Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-06-03

lFrom The Plynouth un1., DsnocrsLl
n An old Depocrst recently asked me-,
.swhat is all this erumbline st and ab1sso
Cleveland by Democrats abouti What Is IL
fori'' ~
/ answered, at IL because the partisan
goose happened to lay q golden egg, and .
large number Of thoughtlsss or selfish and
unrehecting Democrats want Cleveland 10
cut the goose open at once, and he refuses to
doit. This Is what it is about. What 1t is
for, is beyond the domain Of reason. For
long time prior to Cleveland's election,
Democ ats had favored and demanded q re-
form in the civil-servioe. That is, that msn
should be selected as employees 10 carry on
the business in the various offices, because Of
their fitness; and they should not be turned
out for opinions sake only, as long as they
were faithful in duty and did not use their
official position to force their opinions on
Others; and that they shodld be promoted in
position as they became fitted for higher
duties. "A Democratic Senator introduced a
bill, looking to this reformation, and called
''The Civil Service Law" II was enacted
into statute and is stills law. Democratic
conventions approved of the reform and re-
solved in fayo. of il; end the one that nomin-
atsd Mr.. Cleveland did 80. He felt himself
bound in good faith to redeem the promises
made to the people by the Democratic plat
form, and bis pledges when nominated on it.
Because since he was elected, large number
who want the goose cut upon have changed
their minds and repudiated the civii-service
law, it is no reason he should forget and re-
pudiate his pledges. Had he not made them
he would have been beaten by sslcc0 majod-
ty in New York. Over $1,000 Republican
Mugwumps who voted for him because Of
those pledges, would have voted against him
or not voted at all. Mr.. Cleveland has al
ways been Democrat. When sried in Office
he has proved himself honest, able, and firm.
He courts no favors and fears no censure.
He finds the Democrats divided among
themselves on. every important public ques-
tion, aud even on that Of fcivil-service reform.
So divided, they have no leader and he has
no fixed support. He took the admipistra-
ton as twenty odd years o; Republican mis-
rule left and has used and is using his best
Judgment and untiring energies TO conduct
it for the best interests Of the whole nation.
He must use such forces as are at his COM
mand. Why Democrats should censure,
obstruct, hinder and help weaken the forces
he has, is without reason. Why they should
trust him and aid him in every way they can
and wait for developments, has every posi-
BILE reason to support such policy. The
most charitable view we can take of his
opponents is, that they are some Of them
Mugwumps on questions of public policy.
By the course so far followed by many Dem
ocrats-if they can makeit general-they
can bring about disintegration Of their party,
and multiply Mugwumps and bolters by the
hundreds of thousands. s One of the best
founded complaints the Democrats made
against Republican methods, was that of the
corrupt use made Of official position, whole
sale removals, and appointments Of employees
purely for the purpose of using them to per-
petuate the Republican leaders in office,
regardless of qualifications for official duty.
The large majority Of the people demanded q
reform in the civil-service Of government.
The Democrats promised it. They pledged
the party to it.. They slected Cleveland to
redeem the pledge. Hei trying to redeem
| it. What kind of Democrats are those who
censure, denounce or criticise him7" 4