The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-05-21
Mr.. cLEvELAND's POSITION.

The Attitude of Republicans and Inde-
pendents Toward the Administration.
1t would be gratifying if all of Presi-
dent Cleveland's acts could be mads
acceptable to the Independents. But
this is clearly impossible If the Inde-
pendents expect the President to con-
form to their own peculiar notions in
stead of being satisfied to aid him il
making strong, honest Democratic
Administration.
President Cleveland was elected by
nearly five million Democ- attic votes, as
the candidate of the Democratic party
on Democratic platform. That plat
form declared, first and foremost, that
while NEW issues are born of time and
progress, and old issues perish, the
Democratic party remains and will ever
remain as the best and only security for
the continuance of free government.
President Cleveland is as sacredly
bound to remain true to the Democratic
party as to adhere to the reform pledges
made to the people before the election.
The Independents are jealous of the
Presidents fealty to his promises of
civil-service reform, but are restless
when he manifests the intention to be
ia thful to his obligations to his party.
Look at the situation! The Democrats
have elected their President after
quarter of a century S exclusion from
power. Yet the Democratic Admins
tration has up TO this time made fewer
changes in the Federal Offices than
were made by any of his Republican
predecessors in the same period.
What is Mr. Cleveland's reward?
'.Aha!n' cry the Republican organs; $50
the cry of Turn the rascals out was
fraud after all, and there was no rascals
to turn out!''
Senator Sherman, Con gres sm a n
Phelps and others declare that the IT,
tention of Republicans in Office and
Their appointment to office convicts the
Democracy of having obtained Office on
false pretenses, and they pat the Presi-
dent benignly on the back for giving
the country a Republican Administrar
ton conducted on the Republican idea.
And the Independence What say
they?
The Internal Revenue business in
Maine and Massachusetts, is insignif-
cant. In the two States less than two
millions and half is collected out of
UObdt TAX tJuibcu otdt<1S Vi @A<<,-
600, 600. The Collector in Massachu-
setts gets $4,000 salary, and in Maine
800. Yet because the President fills
these two paltry offices with Democrats
strongly indorsed by their party and
fully qualified rs capable and honest
men the whole Independent press of
New England is in a white heat of in
dignation and the high-toned Inde-
pendent journals of this city coolly re-
quest the Presiden mt 10 reconsider the
appointments.
What causes all this indignaionP The
incapacity, unfaithfulness and dishon-
esty of the new officers? Not at all.
There are no sucl charges against them.
But it is alleged that they were .'Cop
perheads" twenty years ago. and have
been busy Democratic workers ever
since.
Is not this inconsistent with Mug
wumpism, which only requires the test
of honesty and capacity, supplemented
by a classroom competitive examina-
ton, and processes to ignore political
opiniOnsP
Does not this incident make plain
that a Democratic Administration can
only expect trouble if it allows itself to
Ue dUSOlutcly COlbIOlicu ny 1uucPcuucu6
Republican Journals ard that it can not
attach itself permanently to Mug
wump policy?
| One of the objects of the Independent
Republicans is to destroy the Demo-
cratic party and to build up some ex-
perimental new party on its ruins The
object of Democratic Administration
must be to rebuild reform and enlarge
the Democratic party as it has existed
since Jeferson's days, las the best and
only security for free government"
| Can those who pursue two such total
ly oppos te objects harmonize and blend
togetherP
Yet there is all honorable and import
ant mission for Independents. While
the great political parties are SO evenly
divided, the Independ can hold a
useful balance of power, and by sup
port cf the best candidates can compel
good nominations. Their criticisms of
the political pIrties are likely to be
whols some and advantageous.
The Dem ,cracy will welcome the In
dependents as associates, as allies. even
as critics. But they can not receive ss
officers aud leaders an element which
still d tests Democracy and which
hungers for The final dissolution uf the
Democratic party.-N. Y. World.