Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-27
POLITICAL.

The Portage REGISTER of last week
has pungent and well-written editorial
on the removal of Capt. Dow from the
post office at Portage We fully agree
with the REGISTER that Capt. Dow is
a good man and has made an excellent
postmaster. He comes up to the
Jacksonian standard-he is competent
and he is honest--and for all anybody
knows or can find out, he gave entire
satisfaction in the position he occupied.
Then we sharply ask the question,
why his removal except it be that he
was Republican.
If that be true, then, wherein comes
the change, or reform from the
practices of the Republican party?
Where and in what way comes in the
promised civil service reform? What
has been and what is being done with
the most sacred principle embodied in
the immortal sentiment which elected
Grover Cleveland President "That a
public Office is a public trust?" Or
are the same old methods and practices,
to continue, that public Office is a
party trust? But by the way of
justification, some Democrats ask the
question:: "Did not the country vote
for change last fall, and would the
Republicans give the Democrats any
of the spoils? Turn them all out and
make a clean sweep, etc, !" Holy
horror! The same old tradition is
kept alive. The bane of all govern
ments undermining the very corner
stone of our constitutional fabric,
ignoring the wishes and interests of
the people and running the whole bust
ness for politicians and Office seekers
"a public Office party trust. That
was the question and the only i'm
portant issue submitted to the country
in the presidential election last fall,
and the people voted that public
office is a public trust That was
promised by Cleveland as a candidate;
it was believed by the people who
voted and elected him; and was the
very change the people expected.
The people did not vote to change
parties-they voted to change methods;
they voted for reform; they voted for
an honest government; and now are
they to have what they voted for, or
are they to be cheated, and are they
to be compelled the first opportunity,
to seek for vindication Of these cher
ished American princi pies through
other channels, and from other
sources? The proverb that a public
office is public trust, means this if
it means anything, that no branch of
the government service should be
tainted with partisanism. No man in
the government service should be
partisan. Every man accepting an
office under the government should
absolve himself, not from politics but
from party politics Otherwise, he
cannot escape the imputation of
partiality towards part Of the public
in favor of some, and against the other
portion, who are partisan, and will be
as long as parties exist. A man in
public position, holding it as public
trust, should be absolutely neutral as
to parties And in that spirit should
all appointments be made, following
the example of Jefferson and jackson,
and asking only for the one test: els
he capable, is he honest?" That is
the change aud the reform he has
promised, and just what the people
voted for last fall The people did
not vote to install the Democratic
party, because Democrats did not and
could not have elected Cleveland.
The turning vote bolted the old and
corrupt methods of their own party,
and voted for change of ways and
methods in the running Of the govern
ment. Short-sighted Democrats yet
believe, however, that the election
last fall was a Democratic victory,
when it was not so at all; it was
victory of the people looking after re-
form, and if few Democratic polite
ians and ofice-seekers could have
their way, the fruits of that victory
would be suspended but not lost.
The people have not changed, but are
growing stronger in their efforts, and
in numbers, for revolution and re-
form, and if forced to do so, they can
seek other channels to obtain it and
may be compelled to do so.
What difference does it make to the
people whether postmaster is Re-
publican or Democrat, if he is capable
and honest, and will let party politics
alone2 That old Evolutionary notion
of party spoils needs TO be corrected.
and the mischievous idea that polite
ians owns the government, must
be suspended before very much reform
can possibly come to the people and
the country. The people as rule
are honest and want an honest govern
ment, which they can never have until
it comes to be acknowledged that they
own the government and the country,
and when that comes to pass without