The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-08-28
PARTY CLAIMS.

less attacl~d to the Democratic
party, who at dc last general cleo
ton We're not chos.., by the people
to fill any Office whatessr. but who
seem disposed to blame the Presi-
dent rather than their other fell
low-citizens for overlooking their
claims to pulic preferment. When
We reflect that the nominating con-
ventions were open to them, and
that in this country it is the prlvi-
lege of every man to appeal to his
friends and nelghbors for their
suffrage, it occurs to US that the
neglect of which these gentlemen
complain was a matter for protest
and indignation some time before
the 4th Of March last. If they
have procrastlnated, or if they
have been too modest, it is not
Mr.. Cleveland's fault. IF, on the
other hand, they did use due dill
gence, their case against the Pres
ident is no better. They ought
not to expect him to do for them
what they were unable to do for
themselves.
We hear great deal said about
the claims that certain individuals
have upon the party. If their
claims are really valid the party
should do something for them.
That is something that no one
could object to; but it is quite an
other matter to insist that they
should be rewarded by the Govern
ment of the United States. When
ever the party has a member whom
it regards itself as in duty bound
to reward, it should nominate that
gentleman for some place, and
then do its best to elect him. There
are numerous elective offices. State
and Federal, and little man can
be placed as we'll as a big one on
long ticket. 1t is not exactly fair
to say to a worthy worker" for
instance, eve can't do anything
for you here in New Orleans or in
the. State, but the President must
either send you abroad or. find you
a berth in the Custom-house."
We are not saying that no man
is fit for an appolntiye Office who
has not held an elective Office; but
We do assert that claims against
the party should be settled by the
party ITSELF The civil service Is
neither an orphan asylum nor an
infirmary, and it is not the Presi-
dents business to provide for the
proteges of all the politicians who
would be glad to have him meet
their personal obligations at the
national expense. We have no
doubt that some Of the disappoin-
ted have been jealous Democrats;
but it is a fact that man may be
very useful to a candidate without
giving proof of capacity for hold
ing Office on his own account. The
President Is responsible for the
efficiency of the civil service, and
not at all for the maintenance of
party discipline He is in no sense
the servant of his party, or the
steward of It's setfets; and it Is
still less his duty 70 saddle the
whole country with - support of
men whom the part self has per-
sistently neglected. On the other
hand, there are men who have new
er held Office, and, better still,
men who have never sought Office,
whom he can very properly appoint
to places of public trust, not be-
cause they have claims upon his
party, but because he has been sat-
lsfied that they can be useful to
the government.
We are aware that there are fossil
politicians of a pal@ozic age, some
times miscalled sstatesnens who
take a very different view of the
Presidents duty. They are like
those Republican Bourbons who
are still fighting secession and sla-
very, and who refuse to believe
that the war will be over in their
time. They have not discovered
that the world moves, and that the
doctrine Of party claims upon Fed
eral patronage is no longer car