Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-14

he PollCIcIanS ana the Heoi'tc'
A day or two ago Hon. William Wa ter
Phelps, in an interview at Washington,
expressed the opinion that Mr.. Cie4c-
lands administration would b an excel.
lent one for the country but bad one for
his party. He thought that the people
would be satisfied, but that the politicians
would not.
The interview is important, not only be-
cause it contains the opinion OF Repuo-
lican of prominence and recognized abiIl-
ty but also because it is thought to eG-
! press the views Of Mr.. Blaine.
1t is probably true that some Of the poll
ticians of the Democratic part0 are not
entirely satisfied with he policy that the
President has pursued thus far with re-
spect to the offices, and 1t may be that il
the same policy Is continued they will
openly express their disapproval of it. 1t
is not probable. however, that they will
do anything more than show their discOn-
tent. In fact, they can do nothing more
than that, unless they desert their party
Altogether, and they are not likely to do
that.
Nobody yet knows what the purpose Of
the President is with respect to the inn
portant Offices in his gift. These offices
are not within the jurisdiction of the
civil service law, ard the Pr sideat
could not properly be charged with
violating that law if he should remove at
once the occupants OF these offices and
fl their places with Democrats. There
appears to be a determination, however,
to bring these Offices within the spirit if
not the letter, OF the civil service law.
The resppointmaut Of the Republican
Postmaster at New York, Mr.. Pearson,
was a concession to the Mugwumps, who
insisted that the success Of civil service
reform required his reappointment.
II is possible that the President has not
disclosed his policy vet with respect to
the Offices. 1t is certain ttat he neil her
eucour ges nor dlscourages those who
call upon him in the Interest," Of applicants
for places. He simply says that he has
not yet come to the question OF Offices in
the different States. He generally requests
information about those recommended for
positions to be put in writing in order
tn 1t he may have it at hand If he should
need it. Atpresent he is giving his whole
time to the work of citing the depart
ments at Washington in working Ter.
We are satisfied that, in the Southern
States at least, the Offices should be filed
as soon as possible with Democrats. but
we do not shut our eyes to the fact that,
if the President should attempt to make
changes in all, or even "A majority. of the
offices he would encounter great difficult
tie'. He would have 10 find a ZOO cause
for making a removal in eacI case, and
that which might seem to rim tn be "a
good cause might not be ace epted by the
Senate as a good cause. While, there
fore, it might not be very difficult to get
the present incumbents out it might ne
extremely difficult to get their success
sors in.
A bitter fight would be opened between
the President and the Senate in which the
whole press of the country would take
part. The Republican press and, perhaps.
the Mugwump papers would take the pc
sition that in making removals without
cause other than political injury was
Deing done TO civil service reform. The
controversy would be carried on with So
much spirit that the Democratic party
might be placed in the position Of oppos-
ing civil service reform, although obey
ing strictly the civil service Law. The
Republican politicians would Ike moth.
ing better than an opportunity to attack
the sincerity of the Democratic party I'm
this civil service matter.
But il the Presid mt should conclude TO
till the ofllnes with Democrats only as
they become vacant. would such policy
be in arcordanca with or hostile to the
Democratic national platform and The
PLEDGES made by Democrats during the
campsigr? The President. of course,
feels that he must be consistent. He is
in the place of responsibility. and while
he is the Chief Magistrate of the whole
country be feels it incumbent on him 10
pursue such a course as will increase the
conf ience Of the people in his party. The
oflice-seekers are not disturbed by any
such feel ne Of resp visibility.
But if Mr.. Phelps is right, will not the
Democratic party be stronger at the end
of Mr.. Cleveland's term than it il now?
1t certainly will unless the politicians are
stronger than the people. Mr.. Phelps
seems to think the politicians are stronger.
1t is proba BILE that he is mistaken.