Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-12

President and Senate.
President Cleveland is quoted as saying
that Mr.. Edmunds and his Republican as
sociates in the Senate are not acting in
good faith for the public good in inquir-
ing into his reasons for certain removals.
Their aim, he says, is to harass his adj
ministration. How does Mr.. Cleveland
know this Has he any omnipotent gift
for reading mems minds and motives :
On the face of the transaction, the sena-
tors press their requests for information
most distinctly in the interest Of the pub
lie. How does Mr.. Clevelands conduct
look, viewed from the standpoint of the
public INTEREST," Before his inauguration,
in his famous letter to Mr.. Curtis he de-
clared his position as follows;
There is a class of government positions
which are not within the letter of the
civil service statute but which are so dis.
connected with the policy of an admins
tration that the removal therefrom Of
present incum bents, in my opinion, should
not be made, during the terms for which
they were appointed, solely on partisan
grounds and tor the purpose of putting in
their places those who are in political &C
cord with the appointing power.
Since his inauguration number Of re-
movals, apparentlNprecisely of the class
described being UPON the face of them in
stituted simply to maN places for men in
political accord with disappointing power,
have been made. The United States Sen
ate, associated with the president in the
responsibility for such changes, simply
asks the president to furnish, for it's in
fn Mt ion af hat ba
sons for the changes. If he has good rea-
sons, reasons of public instead of partisan,
import, why should he not furnish them {?
Instead, he retreats behind his preroga-
tive, and declines to give reason, cause, or
information Perhaps he will succeed in
maintaining this policy of withholding
from the constitutional advisers, the in
formation they have Il right to. But in
what sort of "A light does this course leav Q
the president, as contrasted with his pro-
fessions How is the fundamental princi-
pie of civil service refOrm-the divorce Of
federal patronage from partisan politics.
to be maintained under such condition
of affairs'
The ST. Adams Messenger is
bound to decry anything and everything
done by Senator Edmunds, thinks it has
discovered that the senator's influence is
waning in the Senate. The proof it offers
is as follows:
The presidential succession and the cleo
toral count bills are two Of Senator Ed
munds's pet schemes. The former was
taken in hand by Senator Evarts and at
tended to himself against the earnest OPP
position OF our Vermont senator, by vote
of 81 TOGO
We are not sure that we understand
this remark. 1t seems, however, to meal
that Mr., Evarts carried a pet scheme o.
Mr. Edmunds's against the latter's opposi
tion. When Mr.. Edmunds adopted tn,
tactics of opposing his own pet scheme:
does not appear; but we believe it is
fact that on the only matter connected
with the presidential succession bill OF
which the Senate divided, the Republi
cans of the Senate voted with Mr.. Ed
munds two to one. The Messenger furthe
remarks that in controversy with Mr.
Edmunds, on Tuesday, on the electora
count bill, Mr.. Evarts won by vote o
30 to D. The facts are, as any one VIII
turns to the congressional record cal
see, that there was no Controversy" be
tween Mr., Edmunds and Mr.. Evarts OF
any vital provision. Mr.. Evarts offere,
an amendment, and Mr.. Edmunds ap
proved it; saying that 1t embodied valu
able idea. A motion was made to recon-
nit the bill to the committee. Nr. Hoa
opposed recommitting Mr.. Edmund
thought Mr.. Evarts's amendment coulc
be embodied without recommittng Tn,
only vote taken was on this minor point
and on this Senators Dawes, Hoar, Haw
ley, Frye, Cameron, Blair, Morrill,, Logan
and others Of the strongest Republican
in the Senate voted with Mr.. Edmunds
Sherman, Harrison, Evarts and Ingall
voted the other way and enough Demo
Gratis with them to carry the motion to re
commit 1t was not a party question, o
one involving any principle, The actor
delayed instead of forwarding the bill
and it Is simply puerile to attempt t,
make case of loss of prestige or new
leadership, for anybody, out of such
transaction.
Mrs. Grant is paying the generals debt
and will soon, it is said, have them nj
paid,