Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-10-09
WASHINGTON Letter.
FROM "ur Regular Correspondent.
" ,snINoToN, Sept. %, 1885.

I "h' NV tlie WI u ie'i'She ~
cepting the resignation. One OF the
most interesting coming events will
bc the appointment OF a new set Of
Commissioners. & Who will they be,
what will they do? 1t is certain
that the new Democratic Admins
tration has been much hindered and
embarrassed by the civil service law
as interpreted by Republican civil
service commission. IL a clean
sweep could have preceded the en-
forcemcnt Of the law, it would have
been salutary. But the attempt to
graft the law upon an upspeakably
bad civil service, that rotten heritage
OF the Republican panty. has result
ed in the negalion of much for which
patriots have stiiven through all the
dark and corrupt era of the ascen-
dency Of the party of spoils. No
one with the least acquaintance with
tho history Of politics since the war
can deny that the Republican party
has been the party of spoils. And
it has appropriated the spoils in such
an open and atrocious. way. from the
insi yniiicant places of scrub women
and towel-washers up to the highest
judicial places, that its professions
OF friendliness to proposed reforms
in the distribution of office, smell so
strong Of hypocracy rs to make one
sick
When Mr.. Cleveland was placed
in the Presidents chair, it was sup
posed that he would turn out many
Of tho corrupt men who never were
appointed on civil service rules, or
for any services except such as they
rendered in the bad course of fixing
elections. buying votes, stuffing bal
lot-boxes. and stealing the Presi-
doncy. IA in 1876. But the Presi.
dent has been embarrassed by the
knowledge tha' acked Republican
Jury in the Senate will sit in judg-
ment upon all his appointments.
II is possible, but not probable, that
the Senate will be Democratic before
III. lapse Of the Presidential term.
Unless this shall come about, there
can be no hope of complete and
thorough civil service reform during
the present Administration. Reform
10 Impossible while the Offices are
filed with the corrupt and corrupt
ing men who have been placed in
Office by q long line of Republican
Presidents, Cabinet officers, Sena-
tors and members. Change and
publication is n crying demand in
oil the departments. The oft used
metaphor Of the Augean stables is
not exaegeration when applied to
them. Democrats, we'll selected and
good men, have been given the
prominent Offices. In other words
new commanders have been placed
over an alien army, a host of servile
mutineers, whose study, day and
night, is 10 assassinate the cause un-
der the banner OF which they are
marching. The new commanders
sincerely desire to regain the land Of
political honesty and economy once
held by their fathers, and they have
given the command "abour march"
in healthy tones. The colonels re-
peat the command but with less con-
confidence. for they are nearer the
army. while the captains and lieu
tenants initiate il with . wink we'll
understood by the treacherous host.
There will never be any serious
reform in the departments until at
least one-half Of the light-6ngered
expert subordinates are put out, and
at leas, one.half of the army of civil
service employees is composed of men
in hearty accord with the sentiment
and principles which placed Dem.
ocratic President in the White
House. There is to-day in the In
terror Department nearly every ono
OF the officials who havo been re-.
sponsible for the ring rule which has
40 long dominated this department.
Some OF them are kept to-day in the
face Of the fact that their presence
has been the cause OF scandal in the
past, and must be the cause of scan
dial in the future. There seems to
bs . timid spirit running oil through
the business OF the Interior Depart
mont; q conservative dread Of hurt
ing the feelings OF the old ring off
cials. The same spirit which die
tatsd the recent lodging around the
corner appointments in the Patent
Office IL found in many Of the bu
resus Of this department. There Ii
no doubt that the service here would
be greatly improved if as clean
sweep Of the chiefs Of bureaus were
made as has been made in the Treas
ury Department. DEN.