seen OF late years no grosser
miscarriage of justice than this; aud the amount
of harm done by It to the cause ,,,, Of Of
cannot be ovcrsstnated, for ii was offering a
direct premium for the most lagrant wrong doing.
Yet though ii was Hill wno took the final step
for he deliberately shir ked his plain duty and for
eight months declined to take action on the
"Where the President has done we'll and on GER
tain ques ions he ha. beyond doubt done very well,
he should receive the praise and support OF all |
Republicans, but where he has done badly we can
hardly be required 10 keep silence. For |
example. if we put in a plank IN favor
of municipal reform think we ought |
To- point out the fact that what has been accom-
pshed in that direction was done by a Republican
Legislature in spite Of the opposition Of the Demo
cratic minority; and that more has not been al |
ready accomplished Is due to the action ct the Demo
cratic Executive, now President. III refusing to |
sign one of the most important bills. which hap
pened 70 hit certain OF his political associates. The
plat orn by the way, shond bo as short as Is con-
sistent with clearness.'