The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-23
t'OFPENSIVE PARTISANSHIP.u

''0FFENsIVE PARTIsANsHIP.p
acknowledgement Vilas's official statement
that the administration would soon get down
to the consideration of charges of Offensive
partisanship' signifies that the play will soon
be over and the business Of rewarding the
faithful begin. Postmaster Pearson has been
reappointed-sop to the mugwump Cerberus,
if one may think Of so fierce beast in con-
nection with the cooling mugwump-and Reg
lister Bruce and Collector Hill are to be retained
in the hope of attracting some share of the
colored vote. The first and apparently
the last act Of the civilservice farce
have been played, and the curtain
is being rung down. One speaking with
authority says that all officials who have been
guilty of Offensive partisanship" must now
prepare to vacate Just what will be held to
constitute this offense no one is prepared to
say. The President has conferred one of the
most distinguished honors within his power
upon a man who, the general opinion is, has
proved himself most Offensive parti-
SAN" If "Dan" Manning comes not
under condemnation on this count, it
is difficult to understand who will.
If Offensive partisanship" be evil, as it may
be conceded to be, why is it not equally
culpable in one man as another9 Are we to
understand that Offensive partisanship" i'll
Democrat is to be rewarded with Office, and
offensive partisanship in Republican pun
ished by removal9 Is that the way it is to
work. If it be not right for man to resort
to it in order to retain Office, how can it be
justified in one who employs it to obtain
ohice7
But if the government is about to start on
a new theory-which we are not yet ready to
believe-it is that when man becomes an
officeholder he, to a certain degree forfeits
his rights as citizen, and there are some
privileges open to others which he may not
exercise, an idea so thoroughly undemocratic
as to condemn it at once. We do not apollo
gize for really -"offensivo partisanahip,n
but we do insist that if it is an
offense that works forfeiture of Office it should
also act as a bar against the requirement of
office. There can be no just discrimination,
any more than there can be discrimination be-
tween Office holders and civilians in the COM
mission of any other ofense. But it is use
less to argue this point. offensive partisan
ship" as interpreted by the party in power,
will be made to cover all the cases necessary,
and in the end no Republican federal officer
will escape removal. to make room for some
one of the very hungry and very thirsty Dem
ocrats.
We have no faith in the intention Of the
Democratic party to enforce this rule save to
make vacancies where no other possible
charge can be brought 1t is simply to get
rid of some of the best public servants and
will die the death as soon as all the places are
captured. If it were to be understood as
standing rule, operating against those who
hold Office and those who rightfully aspire
to it, it would only aggravate an evil that has
worked much harm to American politics.
Already too many good citizens take no active
part in public affairs. The bummers and
bruisers are always on hand, as was
the case in November last while
thousands and tens Of thousands Of the better
citizens hold aloof. If ofice-holders are to be
debarred from proper and active participation
in public affairs-if Office is to be made a
premium for abandoning political duty, or used
as weapon to prevent man from attending
to his political duty-another large body of
citizens are added to those already culpably
inactive If anything, the people of this
country should be urged to a more lively in
terest in the good of the Nation, and to an
honest, energetic participation in its elections.
The country wants no Office holding class
fenced off from either the duties or privileges
of citizenship.
THE parish priests in BULGARIA. who are