Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-03
SENATOR CALL AND THE PREsI-
DENT.
Strongly Opposed to the Civil Service
Law-5dr. CIeveIand's Policy.
From the Neao York Tribune.

fron the Ne3o York Tribune.
Senator Call, Of Florida. has been spend
ing the summer with his family at West
Point. He is now at the New York hotel.
where a IribuRe reporter met him. The
Senator's name has been associated with
those of Senators Eustis, Beck, Black
burn and others, who, with Vice Presi-
dent Hendricks, are said to have deter
mined to make war on President Cleve-
lands policy as TO the offices. When
asked about this matter Mr.. Call said:
Il know Of no concerted action pur-
posed either by Democrats or Republi-
cans. AS far as am concerned there is
nothing in the report. / have not seen
any of the gentlemen named, nor had n
communication with them.'
us there any truth in reports Of dis
satisfaction with Mr.. Cleveland?"
There are a great many people who do
not agree with him in his view that party
athliatiOn should notb be an element in the
selection of Federal oticers-a great
many Democrats. There are a great many
who do not agree with him in his view
that craftsmanship Is a bar against office
holding. There are a great many who do
not believe with him and his civil service
reform advisers that voters are Influenced
by abstract conviction on the tariff or any
other question. Personal and social rela-
tlons, they believe, have great influence
with the masses, as well as condition
In life, and personal prospects. and
the condition of business, the other
matters not directly the result of princi-
pies of government. The number OF these
people Is constantly increasing. 1t is
bound to continue to increase. When To-
cal disturbances are brought into the
scale, as in the vase of Senator Eustis, the
outcome is quite likely to be a more vlo-
lent expression of the sentiment than
where the belief is merely passive. But
l do not apprehend that any one has any
quarrel with Mr.. Cleveland in person.
Mr.. Beck, for instance, will have no per-
sonal trouble or controversy with the
President. Mr.. Cleveland will be and is
accorded a perfect right to hold his belief
and to practice 1t. Indeed, he has
shown a s%ingleness of purpose
IN the matter, a high degree of conscien-
tlousness and great irmness. There may
be dissatisfaction in the different states
over the amount of patronage dispensed,
but the opposition is against the principle,
not against the President. | doubt if
there has been any conference OF either
Democrats or Republicans looking to
such an opposition. AS far as l am con-
cerned, it is certainly a false report"
81 judge, however, that YOU do not
agree with the Presidents views?"
81 am opposed to the civil service law
in all its particulars. l voted against it..
l was one of the beggarly few who op-
posed it. l made q speech against it. l
do not believe IN it.. l believe 1t uncOn-
stitutlonal. | know it is impracticable
and senseless. l regard it as a piece of
humbug and sham. l can see no reasOn
why, if the government wants a clerk, his
kuOVVladuo nj tho location Of a tnUD in tho
interior of Africa mas anything to do with
his qualification. can see no sense,
when the government wants a penman to
write up 8 set OF records, the applicant
should be examined in the discovery of
steam and decimal fractions and square
root. 1t is an a%bsurdity that a mar must
be examined in arithmetic to fill a posi-
ton which is purely manual. or that he
should not be taken into office on the
same principle that business men
hire their employees. In England,
where institutions are established, classes
formed, society partitioned by rule, and
Otice-hOlding made a business, / can I'M
derstand that civil service examinations
are of some account. But not in this
country, where every man is entitled to
aspire to office. Then, there is another
thing. l am opposed to any law that
shuts out the poor young men Of this
country, VINO nave not hau the OppOrIunl-
tV of securing an education, but have
gained practical knowledge of business
and fair penmanship by hard practice,
from participation in the affairs Of his
government. In that view, men OF sound
judgment and grasp of affairs, such as
many of the men who lave risen to great
est prominence in this country, by u
cessful management Of private affairs,
would be excluded from the government
TO make places for graduates of colleges
and of high schools"