New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-16
Tile KLLAS EXPOSURE.

There were among the supporters Vi NIL
Cleveland last fall some WHO sincerely sought
reform in public service. Such men will feel
that it is their duty to see what is done by the
Administration they helped to create. They
will read the secret circular of Postmaster
General Villas, which some recipient, much TO
the Indignation of the President, has made pub
lie and will note that il was prepared with the
supervision and formal approval OF the Presl-
dent himself The aim, they will see, is to get
rid, not of unworthy or incompetent men, but
of Republican postmasters against whom no
complaint whatever can be made except that
they are partisans. Men against whom any
other complaint can be made have been hunted
out hastily, ever since March 4. The difficulty
is that they prove to be very few indeed and
consequently. the letter admits, there is i'm
portunity and discomfort" Admitting the fit
ness and worth of the officials, the President
begs Congressman to help him by supplying an
excuse for removing them. This is to be done by
filing secret charges of active partisanshp. No
defence is permitted; no decent evidence re-
quired ali the Administration wants is pre-
text. Is not this plainly dishonest Is 1t not
plainly hostile to every principle of rcform7
What is to serve rs sufficient proof of
offensive partsansiIlp"f Mr.. Villas says, al
will require no more proof than the alienation
by Democratic Representative, or by "some
person whom he can affirm 10 be of unques-
toned credibility," that the postmaster has
edited or printed a Republican paper, made
Republican speech, been a member Of RepuD-
lean Committee officer of "A club, or organizer
of n meeting. The boundless incapacity OF this
Administration may be seen in the SUGGESTION
made by Villas and approved by the President
that fourth class pOstmasters may have put
their clerks into the performance OF political
dutesr The fourth-class postmastcrs have
salaries Of 81 900 or less, and have no clerks.
But the bare allegation of a Representative will
serve, or OF any man whom he plcases to III
dorse. If the postmaster has done only what he
had right to do as a citizen, that Is enough;
he is "0llcnsvc" Plainly, nothing but the
shallowest pretext is wanted Il it intended to
name instead men who have been free from
paItisanshipl Everybody knows it is not
there is not a hint of the sort. The only thing
wanted by these dishonest sham reformcIs is
that the partisanship shall hereafter be Demo
cratic, and not Republican.
This is exactly what The TRIBUNE expected
and predicted. Let this be kept in mind by
those sincere seekers for reform who supported
Mr.. Cleveland. But it is cheat to call this
sort of thing reform" 1t Is, on the contrary,
an overthrow of reform. 1t is removal of
competent and experienced persons, to put In
others who are, to say the least destitute Of the
experience, for no other reason than TO use the
post-oGices as centres of Democratic influence
and work. Precisely this was to be expected,
and it is degrading the very name of reform
to cover up this vile work of partisanship under
dishonest pretexts. The performance is
simply a restoration of the old spoils system in
its meancst and most proscriptive form. 1t is
to be carried out in the meanest aud most de-
grading way. by secret and cOwardly charges
which no honest President would invite, or
listen to if made. The reason is laid bare with
disgusting plainness. The party workers have
been clamoring; there are "importunty and
discomfort" the letter says. The greed of party
rules the Administration, but it has not the
manhood to make the changes it intends in
decent way, or without dishonesty alleging n
false pretext 1t means to serve party and not
the country, but still tries to cheat the people if
it can with the name Of reform"