The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-03
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
The Brave Words and Noble Sentiments of
the Executive.

The Brave Words and Noble Sentiments of
the Executive.
There is n world of meaning in the
words of the President addressed to the
person who deceived him by endorsing
the application of an unworthy person
to Office. He and his Cabinet are en-
gagged in a hard to hand fight with the
worst representatives of the spOils sys
tenn, and at the same time are subjected
to q ire of criticism such as no Admin
iStration ever encountered before. Mr..
Charles NordhOff, whose experience in
Washington affairs and facilities for OBJ
servatiou of events at the capital are
unequaled. gives very interesting re-
view Of the situation and of the diff
culties in the path of the President, in
his cCmmendable, sincere desire to give
the country an honest, economical and
lawffe; administration. During the first
five months he has been in Office his
time has been mainly employed in
remedy;ag abuses and purifying the
public sefvice He courts rather than
fears criticism, us he assured Mr.. NOrd-
hoff. Il do not think any Administra
ton for many years has been so closely
and jealously watched by the people as
this One," he said. land | am glad of
it. If any of us were tempted by pres
sure or BY our own weakness TO 90
wrong, | believe we should not dare to
DO it, for Il seems to me the eyes of the
whole world are fixed on us. Every
smallest publ, act of mine or of the
Cabinet is talked of and discussed. if
we make mistakes, As can't be helped,
we hear of them ut once; and | say for
myself that this kind of a close watch
is Il help to any endeavors to do my
duty. 1t shows that the people are
alive; that they want good government;
they are not in attentive, and if sometimes
wrong Judgments come out against us
we must bea! them and try to do the
best we knew how"
These are nOble sentiments and brave
words which illustrate in most vivid
manner the character OF the man and
show his si1gle-minded adherence to
duty and his ante-election promises of
reforming tie Government. Yet there
are unscrupI lOus and malicious mem
bers of his oan party. VINO, although
aware of the great difficulties he has to
encounter in carrying out his resolution
to give the people good government,
endeavor to ,hwart his efforts BY sign
inc recommendations for Office for men
who on examination prove to be utter
" and glaringly unfit. Others, like the
bumptiouS Eustis, of Louisiana, turn on
him savagely because he refuses to
make clean sweep OF Republican
oliice-holders- When urged to do this
in a Western State and assured that the
State would 20 Democratic in cOnSe-
quence, the President asked what bene-
tit would that be ultimately to the
party. by precisely the same method,
he said, 1.-The Republicans, when their
turn comes, would make it Republican
again. That is not the way to keep a
party in power and make it strong"
He takes the high ground of admin
istering the Government for the benefit
of the people at large, and not for any
narrow, partisan motives. His principal
aim is to have every branch OF his Adj
ministration on business basis, the
best men in Office and all abuses abol-
ished. This is what gives him such
strength with the thinking men of both
parties. and strengthens him daily with
the country. While, by this course, he
may offend few spoilsmen and Office
sbekers, he rises to a plane of policy far
soove them, and wins the admiration
and cordial support of the rest people
in the Union. 1t has taken some time
for the clerks in the departments to
realize that this Administration was
sincere in its professions o: reform. and
that it means to fulfill its promises 10
the letter. Those who Lave been in
Office under Republican administrations
were accustomed to see such promises
treated as pleasant fictiOnS when the
election was over. and therefore paid
nc regard 10 them. They find a very
different system in practice now.-At-
bGRy Argus.