National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-24


difference Of opinion between the President
and the Senate on the question Of the right
of the Senate to inspect papers relating to
suspensions or removals, says:
That the public business should wait while
politicians play for personal advantage is dis
cournging enough. II is still more discourage
ing that this profltlcss game-the only pract-
cal end Of which is to embarrass a President
whose conscientious effort to raise the standard
of appointments to office is acknowledged by
his bitterest encmies-shoud be led by men
who were thought to have higher purposes
than mere partisan advancement.
The Times should not carry its independ-
enCe SO far as to try to avoid the necessity
of dependence on facts, The editorial
statements Of even an independent Demo-
cratic newspaper should not assume that
the reading public is ignorant of all the facts
bearing upon such a question as the present
controversy between the Democratic ad-
ministratlon and the Republican Senate.
1t is not true that public business has
been delayed for single day or hour by
the declination of the Senate to act on nomi-
nations in the absence Of information nee
cssary to intelligent and honest action.
The Senate has wasted no time, but has
been notably industrious body from the
beginning of the session TO this date. All
the nominated and unconarmed incumbents
all whose cases have not been acted upon
by the Senate-have continued and still
continue to 90 on with their work.
But If there had been waste of time,
If public business had been compelled to
wait, If the government service had been
demoralized and the public mind needessly
disturbed, no part of the responsibility for
such consequences could have been charge
able to the account Of the Senate, for that
body has taken no step in this matter which
hasnot been absolutely compelled by the re-
fusal of the administration to show those
public and official papers without an ex-
animation Of which intelligent and just
action by the Senate was aud is simply i'm
possible.
The reference to politicians "playing for
personal advantage" is obscure to the ex-
tent of incomprehensbiIity In the report
signed by Senators Edmunds, ingalls,, Nc
MILAN, Hoar, Wilson, and Evarts one looks
in vain for any indication of 'playiug for
personal advantage There is no other leg
islative body on the globe which can show,
in single committee, so strong an array of
legal ability in one political party as is pre-
sented in these six names. AS to personal
character the same remark is applicable.
When those names 60 to the country as
vouchers for statements affecting the legal
rights of the Senate, something more poten-
tial than the sneer Of an Independent Dem
ocratlc newspaper is required to shake
public confidence in the soundness of their
views and the integrity of their purposes.
The Republican Senate has shown no de-
sire to "embarrass the President" 1t has
been from the first and still is the desire OF
the Senate to maintain amcable relations
with the President and his constitutional
advisers. Three members of the Cabinet
were taken from the Senate, and are on
terms of personal friendship with Repub-
lcan members Of that body. If it We're
possible to name conditions under which
the Senate might be expected to strain
| points and make sacrifices for the sake OF
| smoothing the path Of the administration,
| those conditions We're created when Presl-
dent Cleveland called Senators Bayard,
! Lamar, and Garland to seats at his council
table.
As to the Presidents conscientious
effort to raise the standard of appointments
to Office" we have to say that President
Cleveland is cheerfully credited with m
honest desire to put good men into public
| positions. Many OF his selections have been
good, but we do not believe that he or any
member Of his Cabinet will claim that the
new men put in are on the average better
than the men whom they succeeded.
Changes were expected, and, had they
been made fairly and squarely had there
been no attempt to run the sp0ils system
under false pretenses, no trouble would
have arisen. But when, in direct violation
of public pledges, good men are put out Of
places which they have filled honestly and
capably to make room for spoils.hunting
! politicians to pay their debts, and when
/ such removals are held out to be for the
| good of the sCrvlCe-'turning the rascal.
| QUIT is not strange that the friends OF
gentlemen thus traduced, the senators who
know and respect the traduced officials
decline to take such action as will indorsC
their condemnation.
While giving the President full credit
for sincere wish to put only reputable
men into official stations, we are bound to
remember that his confidence has been
repeatedly imposed upon and that a
good many very Infamous persons have
been set up in the public service. Not
many weeks ago leading Democratic
newspaper printed Il formidable list of the
names Of eX-conyicts, jail-brds, and other
disreputable characters, who had been
palmed of on the administration by Demo
cratic statesmen! This would have been
disagreeable even under the 'old, desplsed
spoils system" Is it less than shocking
| I'm the era Of reform