The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-04
CIvIL-sERvICE REFORM.
How 10 Works In Indiana Under the Pres
emit Admirable Administration.

emit Admirable Administration
New York Commercial Advertiser.
lively picture of the results of the civil
service-reform theories of the present remarka-
BILE administration, as applied in practice by its
appointees, is presented in brief and vigorous
Communication to the World from Wabash, Ind.
The writer has the courage to sign his own
name, thus assuming responsibility for his
statements which are not only remarkable, but
are so made as to carry q conviction or their
truthfulness.
As the letter is so short and suggestive, and
affords so forcible an exposure of the utter
tempt OF Democratic federal officials for the
declarations about civilservice reform in which
their superiors have been INDUCING, we copy it,
as follows:
To the Editor of the World:
In pursuance of your circular letter of July 90
have to report that at the Eleventh congressional dis
trct Democratic convention. held at Blufton on the
24tn inst, John W. Hendricks. postmaster at Mon
roe Adams county, present delegate Bay
ard Gray of Governor Gray who is postmaster at
Portland Jay county occupied a seat on the plat
form, and yelled himself hoarse for his candidate,
Judge Bobo. Daniel Krisher. postmaster at North
Manchester present chairman of delegation.
Both he and Gray of Clevelands recent appoint
ments. and Krsher superseded Shelby Sexton, an
old soldier. who was removed for offensive partisan
ship" Robert L. Seaton, postmaster at Ossian,
Wells county, and William Mertz. postmaster al
Vera Cruz present together with nearly all of
the postmasers Of Wells county 1t is safe to saw that
fifty postmasters were present delegates active
workers, displaying 'pernicous activity and often
here, sent his deputy who active delegate
Seamans is too SLY to work openly but is very act
i've partisan and local boss" Very little attention
is paid to the Presidents order in this section.
WABASH. Ind, Aug 30. II. f. HARRIS.
What a picture of the workings of reform is
presented in this vivid and evidently truthful
sketch by Democratic artist on the spot
Eighteen months Of mugwump administration
have brought us thus far along toward the mil
lennium that was to be inaugurated during Mr..
Clevelands experimental presidency, in which
federal officeholders to DE taken out of
politics in general and away from active partici-
patton in the running of conventions, in particu-
lar. This was the pledge under which Mr.. Cleve-
land took the presidency and which he has oc-
casonally renewed by suggesting to few Demo
cratic federal ofceholders who sought his official
guidance that they had better attend to their
official duties and let the conventions run them
selves.
The Worlds exposures of the hollowness and
insncerity of all this presidential fooling with
reform" strike at the very heart of the frauds
and false pretenses that are defended by the
civil-service reform adulators of the President
They know better than to sustain the caricatures
of reform" actually praeticed by the fed
eral officials from Maine to California. that are
becoming more and more ridiculous and absurd.
The World, as Democratic paper which repre-
sents and courts the patronage of its party, and
not the favor of the partys accidental head, is
determined to expose the actual workings of ''re
FORM" and if it continues to publish such let
tiers, over responsible signatures, from we'll
known Democrats as that which we have copied
above, there will be nothing left for mugwumps
who are reasonably intelligent, but to ask per-
mission to re-enter the Republican party, even
though by the back door, for they must realize
that the cause of prohibition has about as good
a chance of being sustained in good faith by
Northern Democrats as the cause of clVil-serv-
ice reform has of being honestly supported by
Democrats anywhere