The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-01-07
DEcEIvING THEMSELVES.


land, in his recent letter to Georg
William Curtis, assured them that the
would not be removed, is not plain II
the person of ordinary understanding
and yet good many of these Officials
and the majority of the Republican
newspaper organs assume that few
changes will be made, matters goinl
along about as they have been. 1t i,
admitted on all sides that Mr.. Cleye
lands letter is frank. manly and I'M
Ambiguous. He says what he means
and it is characteristic of the man tc
mean what he says. He declares "that
practical reform in the civil service is
demanded" a declaration which GER
tainly contains no expression of en-
enlargement for the ms, as the civil
serviceis under their control and per-
formed by them. If reform is necessary,
the reformer would hardly expect to
bring it about by the employment of the
men who have made it necessary. The
minister of CHRIST doesn't apply to the
atheist, the infidel and the scoffer to
teach Christianity, and Mr. Cleveland
will not call Republican officials to
inaugurate Democratic reform. The
Governor also asserts that his concep-
ton of true Democratic faith and public
duty, requires that this (the civil ser
vice law and all other statutes should
be in good faith and without evasion
enforced. . 1t is because the statutes
were not enforced in good faith by
Republican administrations, and Re
publican officials that Mr.. Cleveland
was elected President; the laws were
evaded and nulliied and applied cor
ruptly by the men who are now hoping
that the new President will invite them
to assist him in an honest, fair and just
Interpretation and application of the
statues. These officials are either
deceiying themselves or they re-
gard Cleveland as = simpleton,
who doesn't understand the meaning of
the language or is ignorant of the sig
MITIGATION of the term reform. Here is
the paragraph in the letter which i'm
parts most hope and encouragement to
the official army:
There is class of government posi-
tions which are not within the letter of
the civil service statute. but which are
so disconnected with the policy of an
administration that the removal there
from of present incumbents, in my
opinion, should not be made during the
terms for which they are appointed,
solely on partisan grounds and for the
purpose of putting in their places those
who are in political accord with the ap-
pointing power.
There is not an honest, manly Demo
crat in the land but applauds this utter
ance. 1t indicates the highest degree of
reform, showing that good government,
in the mind of the President, is emf
nently more to be desired than party
success. But how it can be construed
into promise that Republicans shall be |
retained, the delighted ofice-holders
have not been able to explain. II it
we're not for the paragraph following, it
might by forced construction, be held |
to imply that changes would not be
made, but the succeeding sentence what
ever strained Interpretation that can be |
placed upon it. must dash the hopes of |
the papSuekers. OF the class of officials
referred to above, Mr.. Cleveland says
But many now holding such posit-
ions have forfeited all just claim to re-
tentlon because they have used their
places toF party purposes in disregard
OF thelr duty to the people, and because
instead OF being decent public servants
Bhey have proved themselves offensive
Parhsans and INSCRIPTIONS manipu-
latorS OF local party management.
If there is Republican official who
can conscientiously say that he has not
forfeited all just claim to retention"
within the meaning. of 'Cleveland's
letter, he may feel safe in his place, but
where is there such Republican?
Where is the official who has not labored
himself and used his office for party
purposes? Where is one who has not
contributed liberal percentage of his
salary to the corruption fund by which
the party has been able to retain power
through bribery, purchase and
the unlawful use of money?
Where is one who has not neglected his
duty to go home to vote" if it were
among the reasonable possibilities for
him to do so? If there. are any RepuE-
lican officers who can hope for reten-
ton under Gleveland's promise above,
on the ground that they do not come
within the many who have forfeited all
just claim to continue, they must be the
petty postmasters who are In Office only
because the positions are not worth the
while Of politicians to accept them.
Cleveland's letter is frank declara-
ton Of what he is committed to in the
matter Of Federal appointments it is