Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-06-18
The Civil Service.

cess In Oregon, resulting in the election OF
a Governor, Treasurer and Supreme Judge.
reversing the previous large Republican
majority and giving the Democrats con
troll Of the State for the next four years
does not seem to verify the grave appre-
tensions expressed in some quarters as to
the unwisdom and unpopularity Of Mr..
Cleveland's civil service reform policy.
This, together with the fact that Demo
cratic State Conventions continue to en-
dorse its policy, encourages the belief that
the administration has strengthened and
united, rather than weakened and dis
membered the party.
When it is remembered that the Demo
cratic party has been contending SO long
and SO persisently in the minority and
has time and again rallied from reverses,
gaining gradually but steadily IN popular
strength until at last it overcame the pow
erful opposition and assumed the admin
istration of the government; and that all
this has been accomplished while it had
no official favors to bestow, if will be re-
cognized that it is its lndestructable and
time honored principles of civil liberty
and popular rights, and not the spoils Of
office, which constitutes the cohesive power
by which this great political organization
is held tasether. Hence the reason will
appear why an administration ct the af-
fairs of the Federal government which is
true to all the cardinal principles of the
Democratic faith, may treat the distribu-
tion of official favors as of secondary i'm
portance and still retain the confidence
and support of the Democratic masses.
But while this is true and will be a
source of proud satisfaction to the Demo
cratic voter, still the Democratic admin
istration cannot afford to 60 to the ex-
IRENE extent of vague theorit> in the mat
ter of civil service reform; but will more
wisely adopt a prudent middle course
which, while elevating the standard of
efficiency of the public service, will not
be wholly unmindful of party interests
There is force in the point so ably set
forth by Hon. Barnes Compton In his re-
cent speech, extracts of which we print
elsewhere, that no sensible business man
employs as his confidential clerk and
bookkeeper "men known to be by associa-
ton, affection or hire enlisted heart and
soul in the success of his rival across the
street" This essential principle. the force
of which cannot be gainsaid, will demand
that the large number Of Republican Off
cia's who have been appointed during the
past administration under the most cor
rupt exercise of the spoils sys.em solely
on account of offensive partisan services
and affiliations, should be deposed SO soon
as their places can be properly filled with
out detriment to the public service. 1t is
known that the President fully recognizes
this important fact because he very de-
stinctly pointed it out in his first message
to Congress: but in carrying it into
opera ion lie may be expected to proceed
with that caution and circumspectior
which the exigencies of the pub ic service
and the influence of an adverse Senate
may suggest But it is evident that the
Democratic party has confidence in Mr.
Cleveland and his purpose to honestly
Il III i-he affzi-s Of inc government
from the standpoint of true Democracy.
and the evil results to the organization o.
the party which it has been predicted
would result from the civilservice reform
policy of his administration are not yet
in any wise apparent