Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-04

The President and His Critics.
The Presidents civil service policy is
not approved by Senator Hoar, OF Massa-
chusetts. The Senator claims to have
discovered that the MuGwumps have been
deluded by the President in the matter
OF the civil service, and that If they were
as shrewj and sincere reformers as they
pretend To bcthey would denounce rather
Than praise him.
Ia a speech against open executive ses-
sions last week, the Senator declared mat
the President had shown himself TO be 3
much in favor of the spolls system rs
Presidents Van Buren, aud Pierce were.
In support Of this assertion he stated that
there we're about four thousand important
civil offices which the President could fill
without consulting the Civil Service
Commissioners. In fifteen months
20S7 OF these Offices have been
hllcd with men selected by the President.
OF this number l,749 have been confirmed
and only Is rejected. The senator, III a
rather fearful voice, declared thac Of the
1913 Republican officials remaining IN
Office, who were within reach OF the
Presidents official ak, he did not expect
that twenty would be there at the end
OF Mr.. Clevelaud's term.
Tnis is pretty good evidence, coming as
it d es IRON political enemy, that Mr..
Cleveland has been getting rid OF Repub-
lIcan Otiiceholders pretty iast-much
faster, in fact. than either the country or
his own party friends have been aware Of.
ba ba of il Il
doubtless appear that while Mr.. CleVe-
land has obeyed both the letter and the
spirit OF the civil service law he has used
the appointing power quite as freely ao
any OF his predecessors.
The criticism to which he is subjected
IN connection with appointments 10
due mainly to the tact that while
his predecessors made party ser
vices and personal friendships the
basis OF appointments, he makes
merit, as far as it 10 posi- Die Tor him to do
so, the basis. Politicians and Congress
men nave, therefore, met with many dis
appointments, and have, in consequence,
tried to create the impression that the
President is protecting Republicans in
them out as well as not.
This speech OF Senator Hoar's, which
was intended as a reflection upon the in
telligence of the Mugwumps and an at
tack upon the President, will open the
eyes OF Democrats to what the President
has really been doing in the way of filling
the Offices with men of his own party.
A careful review of the Presidents
course relative to the offices will show
that it has been a wise one, and that if 1t
10 not now, it will ba@pproved by the best
sentiment OF the party. If in violation
OF his pledges, and in the face of a strong
public sentiment, he had re-
moved all the Republicans he had
the power to remove, within a
few months after his inauguration,
he would have aroused a feeling of hos
Utility that would have greatly interfered
with his administration OF his office. If
he had acted hastily in selecting their sue
cessors he would have put into office
many unfit men who would have brought
his administration into disrepute, and
done the party incalculable damage.
Mr.. Cleveland has handled the patron
age business skillfully and honestly
Very nearly all of his appointments have
turned out well. The Mugwumps, who
keep a sharp lookout for shortcomings,
are satisfied with him, and his Democratic
critics will be forced, before his term
closes, TO admit that they formed their
conclusions too hastily.