The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-07-08


less than majority His maturity over his
principal competitor was less than $1,000
And assert, Mr. Chairman. that this victory
was only made possible by the pretense that the
Democratic party was. I'm good faith in favor OF
a non partisan reform In the civil service. Con-
hding and over-credulous men of Republican
antece dents voted the Democratic ticket upon
the faith of these promises. Had the spells sys-
TEN been asserted then as IL il proclaimed now
by the leaders, 20 be Democracy pure and sim
pie, there would have been another defeat for
that oft-defeated party. To desert the civil ser
vice policy now in To betray the allies who made
Democratic success possible. The Republican
party was defeated because the adheren OF
Mr.. Cleveland pledged themselves that ne
would inaugurate salutary reforms in the civil
service OF the country
The orators of the Democracy talked glibly Of
the monstrous abuses that had grown up under
the Republican system, as they said, OF par
tisan appointments and held up their new Cos
pei Of civil service reform rs n political short
cut to all that was pure and honest in govern
ment To be sure, these pretensions are alb
sUrd Those who were induced To believe that
the men who won at the election two years ago
would prove 10 be the champions OF whole
some reform dsenchanted now. No one dis
putes that the administration was fully COM
mtted To the policy embodied in the Pendleton
bill the policy which IN It's most essential 1iis.
1t was Endorsed in Chicago; IL was repeated in
the letters Of acceptance by the national can
didates and this policy was emphasized by the
President in his inaugural.
II IL ia possible To commit the Democratic
party to any policy il is committed To this lt
was committed to il in its national platforms
long before the convention at Chicago. 1t gave
il n specific and unqualified Endorsement in the
most statesmanlke platform IL ever made or is
ever likely to make. And this was done in n
convention the history of which will rescue
modern Democracy from oblivion. l refer TO
the convention and platform adopted at Balti-
more in 1872. quote from that platform
"rhe civil service OF the Government
has become mere instrument OF parti-
san tyranny and personal ambition and an
u. IL a Ial.
proach upon free institutions, and breeds CEN
tralization dangerous to the perpetuity OF re-
publican government. We therefore regard a
thorough reform of the civil service as one of
the most pressing necessities of the hour that
honesty and capacity ana fidelity constitute the
only valid claims TO public employment that
the Offices of the Government cease To be mat
ter of arbitrary favoritism and patronage; and
that public station shall again become post Of
honor"
DO the Democracy stand this doctrine
now? II not. why not? Was this grand declara-
tion honest then, or was it a sham and n fraud
Was it announced to be put into execution, or
was its only purpose TO influence votes? Are we
to understand that THERE is no such thing as
good faith in politics?
The principles of the platform Of 1872 have
been reasserted in every Democratic national
convention since then. A civil-service plank as
clear in its language, as lofty in its defamation,
and as captivating in its promises OF reform
written by Samuel J. Tilden himself The adj
ministrat on party must face these declarations
and abide by them, or confess that IL dld not IN
tend to keep these promises when they were
made.
have little reason to doubt the sincerity of
the President. That he desires TO redeem his
pledges to the people by II firm enforcement of
the statute is evinced by his every public utter
ance In his letter 10 Dorman Il. Eaton Of Sep
TENDER IL, 1885, he said
Il believe in civil service reform and its appli-
cation in the most practicable form attainable,
among other reasons because IL opens the doors
for the rich and the poor alike to a participa-
zion in, ttll rAla n hnI II
time is at hand when all our people will see the
advantage OF reliance for such an opportunity
upon merit and fitness, instead of depend
ence upon the caprice or selfish interest of those
who impudently stand between the people and
the machinery of their Government. In the
one case n reasonable intelligence and the
education which is freely furnished er forced
upon the youth Of our land are the credentials
to office. In the other the way is found in favor
secured hy a participation in partisan work
often uniting person morally, II not men
tally and physically, for the responsibilities and
duties of public employment
wish could impress the truth that "A favor
| secured by participation in partisan work often
units one morally, il not mentally and physical
| ly, for the responsibilities and duties OF public
| employment" on the place-hunters OF to-day
who seek TO destroy the law.
But the party is drifting away from its chief
| 1t is not in harmony with him on any important
| question. 1t has no sympathy with him on mat
| tiers OF finance, and on the question of reform
ing the civil service it is preparing for open re
volt
There should be no SURPRISE sir, ut the return
| of the Democracy TO the spoils system. The
| piratcal declaration that to the victors belong
| the spols' is the coinage of a Democratic brain
/ The system was first put in practice undel
| a Democratic administration. Why, sir, Wash
! ington, during his eight years OF administration
| made but nine removals John Adams but nine
| and none of these because OF offensive partisan
| ship. Although Mr. jefferson made thirty-nint
| official changes he most solemnly declared thai
none of them were influenced by political con
siderations. Madison removed five; Monro,
! IA1,, nt,fn Al fha mol
man of them all, v but two. Mr.. Benton tries u
vindicate Jackson from the odium Of having
| first inaugurated the policy OF Furnishing politi
cal opponents by indiscrminate removals from
office.
With this record behind it, who could expect
| any reform in the civil service from that party
| have repeated this history also to show thai
| il the old system resulted in comforting office
| on men who had no fitness for public employ
ment but their fealty to party, it was an evi
| not discovered by the Democracy until the Re
| publicans secured control OF the patronage OF
| But why this sudden hostility? why should
| this law be repealed or even crippled? WheI
the Republicans were in control OF the Govern
ment the gentlemen on the other side were zeal
| Gus in its support. They demanded its passage
they supported IL, and clamored for its enact
| ment DO YOU want the sPoifs for your bench
! men, and is this law In your way? The De
mocracy this day are in possession of nearly
| every office worth the having. The heads of de
| partments and of bureaus are all in its keeping
| The foreign service, consular and diplomatic, ii
| filled with the friends OF the administration
| The territorial offices have been given to the
! faithful The postofiices that are worth the
| taking are in Democratic hands. The conf
| Dental circular of the Postmaster General has
| done II perfect work, and no offensive Repub
| lican survives.
All over the country soldiers widows have
| been removed to make room for able-bodieo
men, and crippled veterans made to give way Il
| civilians. The work is going ON, and soon NJ
| Republican will be left few Republican
! clerks remain, and they are kept in con
| slant state OF alarm. Every day the pub
| lie press gives the names of unfortunatei
| whose heads are in the basket Of the execu
| toner. Even with such protection as the civil
service law affords il will not be long before the
| spoils will all, nearly all, be in the Demo
| cratic household Be patient, gentlemen! Their,
| is no necessity for haste. Some device will b,
discovered by you by which the law will b,
| avoided. When the Postmaster General discov
| cred that to edit Republican newspaper, Il
| belong to a Republican committee, to make con
| tributions to Republican campaigns, or, in fact
/ to be an honest and outspoken Republican, was
| to be an offensive partisan and make one sub
| ject TO removal for cause. the Democratic hear
| was glad. This circular was bald perversior
| OF the law in its letter and its spirit.
| The very essence of the civl-service law is L
prevent the question of partisan politics from
| being considered in making appointments or re
movals from Office. refer to the class of offices
| covered by its provisions. These offices were
| not to be given reward for party services
nor was want Of fealty To the party il