The Wilmingtonian., 1886-04-03
PRICE TWO CENTS.

JCib llldt We nave DCell 'llNCuSSiiR, DpttklU
Of honest administration. he says:
~ believe that the public temper is such
that the voters of the land are prepared 10
support the party which gives the hest pro
mise Of administering the Government ia
the h1uest, simple, and plain manner which
is consistent with its character AMI pur-
poses"
They have learned that mystery aud con
cealmeut in the management ofther affairs
cover tricks and betrayal
Yes they have learned that mystery in the
administration nf the patronage of the Gov
ernment by the concoalmeut from the people
Of Il documents aud papers that bear upon
the character and conduct ofofficials suspen-
ded and those that are appoinJei, cover
tricks and betrayal. ~ thank thee for that
wrd." A "DIuiel" has "comc tp iuig-
meut." No more pertinent and punIent com
mentary upon the facts Of the present situa-
ton could be formulated than that which
Grover Cleveland uttered befO g his foot was
upon the threshold, that mystery and con-
cealment in tie management of the affairs
of the people covered tricks and betrayal.
There are tricks aud someb )dy has been be-
trayed.
''Hele eudeth the first lesson - This was
in the year 1884 now c1me to the declar-
tions oi 1885. Just as the Democratic State
convention which nominated the present
governor of New York for the position that
he now holds, was about to assemble at Sar-
atoga on the 2+,h think, of September, the
President gave out for publication the letter
OF resignation of D ,rmau g. Eaton, a civil
service commissioner, which was dated July
2S 1885, accompanied it with letter of his
own accepting that resignation which was
September II, 1885. 1t was alleged in Dem
ocratc newspapers that the President held
back these letters in order to give publicity
to his reply at that time for effect upon the
convention, and it was remarked that it had
caused a panic among the Democracy. His
letter is dated las sud, September H. 1885,
aud will read few paragraphs showing
his opinion of the Democratic party and the
| course that they had pursued in attempting
to force him off the civil-servce reform plat
form. After some rather glittoring platitu-
des in regard to the work accomplish by Mr..
Eaton, lie proceeds
"a reasonable federation lot old preiudi-
ces, g aceful recognition of every aid,
sensible utilz ltion of every instrnmentality
that promises assistance aud constant
effort to demonstrate the advantages of the
new order of things are the means by which
this reform movement will in the future be
further advanced, the OPPOSITION
Now, this is an epitheC to which | desire
to call particular attention..
| The opposition Of inconigble spoilsmeu
readered Intellectual and the cause placed
upon a sure foundation
Bat not content with applying his scourge
'incorrigble spoilsmen' Of the Democratic
party, the President took occasion to express
his opinion in rather picturesque language
of aunUher class Of politicians that had some
what afii lcted him, aud 10 whom he was
under bonds
'Supereilious righteousness, attenua-
ted ideas, and carpng criticism" can not be
regarded as complimentary phrases when
applied TO the apostles Of this new evangel
OF political reformation"
He continues
81 believe in civil-servce iefoIm and its
application in the most practical form attain
able, among other asons because it opens
the door for the rich and the poor alike to a
participation in public place-hoding. And
hope the time is at hand whel all our peo-
pie will see the advantage of reliance for
such an opportunity upon merit and fitness
in stead of dependence upon the caprice or
selfish interest of those whu impudently-
To whom does he refer p
"Who impudently stand between the peo
pie and the machinery of their Government.
You will agree with me, | think, that the
support which has been given to the present
administration in its efforts to preserve and
advance the reform by party restored to
power after an exclusion for many years
from pa tcpItion in the places attached to
, the public service, confronted with a system
: precluding the redistribution of such places
in its interest. called upon to surrender ad-
} vantages which perverted partsanship had
taught the American people belonged to sue
cess aud perurbed with the suspicion, al avs
raised in such an emergency, that their
{ rights in the conduct of this reform had not
been sc,upuluusly regarded, should receive
due acknowledgement and should confirm
our belief that there is sentiment among
the people better than desire to hold office,
aud patriotic impulse upon which may
safely est the integrity of our institutions
5 and the strength and perrctutty Of our Gov
. ernmeut.
} The first called official utterances OF Pres.
. ldent Cleveland upin the 4th of March, 1886
! renewed the assurance that lad been given
1 He declared:
c The people demand reform in the admin
4 istratiOn of the q ivernmcnt and the appli
; cation Of business principles to business
n affairs AS means TO this end civi-servicG
, reform should be in good faith enforced
= Our citizens have the right to protection
d from the incompetency of public employe
5 who hold their places solely as the reward
Il Of partisan service, and from the corruptinl
influences Of those who promise aud the vic
Il ious who expect such rewards. And those
e who wUrthily seek public employment havl
h the right To insist that merit aud con. petenc,
b shall be recognized instead OF party subserv
n ct cy or the surrender Of honest politca
7, belief.
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