The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-17
SEYM0UR'S SAYINGS.
Ex.cANpIpArr Zoe pREaIDENcEY
TalEu About tas clsii soruiso Rsrnrm.-4
Simpler and aaru Direct Msthod Favor.
od-Aa ogsnuivs Pa-tisaa ar STRONG
rnrss-maa very Good Fellow.

NEw YoRK, Sept 18.-Iu view Of the
present interesting situation in the Demo,
cratic party, an interview with ex-Gov
ernor Horatto Seymour, which the World
viii print to-day, Is Of interest as giving
some idea of what an old-time Democrat
and one Of the foremost statesmen Of his
party does and does not endorse in the
present regime.
When asked about civil service reform
the Ex-Governor sRid:
"You wish my opinion about civil GER
vice reform? Well, I VIII gladly tall the
World what it Wishes to known Of my
opinion. 1t seems to me, in the first
place, that something should be done to
remove the temptation Of q party in power
tn commit fraud to secure the eontinuAnce
Of power. Mr.. Tilden was defnuded out
Of the presidency IN 1875, and it was the
greed for office, and Of those in office to
stay in, that led the Republicans 30 com
init the crime. Everybody Ia learning
the truth about the election Of 1876 now.
II we had had another system u do not
say the present civil service system, for I
believe that 10 be very crude and imper-
feet, then, perhaps, the fraud Of 70 would
not have had that blot on our national
escutcheon.
From what can Judge, ahut up as I
am, Lshould saw that there was great dam
ger Of the Civil Service Commission be-
coming greater abuse than the spoils
system. / think q much simpler and
more direct method Could be found than
that under the present law, and one which
would meet with the approval Of the peo-.
pie. There can be no question that SO
long IS We have O Civil Service Commits
sion ita members, the mainritF Of them, at
least, should be IN sympathy with the
prevailing administration.
governor, what isyour opinion Of Pres
ident Cleveland personally ?'' l'--
II do not know him. only met him
once, and that was at \ dinner ut Utica,
Just alter he he had been elected Cover
nor. 1 cannot recall the conversation,
but don't think it waa about poiities.
cannot, therefore, pass Judgment upon
him"
"But have you formed some opinion of
the man from his record made at Wash
inRton?"
'Ths time is too abort. never form
hasty Judgments. lind that one is often
apt to be mistaken. It miEhtbe set down
almost as q maxim that you never can
Judge new President until after the first
year Mr.. Cleveland has very difficult
post to fill Ibelieye he is trying to do
mis- best.
II have been somewhat interested in
the term Offensive partisan, !" continued
the Governor. '"An offensive partisan or
strong party man 10 very good sort OF
fellow. BE ia generally more inclined to
be fair than the cold.blooded style Of
politician. Il ia good thing to have
strong and well.definad opinions"
What is your opinion OF the campaign
in this Stats2"
"Ishnuld say that it was rather uncer-
tain, replied the Governor. There IL =
tradition that where ons party carries the
Nstional election they will l0aa the. State
election generally the next year. Ednn't
know as can account for it. PoRihly It
,is brought about by readtinn, or some
disappointment over the result Of the
change, and then leas interest "a taken in
the State election
"Do ysu regard the coming election a.
an important ore-signifying anything
Tor the future2"
''So, not al. A Republican victory will
rot necessarily iInpIya rebuke to the Ad-
ministradnn, for there ara so many things
that enter into the situation, as I have in
dicated Republicans generally lost the
State elections following their national
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