Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-17
THE PRESIDENT AND REFORM.

Murmurs are occasionally heard con-
cerning the Presidents appointments or
accompaniment. Sometimes they como
from within, sometimes from without, but
they are heard ever and anon. The latest
complaint about the Presidents appoint
ments that comes from without, is from
the New York Times upon the case of
! Captain Bacon. Upon the face oil the
matter, as reported in the kilograms, it
looks as though the request for the resig-
nation of Captain Bacon had been for
political purposes and without regard to
an improvement in the revenue service.
But the Times denunciation OF the matter
does not count for such, az that paper is an
ultra Republican journal, and has never
shown any great zeal for good govern
ment at any time. Its present bitter On
slaught is made because it has long been
waiting for something to "turn up" that
it might vent its its spleen upon the Pres
ident and the Democratic Administration.
The Republicans have one grave and
serious ground for complaint against the
Administration, which is that it has made
so few blunders that they have nothing
much to complain of. The appointment
OF Higgins has had to do double duty,
and that night and day. The mistakes
of the Administration are made promi-
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rarity; that is the cause, and that alone.
Some complaint is coming from the DEM
ocratic ranks on account OF the manner
in which the Administration has acted in
the matter of appointments to office. The
Hon. Horatio Seymour thinks the Civil
Service Commission is in danger OF be-
coming greater abuse that the spoils
system. The duties OF that Commission
are clearly defined by law, and what
necessity there is that its members should
all be in sympathy with the party in
power is very hard to see. The time OF
the President of the United States should
be too valuable to be always occupied
with making appointments, appointments
which, if made in conformity with the de-
sires Of Congressman, is merely time spent
in rewarding party workers. II politics
and the aim of government in America
have come to mean q scramble for Office
that places may be had for those who
cannot otherwise gain livelihood, then
it makes little difference which party is
in power, for plunder knows no party.
But such is not the case, and the Demo-
cratic party in its platform has declared
for higher and nobler ends and Mr.. Cleve-
land and his Cabinet are striving to at
tain them, and every Democrat who cares
for his country and believes the principles
of Democracy the best calculated to
secure to every citizen his rights and to
make his country happy and prosperous,
honest endeavors after reform. Ii it is
unconstitutional to appoint men to office
under the rules of the Civil Service
law. 80 II is TO appoint them
at the solicitation OF Congressman and
Senators who claim the right TO bestow,
as patronage, the Federal offices within
their States and districts, while the first
method will secure better men for the
offices. That Ex-Governor Seymour does
not choose to endorse tie Administration
by refusing to express an opinion con-
cerning his approval or disapproval of Mr..
Cleveland's course tells against Governor
Seymour and not against President Cleve-
land