Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-11
Changing His Mind. /.

hepuDilcan adverse criticism of the
President, at this time, is sweet and
refreshing to the Democratic mind.
Therefore We copy with pleasurable
emotions the following wall from the
st. Louis Euening Chronicle:
1t is stated that tthe president has
made up his mind that the only wav
for him to accomplish much in the line
of economizing and renovating the civ
il service is by putting democrats I'm re-
sponsible Positions In other words.
that if an official be republican in his
political convictions, he is necessarily
dishonest and inefficient, and if demo-
right. In order to bring about this re-
suit, and heal the breach between the
president and his party, each Of the
cabinet officers has requested the heads
of bureaus in their respective depart
ments to furnish him with list Of
clerks that can be dispensed with, or
whose places can be filled by civil serv-
| ice appointments with advantage to
| the government. These lists will be
| furnished before the 1st Of July. The
| informa ton asked for does not entirely
| relate to the clerical fitness of clerks,
| but includes what may be known in
regard to offensive partisanship, offen-
sive habits and manners, bad repute
in the community, etc. This informa-
ton comes from democratic source,
and is therefore reliable. The offensive
partisanship is case for removal under
the civil service law is matter that
may be questioned. 1t is probable
that those who will take the places of
the persons removed are more intense
ly partisan than the removed, and Ger
tainly less efficient. Offensive man.
ners and habits and bad repute In the
community are always reasons for the
removal of an officer under the civil
service regulations, but when it Is
known that cabinet officers are flooded
with applications, of which three-
fourths are from men of bad repute,
fromthieves, embeZzlers and drunk
ards, ii is again question whether
those in Office and are discharging their
official duties in a satisfactory manner
should not be let alone. The fight be-
gun in this city against Postmaster
Rodney ID. Wells, an efficient officer
and gentleman of high moral charac-
ter, is fair specimen of the general as
sault that it being made all along the
line. Mr.. Wells, until very recently
indeed, had always been regarded by
all classes as fitted for the position
Wnlcn he occupies, but since he STANDS
in the way of a few hungry office-seek-
ers, he suddenly becomes inefficient
one of those glittering generalities that
can be raised against any officer, what
ever his capacity or howsoever thor
ough he may be In the discharge Of his
duties. No specific charges can be
brought against Mr.. Wells, much less
one with data attached.
However, it seems that Mr.. Cleve-
land has become aware Of the fact that
his principles and the principles of his
party widely differ, and that he must
either abandon his ideas Of republi-
can government or abandon his party.
He is quoted as saying: 81 can not ac-
complish much without a constituency.
That must be the democratic party in
the main. 1t is folly for me to try to
stand between two parties. / should
come out like the man who tried TO
occupy two chairs and ended by sit
ting on the floor" This mems to say
that he must put democrats in Office
and put republicans out of office. If it
can not be done under the civil service .
law, then it must he done regardless
of the civil service. That is the status
of things exactly.