The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-23
TIE coLLEcToRsHIP.

Collector Dow, who is to be superseded by
Gen. S. j. Anderson, was appointed a little
less than three years ago by President Ar
thur, at the substantially unanimous request
of the merchants of Portland, without dis
tinction of party We have yet to hear the
first unfavorable criticism upon his admins
tration of the office. On the contrary, DEM
ocrats and Republicans alike have very cor
daily commended it. Had the interest of
the service alone been consulted, he would
not have been disturbed. His removal,
therefore, is simply an attempt to satisfy the
demands of the livery hungry" Democracy
for spoils.
1t is well known in this community that
Mr.. Dow has entertained the opinion that
the office of Collector of the port should be
held by one in accord with the administra-
ton; and he will not regard his removal as
matter for complaint or regret. But this
does not alter the fact that the President, in
removing him, has violated his pledge to the
civil service reformers and exposed to the
full sunlight of publicity the hollowness of
his devotion to reform.
Mr.. Dow's prominence in the councils of
the Republican party, and the Importance of
the position he occupied led to very early
attempts to secure his removal But, while the
President adhered to the doctrines of his Cur
It's letter, twas not possible to bring it about.
Democrats freely admitted that there was no
ground for complaint as to the Collectors po-
litical action. While exercising his rights as
a citizen, he had given no offence to his most
jealous political opponents 1t was known
in Portland and in Washington that he had
administered his Office to the entire satisfac-
ton of the public doing business there; that
he had in the interest of economy very
considerably reduced the force employed and
the expenses of collecting the revenue in this
district; and that he had so promoted the
discipline and efficiency of the force that his
Office ranked among the best conducted in
the country. The only hope of the spoilsmen
therefore for the removal of Mr. Dow was in
the surrender of the President to the clamor
for plumber. But after this capitulation had
been brought about and the President
in utter disregard of his professions and
pledges, commenced the indiscriminate re-
moyal of competent and satisfactory officers,
and Internal Revenue Collector Rollins,
Postmaster Barker, District Attorney Lunt
and Surveyor Pullen had all fallen victims to
the new policy, Collector Dow has been re-
tanned while longer in Office only because
of the bitter fight among the Democrats as
to his successor.
We have no complaint to make against the
Presidents selection for Collector Dow's
successor. Gen. Anderson enjoys the conf
dence Of the community and is thoroughly
competent to administer the affairs of the
Office. So long as his appointment is not
claimed to be in the line of the policy marked
out by the President in his civil service let
ter and is put upon the ground that the |
President wanted a good Democrat and at |
the same time man thoroughly competent |
and generally acceptable to the business COM
munity we have no hesitation in commencing |
it. But if it is sought to make it appear that |
the appointment of Gen. Anderson was |
made in the expectation of improving the !
service or in the interest of civil service re- |
form we shall take great pleasure in expos |
ing the hypocrisy of any such pretense.