St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-12

may be gained party adj
vantage from 1t. They do not
wait for acts, but denounce in advance on
an assumption, the insin cerity and dishonesty
in the Lew President AS Chief Magistrate
of the state of New York, Mr.. Cleveland has
already acted on the spirit of the civil service
law. He has retained Republicans in Office
when worthy, he has appointed Republicans
to Office, and has even made appointments
without knowing the political predictions
of the appointees, only being aware of their
capacity and worth. Thus he may offend
narrow, Democratic partisans but he attests
his own honesty and shows how sincere is
his belief that public office is public trust.
The following digest has been made of
President Cleveland's letter regarding the
civil service, which, considering its vast im.
portance is remarkably brief, and needs no
abridgemeut No document Of equal value
and importance has ben recently published.
If the law is administered in the spirit of that
letter, all men, of all parties, outside of the
narrow, selfish partisans of each, will APP
prove of it. The following is faithful re-
feet of the spirit and intent Of the latter:
The civil service reform law will be thoroughly
enforced.
Its principles will be extended to such offices
not embraced in its provisions as do not concern
the political policy of the administration.
AS to those latter Offices such incumbents as
have behaved in a civil service reform manner
will be left undisturbed until their terms expire.
Such as have not behaved in civil service re-
form manner will be removed straightway.
Men retained and men appointed will owe their
positions and their retention in positions to faith
full and efficient service for the public, and must
be content with the quiet and rnostentacious ex-
ercise of their political rights as voters.
In appointments to Offices not within the civil
service laws the Democracy of men will be given
due consideration: party service will not be rec
ognized as claim of itself for place; inquiry as
TO the fitness aud character of applican will be
found to avail more hereafter than pressure" or
backing will avail now.
The foregoing digest presents the material
points of the letter, showing that the new
President has clear comprehension, and
firm grasp Of the requirements of the civil
service law, and has an honest purpose to
obey them.
Every ofiiceholder, in the light Of President
Cleveland's avowed purpose to carry out
faithfully the provisions of the civil service
law, cdh hho" hls own lax III auFahCC'
If he has been honest and non-partisan,
faithful and just, and capable in the admin
istration of his Office, he is safe until his
term expires. But if he has abused his
official trust for partisan purposes, the new
President will turn such rascals out imme-
diately, as the civil service law requires.
There will be no sweeping removals, but
there will be plenty Of them for cause. But
many Republican, who has conducted his
official duties with judicial fairness and up
rightness will be permitted to serve out the
full term for which he may have been APP
pointed. 1t will be well enough to bear in
mind, and it will save all cavil and misleading
construction, that President Cleveland in his
letter to Mr.. Curtis means just what he says.