The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-07-11

IRE hEPUBLlCAN PLAN OF ATTACK.
A Washington special to the ". y.
Sun, says: The Republicans in the SEN
ate will take advantage of every oppor
tunity to strengthen their position and
to embarrass the Democratic Admins
| tration. While the leaders disclaim any
I Intention to make an organized opposi-
ton to the nominations OF the Presi-
dent, they have. in fact, reserved a mode
of attacking them which may lead to
trouble.
In his letter 10 Mr.. George William
Curtis last December the President
said, speaking of the ofIicebolders:
But many now holding such positions
have forfeited all just claim to rcten-
ton, because they have used their places
for party purposes in disregard OF their
duty to the people, and because, instead
Of being decent public servants, they
have proved themselves offensive par
tisans and interruptions manipulators of
local party management.
Undoubtedly this statement is correct,
and it might be applied justly to the
great body of the ofiiceholders who were
appointed mainly because they had been
offensive partisans and pnscrupulous
manipulators of local party manage
ment." This fact would be a sufficient
ground for their removal without MAX
ing 1t the specific cause.
When members of the Cabinet come
to put in practice the theory of the
Presidents letter, which required only
action and not explanation, a step far
in advance of his public position was
taken by the Postmaster-G General. In
the celebrated circular letter to mem
bers of Congress, Mr.. Villas declared his
construction of the term, "an offensive
partisan;'
| will require no more proof OF the
partisanship in these selections than the
affirmation of knowledge on the part of
Representative or Senator that the
Postmaster has been an active editor or
proprietor Of a Republican newspaper.
printing offensive articles, easily shown
by slips, or stump speaker, or member
OF political committee, or officer of a
campaign club, or organizer of political
meetings, or that his office has been
made the headquarters Of political work,
or that his clerks have been put into the
performance of political duties.
This comprehensive charge probably
covers nine-tenths of the existing cases,
and if it had not been formally made as
basis for their dismissal the Republi-
cans would not have complained. They
expected the incumbents to be removed,
as natural consequence of a change of
parties, especially as one party had been
in possession of the Government con-
tinuously for almost a quarter of CEN
tury.
Mr.. Villas has excited the hostility of
Senators who, in the ordinary course of
affairs, would have accepted the changed
situation without much opposition. Mr..
Conger, of Michigan, gives voice to this
antagonism;
What has the person removed done
to make an offensive partisan? Has he
done anything more than exercise his
rights as an American citizen? If these
questions are answered by the statement
that he has acted on Republican COM
mittees, and has been largely instru-
mental in keeping the Republican party
In power, then questions will he asked
and investigations made concerning the
man who has been appointed in his
place. Has he acted as Chairman of
Democratic committees, and has he
been an offensive partisan on the Dem
ocratic side the same as the man re-
moved has been on the Republican?
Mr.. Conger claims that in such cases
the Senate will refuse to confirm the
nominations, In fact, the Republicans
care more for the charges brought
against their oificeholders than they do
for the removals. And they intend to
make those charges the means of par
ty rally against the Administration.
1t was always easy to see that the new
departure was like two-edged sword in
the hands of political managers, and
that it was destined in the long run to
do more harm than good to its inventors.
1t certainly never could help the cause
of reform to raise an issue which in its
practical operation, by preferring
charges against officeholders, would
throw communities into confusion, and
make enemies of old personal friends,
who had held that relation without re-
gard to politics.
The meeting of the Senate in Decem-
ber will develop the Republican plan of
attack.