The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-12-17

i've document and may be read with profit
md interests by the American people. It
$ a business like statement Of our for
ign relations, with practical. common
'ense suggestions and recommendations.
On all domestic questions there is the EVIL
lence of thought. research and consic-
lion, except upon the tariff and civil SER
vice. On the tariff the President is nom
and seeks to straddle the ques-
lion after the fashion Of the Chicago plat
form. Neither the protectionists nor the
free traders receive any encouragement
from it, leaving both in doubt as to what
kind and extent of reform he would APP
prove. With the Senate Republican, this
is immaterial, No leg
islation relating to tariff duties and az
fecting the Industries Of the country could
be enacted into law or reach the Presl-
dent for his signature. He is secure from
embarrassment OF responsibility as to that.
On the civil service question the Presi-
dent employs some very captivating Ian
guage, and is doubtless, as an abstract
question, in favor of the Civil Service
law. But practically he has not sustained
this view The pressure of his party has
been too great for him. And when he
referred to the subject as "venturing to
hope that we shall never again be RENTED
to the system which distributes public
positions purely as rewards far partizan
service he must have laughed in his
sleeve at the transparent deception at
tempted, Purely partizan considerations
have influenced nine-tenths Of his ap-
pointments, where he has ordered suspen-
sions in violation of the spirit and letter
of both the civil service law and the ten
ure of office act. Especially is the ludi-
crous invoked when with affected gravity
the President continues Doubts may
well be entertained whether our govern
ment would survive the strain of con-
tinuance of this system, which upon eve
nv change of administration inspires an
immense army of claimants for Office to
lay seige to the patronage of government.
engrossing the time of public officers with
opportunities, spreading broadcast the
contagion of disappointment and filling
the air with the tumult of their discon-
tent With the confidential circular OF
Postmaster General Villas. endorsed by the
President, imploring Congressman to pre-
fer charges of offensive partizanism, "and
any other kind of charge against public
officers, fresh in his mind. the President
must have drawn largely upon his credu-
lily suppose that the general reader would
regard his fearful forebodings as anything
more or less than persifage. To this conclu-
sion he comes himself in the subsequent
sentences. where he INDUCES in the follow.
ing undignified language: while parti-
zanship continues bitter and pronounced,
and supplies 50 much of motive to senti-
ment and action. it is not fair to hold pub
lie officials. in charge of important trusts,
responsible for the best result in the per.
that they shall rely. in confidential and
important places, upon the work of those
not only opposed to them in political aflil-
iation, but so STEPPED in partizan preju-
dices and rancor that they have no loyalty
to their chiefs and no desire fol-. their sue.
cess. Civil service reform does not exact
this, nor does it require that those in SUBJ
ordinate positions who fail to yield their
best service or who are incompetent,
should be retained simply because they
are in place. The whining Of clerk dis
charged for Incidence or incompetency,
who. though he gained his place by the
worst possible operation of the spoils sys
TEN. suddenly discovers that he is enti-
tied to protection under the sanction OF
civil service reform, represents an idea no
less absurd than the clamor of the appli-
cant who claims the vacant position as
his compensation for the most questions
BILE party work. !"
Wehave here the policy of ito the victors
belong the spoils'' presented in a superflu-
ity of words, yet made it none the less en-
phatic because of the wealth of verbiage.-
Boiled down. it is the old ''Jacksonian'
creed and direct rebuke to civil service
pretension.
The fact is. under our system, the
whole civil service rigamarole is hum
bug. 1t is not in consonance with the as
sumption that the people are capable of
self-government especially when to them is
quadrennially submitted a review Of and
judgment upon the fidelity of parties and
public servants. 1t is contrary to the
spirit of our institutions and the predicate
of popular intelligence that class of Office
holders should be environed by law SO as to
make them a permanent fixture Of gov
eminent, to the exclusion of others equal
ly willing and competent to serve in Of
fetal position. The limitation of tenure i'm
plies that rotation may be expected, and
in that way the administration receives
the aid of its party adherents and sympa-
thizers. Mr.. Cleveland. however, in his
brief reign, has not even recognized the
wisdom of the tenure of office act. nor ex-
ercised the patience that the law requires
in the changes in official service. So full
of party zeal and so earnest in the recog-
milton of party service has he been, that
he has anticipated the course of the stat
utes in the application OF the partizan
knife, even offending all sense OF decenoy
in endorsing the insidious and unmanly
device of the Postmaster General as for
muhted in his confidential circular. -
The civil service notion was borrowed by
political dudes from the English practice
without any reference to the different
forms of government in the two countries
and at time when the English people
themselves are forging the elements which
aredestined to shatter the monafchia struc-
ture and repose in the people the power to
determinine administrations and admin is
ter public affairs, Through agents in SYM
pathy with popular aspir ations, con-
victions and rights. The idea of pre-
ferred class of Office holders, entrenched
by subiimated sentiment and hedged In by
statutes rejecting abstract theories, is an
Al