The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-04-23
RILL Arp ON CIVIL SERVICE.

earning President Clevclands mode Of admins
tering the Government.
It seems now that there is little or nothing |
in politics, save Offices and spoils, and the ques-
ton is: Who shall fill the one and be filed by |
tie other? thought that question was set |
Ted long ago at the polls and that all Of US
would go into office or get something outside |
aud be happy. think that Mr.. Cleveland is |
great and good man, but he misunderstood the
boys when he leard them shouting, Turn the |
rascsls OUT now he has been thirteen months |
hunting for the ''rascals and hearing evidence |
on both sides and the way he is progressing il |
will take him thirteen years to get through |
Well, that is kind and charitable view to take.
1t is q hard duty to turn good, honest man
out of office when the office is his chief support.
But time about is fair play and fair play is a
jewel, and twenty-five years of "ins' ought to
satisfy any reasonable party or partisan,
whether offensive or defensive. believe that
our boys would enter into solemn covenant,
right now, that if they were allowed to stay in
for the next twenty-five years they woull oil
step down and out and give up the lease and
make no claim for betterments. Personally, /
will do that and give security.
Now, if there were any great national ques-
tions that divided the partes-questions like
the tariff or the Blair bill, or the silver busi-
ness, or the Mormous, or the heather Chinee-
there might he room for party contention for
control of the Government. But the parties
are split up and mixed on oil these, and there
is but one single issue on which the boys can
form straight line, aud that is the Offices
Mr.. Cleveland was elected on that single issue
"Turn the rascas out''-by which we meant
turn them oil out Not that every mothers
son was rascal, but the honest ones were
scarce and in bad company and under bad con-
troll, and had to play shut mouth and be access
sories after the fac. like a receiver of stolen
goods and SO we punched the whole concern
together and called them all rascals. But sup
pose there rascals and all are honest and
capable and deserving. How long is man to
hold m Office, public office that belongs to
he people? Is not twenty-five years long
enough when there ore dozen outsiders who
wlntit? Why, we Democrats here of the Solid
South won't let democrat stay in half that
long Rotation is the word. Rotate.
l used 10 have some grand Utopan ideas
about reform, and thought that may be the
goodm of the whole country could get to gether
and make new party that wouldn't steal, and
they could be elected and run the machine on
the pure and honest principles of our fore
fathers; but have abandoned such hopes. Re-
form is good word, but in politics it don't
mean anything-not a darned thing. A few
years ago sent boy to Annapolis to stand an
examination for place. There were 14O can
ddates and only 25 to be taken. The boy was
-,sr,, md thoroughly prepared,
but he was q Democrat ee- ffIN'
The 20 taken were oil Republicans, every
motLers son, and some of them didn't have
sense enough to get out of shower of rain
But their fathers, or their uncles, or their
cousins were Republican members of Congress
and offensive partisans to boot.
Offensive partisaus! Well that is the poorest
excuse in the world to turn q man out for.
Where is the reform in turning one offensive
partisan out to put another offensive partisan
in. We holer burrah for our side, and we
ought to.
The people turned Auther out and made
Blaine take back seat, and that meant turn
them all out even down to the postmaster at
'Ty Ty' and 'Too-nigh' and .Hardtimes', whose
office don't pay fifty dollows year. Turn the
Republicans out is the word.
l admire Mr.. Cleveland for many things, but
he can't run with the rabbit and bark with the
hounds His administration hos got to be Dem
ocratic or nothing Those Republicans held the
public Offices so long they really believe they
have warrantce title or fee simple to them
and theirs hairs
quit claim, and they don't Quit
claiming either. Why it pretty near
takes the military to get them out Mr.. Cleye-
land ought to wake up from his Utopian dreams,
his obnoxious desuetude, and shake his ambro-
sial locks and say 'fle left, march, He will
lose some good men and get some bad ones in
their places, but we can't help that The
country can't be worsted. 1t is high time that
new set were in training. 1t will take our
boys ten years to get as expert in the spoils
business as the Republicans are now. II will
take year or two for the natural diffidence to
wear off and to get familiar with all the avenues
and nigh cuts to overfowing treasury; but thew
will learn in due time. They will first look
then inger, then embrace. But any change
will be for the public good, and if our boys 90
to plundering it will give wider spread OF
national favors and save fling bill for distribu-
tion. So let MIR. Cleveland reconsider his ways
and be wise.
l would like an Office myself, a sort of sine
qua non /; but see no chance. There used to
be way Of creating an Office just to fit man,
but don't hear of it now. Mr. LeDuc and
Mr.. Loring did remember me and appointed
me agricultural correspondent for my county,
but there is no pay attached to it-nothing but
few turnip seed and tobacco scotland that Is