The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1885-02-12
a business revenue law regardless Of

as the people interpret them at the
election, and the intelligent citizen
who sits down and carefully reads
the Chicago Democratic plank on
the tariff and inIerprets it according
to the plain rules of common sense
and common honesty can know
exactly how President Cleveland
will apply business principles TO
frame a business tariff. The revenue
standard will he the basis OF all
future tariffs, and every step will be
taken to cheaper the necessaries of
life that is consistent with fidelity
to the general productive industries
of the country. The present severe
reduction of wages imperiously de-
mands every possible reduction of
the cost of the necessaries of life
consumed by labor, and our over
production, that now hang. like q
pail over many Of our most impor-
tant Industries, must have enlarged
markets. with cheaper products to
every extent consistent with prOtec.
ton of home labor against the Ill.
paid and ill-fed labor of Europe.
That would be the. revision OF the
tariff on business principles. 1t
would be the best assurance of legiti-
mate prosperity to both labor and
capital. 1t is what the Chicago
Democratic platform plainly teach
es. and it is what President Cleve-
lsnd will make the policy of his Adj
ministration
While there has never been any
room to doubt that Clevelana's ad-
minlstration will be Democratic, and
that there will he great changes in
the political complexion of the Fed
eral officers. no one could hear him
discuss his civil service policy with
out understanding that he will make
haste slowly, aud that he will make
the elevation of tile civil service
paramount to party. He is posi-
tive believer in practical civil serv-
ice reform and he is no new convert
to it. He believes that the first
duty OF public officer is TO regard
office as a public trust and make
both party and personal interests
subordinate to that conviction and
none who know him doubt that he
will resolutely apply his precepts
and example in every department OF
the Government. That is not what
Democratic spoilsmen expect, hur
it is pretty certainly the only feast
10 which they will be invited, and
they will profit by cultivaIlrg their
appetites to enjoy the entertainment.
1t should he remembered, also that
this practical civil service reform
likcl V to he inaugurated by Presi-
dent Cleveland gives little promise to
the bulk of the pr, sent Federal Off
GERS. Cleveland's standard applied
10 them would dismiss ninety nine
of every hundred of them, for they
have, as rule, hagrantly offended
every principle Of an honest civil
service system. The Democratic
disaI pointment will probably he less
in the removal of the hosts of Fed
eral officials who have p:ostituted
political power to base partisan
uses than in the character OF the
men VINO succeed them, and Demo
cratic honesty and competency will
generally prevail over those who
follow the trade OF politics to harvest
the spoils. do not mean TO convey
the idea that Cleveland despises the
active politician. He is too broad
and practical and honest for any
such folly. But it is not difficult to
draw the line between reputable and
diSreputablc party men, and when
It Is remembered that the disreputa
BILE Of all parties are always most
active and importnnate in demand
inc party rewards in the shape Of
Offices. the distinction between an
honest civil service and the sublime,
impracticable, non partisan admin
istration that some dream of hut
none practice, must he apparen to all.
/ know as much sbout the new
Cabinet as any outside the few who
are in closest confidence with the
new President. and that it is just
nothing at all; but | expect the
| Cleveland Cabinet to be wholly
Democratic, but wholly honest, able,
and commanding public confidence; /;
and the problem the new President
must solve is whether a Democratic
National administration cln make
the nation Democratic by deserving
the considerate approval of the peo-
PIE Ii he shall he successful the
measure of success will repeat the
history Of Monroe and jackson, who
disarmed opposition by the sweeping
commentator of the country, and il
unsuccessful the failure will entomb
Democracy for another quarter of a
century, if not forever. The new
President will be progressive. He
will be conservative and progress
with care, but he will progress. He
will not turn his face back upon the
past to learn tie new duties the new
occasion imposes upon HIM. He will
let the dead rest and look forward
to the living issues OF to-day, to the
multiplying issues of the hope
ful fu' ure, and to a purer and better
Govarnment fnr tho rannitab ,,aa,,la