Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-09-09

kAnoAsrEn. sErrEnBER ., 1876.
a Hest Proper Refusal.

- AVDs tVYVh RChuSoIs
$ $S ~ toll story Of the Democratic
executive committee, of Phila.
4ln, which, If true, shows that
w eOmmittoo lacks sound sense. The
1oed States appraiser at the port had
1nted colored man as messenger.
.lswas notagreeable to the Democrats of
~ TWenty-sixth ward, whose representa-
~ in the city committee brought the
|nfter to the attention Of the committee,
nd Chairman Savage appointed COM
nlttce, 10 present it to the appraiser,
eoo1lsting Of Samuel Josephs, William
EdMullen, J. p. Sensenderfer, Peter
Lcnroe, John Slevin, Charles +.
Bl1lx and Chairman Savage himself, all
o1l-kn0wn members of the party, and
hoir action might reasonably have been
1xpocted to be wise. We think that it
yne very otherwise. They called upon
Appraiser Baker and requested his dismis-
~ cf the colored messenger upon no other
.1kOund than that he was Objectionable to
- Democrats of the ward as colored
nan, who proposed another and white
IN Tor the Office. The appraiser very de-
|ot1edIy declined to comply with the re-
Quost. They told him that the ward com.
mittee would resign if he retained the COL
eo4 messenger, that the window book men
would not be on hand at the election and
>hat the Democratic vote would not be out.
The appraiser refused to be dictated to or
- change his actions to suit the temper of
The ward committee.
And be was certainly right. He had
appointed the messenger, and to cause him
10 revoke the appointment good reason
should have been given him. Certainly it
0h not do to ask United States officer to
4lscharge messenger because he was
ool0rcd man. That was no reason at all.
a colored man may be as good a messen-
1er - white man, undoubtedly, and in
truth 1t is vocation in which be is very
usually found. 1t would not do, under the
presidents views, TO ask a United States
Official to discharge anyone from subordi-
nate place because of his politics and
-o0Etainly not because of his color.
We can hardly understand how the Dem
0crats of the committee could have been
led to take SO false step. But the truth
doubtless is that men when they become
c0mmitteemen, need to keep a close watch
On themselves, to see that they do not be.
come foolish under the pressure and howl
ing of their office-seeking constituents,
who seem to think that the party was
created to give them offices, and that they
are theirs by divine right when their party
gets In.
Generally the trouble is about keeping
Republicans in office. Here it was about
C0lOred Democrat the city committee of
Philadelphia seem to say that colored
Democrats should not even be official mes
ssngeu unless we understand their action
to be taken not against the colored Demo.
.ocat 70 much as in behalf of the doctrine
that ward Democrats must be allowed to
dictate to the holders of federal office. The
'doctrine is rotten in either case. We
~ not surprised that it was proclaimed by
Samuel Josephs and seconded by Squire
NcAullen, but We are surprised that the
yory respectable city committee should
Ind II its countenance. Its representa-
tives were rightly sent to the right about
by Appraiser Baker, who would have been
= calf If he had yielded to the absurd and
most impertinent dictation. 1t is safe to
~ that the president will sustain him,
and that Mr.. Josephs is further off than
ever from that impossible marshalship.
Tho Democrats of Philadelphia may as
well try to understand what Democrats
elsewhere seem to know, that there
~ no use in trying TO bulldoze
this federal administration into handing
over the federal offices for distribution by
county committees as party plunder. 1t is
expected that Democrats are Democrats
for principles sake, and that they work for
the party from honest devotion to it.
When they proclaim that they will not
'WOrk or vote unless the public offices are
'parceled out to suit them, they declare that
'1hey are not Democrats of this kind
md show themselves shameless in the
doclaration. They will stay out of
clIIce, - the country and Democratic party
T. now administered. They are not eligible
- Democrats. They are not Democrats,
~ nhams. They can get out and stay out
1er the accomplished marshalship of
nuAl Josephs.