New-York tribune., 1886-05-27
REYORN MlUE LISY.

President Cleveland set himself good
example the other day. The Democratic Con-
gressmen of Michigan had recon mended to hlm
some persons who were found so shameluIIy
unit that he had to Withdraw their names. lie
was naturally angry at them, whereas hc ought
TO have been angry at himself for trusting them
Casting about for means to make MS dlSpleas-
ure felt he presently had opportunity. n
iudseship WAS TO be filed, and these same
Michigan Democrats united III recommending
man. Another Democrat, unable to get
indorsed by any Democratic members, solicited
and obtained recommendations from Repubi-
can members of Congress from that State.
Thcreupon President Cleveland appointed the
man whom,tho Republicans bad recommended,
and the Democratic members Of Mich gan are
painting the State blue.
What the President did in this case by way
of manifesting his displeasule at faithleSs and
dishonest advice he might do much Ottener
with good results for himself and his country.
He wants to appoint Democrats, and nobody
complains, if he will select decent Democrats
men who are competent for The positions to
which they aspire. in character respectable, and
i'm record patriotic and honorable Republican
members of Congress have excellent reasons for
recommending such Democrats when they see
it TO recommend any. 1t is no favor to them to
select a Democrat on their recommendation.
The President may be sure that he will never
be hunted t. death by them, bcsecching him
to favor this Democrat rather than thai. Bat
! if they 20 upon record at all, indOrsng a man
of the opposite party as competent and worthy,
the President may be sure that they viii give
him advice of which they are not ashamed.
Democratic members, unhappily, cannot be
dsintcrested if they try. They are looking to
Democrats of their own districts and States for
support and reelection. They have debts to
pay to Democratic politicians, and generally
have more debts than they can pay, and they
arc apt to owe more to the knaves and the lower
political strikers than to the most worthy and
honorable men of the party. They are badg-
cred night and day to pay their debts by
recommending men to the President, and they
cannot help themselves. The poor men are not
exactly responsible for recommending scamps +;
they have to recommend the men who possess
influence with the party, and ii is not altogether
their fault if the scamps have more power in
primaries than anybody else. When Mr.. Clcye-
land sees the names OF Democratic COugrcssmcn
on an application for Office, he can ask himself,
What dirty work has this man done, that
" these people should be forced TO pay him rather
@than other workers r. But no such painful
thought need disturb his mind when he finds IL
Democrat indorsed by representative Republi-
cans.
IIcIc is room for a reform that means some
thing. Let Mr. Cleveland henceforth ignore all
persons recommended by Democratic repre-
scntativcs Of the same districts or States. and
make ii his rule 20 select instead the Democrat
who has the confidence of representative Rcpub
licans 1t can hardly be said that the President
would in that case please both parties.
Certainly he would not please the PhariSees
who look upon representative Republicans as
the worst men on earth. But he would please
himself, and nine-tenths of the Republicans,
and all the Democrats who want no Office them
selves