The Wilmingtonian., 1886-04-03

the country from being used for party service.
have held to my PROMISE and | mean to
hold to it "
linen there was an answer to question
propounded by the interviewer, in which he
defines his relation toward Offensive partisan
ship in the Democratic party
81 did not propose to hold party service in
the past in the Democratic ranks as against
a man. On the contrary, it gave him
strong, equitable claim to office. He had
been excluded for twenty-lou years because
he was Democrat. He should be remem-
bered for the same reason when Democrat
ie administration came into power, provided
he was competent man for the position to
be filled What | understand by ciyI-serv-
ice reform, as am carrying it out, is that
the office-holders shall be divorced from pol
tics while they fill their positions under this
Government, That rule | have meant to
stand by" asked him if he was aware of
any deviation from it among his appointees.
IF there has been any, said he, sit has not
been called to my attention" suggested
that some such change had been made in New
York He said he did not believe that there
was any foundation for it, and tina. it was
well known there that his wishes were that
the office-hoders should attend to the duties
OF their positions aud interfere neither with
candidates nor election contests
And here comes in the significant state.
ment bearing upon the duty Of Republicans
in connection with these suspensions and re-
movals from office
My removals from office, such as are
made, said he, ''are made for cause. 1t
would be absurd for me to undertake TO give
the country my reasons in all cases, because
it would be impracticab!e. When have re-
moved Republican for political reason or
for any other reasons, | would apply the
same rule to my own party think the Re-
publican Senators should be Just enough to
believe this of ME. They ought to appreci-
ate that am doing my duty. Why they
should dstrust me do not see. They do
not come to me either personally or by COM
mittee to get any understanding of my atti-
tude, or to obtain explanations on points of
NSN'StA W
and question the sincerity of my purposes.
The eight thousand six hundred and thirty
i've fourth class postmasters and the six
hundred and forty three suspensions before
the Senate and the thousands of changes in
other Departments ''aie made for cause mot
for political reasons merely but to give
those who have been SO removed the oppor
tunity to explain or defend themselves would
be absurd and 'impracticable.
But this is not all. Later in the winter
the Civil Service Commission was recopn;z.
ed, and in newspaper printed in this city
| appeared statement alleged to be "person-
al" and included in quotation marks. and
which it is commonly reported was il, the
handwriting of the President
cannot rid myself
lie said after speaking about the personnel
Of the Civil Service Commission
81 cannot rid myself OF the idea that this
| civil service reform is something intended ia
do practical good and not mere sentiment
invented for the purpose Of affurding oppor-
tunity to ventilatr high-sounding notions
and fine phrases
And he closes:
NO cause can gain by injustice or by a
twisting Of its purposes to suit particular
tastes. Aud when result is fairly reached
through the proper operation Of methods
adopted to farther reform, it should be ac-
cepted--espccial by the friends of the
movement. They should not permit those
to whom they require submission to say.
with any sembance Of TRUTH that they them
selves submit only when the result accords
with their views"
This closes the public declarations of the
President Of the United States upon the
views which he entartainS as to the method
and plan aud system upon which the public
service is to be conducted under his admins
tration. There are some interesting details
as to the practical effects and results Of the
effort of the administration to purify the
public SERVICE which would be glad if |
had time to refer To, hnt believe will for
bear can only say that it seems from an
inspection OF the record as if the CIV "put
the rascals ont" had been changed in effect
70 put Tue rdScalS IN.
We heard great deal during the cam
paign about tile corruptions, prohigacy, mis-
deeds, and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of Republican
officials. car only say that in view of wha,
has occurred under this admin stration, if |
were inclined to be uncharitable could with
entlre propriGty say that while the Republi-
can party was in pow cr it cndeavored when
ever it detected crime anywhere to punish it:
but one of the practical results Of Democrat
ic administration has been the reverse and
that is to place in office very large number
OF admitted an | convic ted ielous. have
before me selection from which | will, [
believe, in support of this view Of the case
give few extracts, stating in advance that
these compilations are made from Democrat
ic newspapers which, Of course, is m tina
tion OF the sanier, though it does not ne
cessariy destroy the crelibiIitr.
Mr. -, Of Baltimore, who was made
an Indian inspector in 1885, hal been invol-
ed in notorious election frauds and was con
demned by the cvil-service reform Independ-
ents OF Maryland as companion of Higgins,
as ballot box stuller, aud q professional
gambler.
The postmaster at Sioux City, Iowa, was
convicted and sentenced in Dakota for viola
tion Of the pension Laws. The man who was
removed to make a place f,r this eminent