The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-02
SENATOR HARRIsoNs SPEECH.

SENATOR HARRIsONs SPEECH.
A Timely and Forcible Showing UP OF Dcmos
cratic Sham.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
The speech of Senator Harrison Of Indiana,
on the civil-service reform policy of the present
administration differs materially from most 9th
err speeches upon that subject, in the respect
that it furnishes practicaI facts Of very signih-
cant and conclusive description. These facts re-
late wholly to the Senator's own State. to be
sure; but IL is fair to assume-indeed, 10 is very
well known-that the same general methods
have been pursued in other States. They show,
beyond all question, that the Presidents boosted
purpose to remove public officers only for cause.
and to make appointments only on the basis OF
personal merit and fitness has been mere sham
and mockery. In all the long list of removals
there is not single case where specific charges
were made or whore the dismissed person was
permitted to know the definite reason for the ac-
ton against him: and it is just as true that. in
the selection of men TO succeed these discharged
officials, the rule that the spoils belong to the
vctors has taken precedence of all other eonsd-
erations. The names, the records, the circum-
stances are fully given. Fact Is added to fact
with legal precision until case lis made that
would warrant affirmative judgments ia any
court of Justice.
From the very beginning 1t is demonstrated,
the whole matter Of removals and appointments
in Indiana has been controlled by the Democrat
sonian philosophy. That Is to say, in all in
stances thu Washington authorities have acted
entirely upon the recommendations OF party
leaders State and local. without the least pre-
tense of looking elsewhere for information as to
the standing and ability of the individuals re-
moved or appointed. In number Of cases at
tempts have been made to secure an ackn0wl-
edgement from the proper Office that the act or
al dishonesty or other serious fault, and In gem
eral such attempts have utterly failed, even
when seconded by United States Senator.
Persons complaining Of gross Misrepresentation
to their discredit and injury, and asking for the
privilege of defending themselves, have pot been
accorded the common courtesy Of formal recog-
milton Of their communications The hssa-
fallen right and left, at the instance of Demo-
cratic politicians with debts to pay and partisan
clamor to satisfy and the administration has re.
fused to so much as listen to the appeals and pro-
tests Of good citizens claiming only the right to
protection against SANDER and partisan malice
and persecution
In the nature of things, this spirit OF injus-
tiee and unfairness has been specially directed
to the work of turning out Union soldiers and
the widows of men of thai heroic and deserving
class. All the leading Offices Of the State have
been taken away from soldiers and given 10
civilians, and q like policy has to a great extent
governed the numerous changes of smaller
kind. 1t is hardly possible to doubt that a sys-
tematic discrimination has been practiced in this
respect on the theory that Union soldiers are, Of
all men, least entitled to favor Senator Harri.
son took the trouble to write to every county In
the State on this point. getting returns from all
but four of Them and it appears that 36l soldiers
and eleven soldiers widows have been removed
and ninety soldiers and one soldiers widow
appointed. No comment could add to the plain
and convincing force of those figures. They are
not merely accidental; they signify only too
surely that we have reached point in our his
tory where the men who riskeG their lives 10
preserve the government in its time Of sorest
fpa cir cd nfrf nlxysnf tvnc fna tfN
partisan vengeance of national ADMINISTRATION
in contempt alike Of pronounced sentiment of
popular gratitude toward such citizens and OF
distinct law providing that preference shall
be given to them in the exercise of the appoint-S
ing power. There is no answer to be made to
such revelation. and it is safe to say that no
Democratic statesman in Indiana will undertake
to discuss 1t in any form.
Senator Harrison shows. furthermore, that the
civilians chosen to succeed these ousted soldiers
and soldiers widows in considerable measure
clearly and scandalousy unworthy to hold
Office under any conditions. One has been proved
guilty of bribery-a fact which was brought to
the attention of the department after he was APP
pointed, but he was not dismissed Another has
been twice convicted of larceny and robbery and
has served two terms 10 the penitentiary and
yet he was recommended by the Democrats
State officials, including the Governor and
judge OF the Supreme Court, as "a
Woodworking honest citizen. Not all OF
the appointees are as bad as these two, Of courses
but they are bad enough as q class to have
provoked from the principal Demo-
cratic organ Of Indiana declarations
to the effect that the party has been
Inundated to the last degree by the kindness
shown to "thevss, hRhwaymen. bribsrs, dead
beats and tho like" while another promnent
paper Of the same faith asserts that s'perjurers.
dead-beats, ex-convcts and reprobates generally
are seemingly recommended to office with
good deal more zeal than the just claims Of hon
orable and meritorious gentlemen are thought OF
being pushed" Editors of Republican papers
have been removed from postofices wherever
they could be found, on the plea that an editor
must necessarily be an offensive partisan; but at
the same time sixteen Democratic editors of the
State have been provided with responsible and
lucrative positions, some OF them on the distinct
ground of needing the salaries TO sustain their
papers And this is civil-seryice reform as illus.
trated In the administration dealing with a par
ticular Statel Undoubtedly the facts presented
by Senator Harrison can readily be- matched In
every other State in the Union,. aud still Mr.
Cleveland goes on advertising his alleged deter
minstion TO use the patronage only for patriotic
and puzstying purposes, and affirming that he
has faithfully redeemed all the pledges he made
at the time he assumed the duties and responsi.
bilities OF the Presidency.