The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-04
REMOVALS FROM OFFICE.


| REMOVALS FROM OFFICE.
| Some Interesting Facts and Figures as to the
Work of Mr.. Cleveland.
Washington Special to New York Herald.
The following facts and figures are of general
| interest as they bear upon the questions which
will come up in the debate, no matter how much
some Senators may seek to avoid the real issue:
The Senate has caused to be published a COM
plete list of the nominations made by Mr.. Cleve-
land, among which, Of course, are those in the
place of officers suspended"
This publication has reference only to "Presi-
Dental Offices so-called. to which the advice
and consent" of the Senate is necessary. There
are about four thousand of these
OF these four thousand places Mr.. Cleveland
has filled, in less than year, between one
thousand eight hundred and one thousand nine
hundred with men of his own choice About one
thousand two hundred of these appointments
were to fill vacancies by DEATH resignation or the
expiration of terms. In the remainder-643 in
number-he suspended" officers before the ax-
piration of their fouryear terms and appointed
men Of his own selection in their places.
1t appears from this account that in less than
year after his accession Mr.. Cleveland has seen
nearly third of the presidential offces--twelve
hundred out of four thousand-fall into his
hands in the natural course, by death, resigna-
ton or expiring of terms. AT this rate, by the
time he had held Office three years nearly all
these four thousand places would have become
vacant and would have been filled by him with
Democrats, even had he refused to remove or
suspend a single offce-holder of this class.
OF the CAB whom he has suspended before the
expiration of their terms it is only fair to sup
pose that q certain considerable proportion were
suspended "for cause"-that is to say, on the
proper ground of dishonesty, Incapacity or lack
of attention to their duties According to the
rule he laid down in various letters and public
professions it was understood that he would
make no removals except for cause Hence
when officers were suspended" which is the law
full term for removal, they thought themselves
entitled to know the offenses with which they
were charged. A good many of these suspended
men have testified that they asked In vain; that
they wrote to the President a request to know
of what they were accused, but received no
reply.
Meantime the Senate committees are full of
letters and documents Of several kinds-all
locked up from the people, because a majority of
Senators agree with the President that it is none
of the peoples business why the President ap-
points or removes officers. the peoples hired
servants, or why the Senate confirms rejects
them. The demand of the Senate for papers is
so far demand for the Senate IN secret session
and not for the people The President and the
Senators-with q good many honorable excep-
tions however, among whom General Logan
Senator Platt, Senator Sherman and Senator
Blackburn stand foramost-the President and
majority of Democratic and Republican Soma
tors still cry out that it is of the peoples
business. When the press almost unanimously
demands publicity the President and the Senate
reply substantially in a once famous phrases
''The public be id"
A careful scrutiny made in this Office of the
localities in which the CAB officers suspended by
the President served, shows some curious re-
suits. To understand what follows it must be
remembered that the figures refer only to cases
of officers suspended" or removed before the ex
piration of their terms of Office, and not in any
case to places made vacant by DEATH resignation
or the expiration of terms. Everybody conceded
the right Of the President to fill such vacancies
with men of his own party and selection, and it
is fact that the Republican Senate has not yet
refused to confirm any man nominated by the
President to fill a vacancy. 1t has in some cases
shown the President that he has made an unfit
nomination and asked him to withdraw the
name, which, so far as is known, he has done.
The scrutiny of the list of suspensions shows
that in two States-Maryland and Connecticut
the President has suspended or removed no Of
fice-holder. He has i'll these two States appoint
ed only to places which fell vacant
In some other States, however he has made
large number of removals-in Indiana, 33; in
New York, 81; in Wisconsin, %; in Illinois, 81
and, what seems odd. in Iowa, %. The Repub
lican ofice-hoderS in a State of so moderate
population as Iowa must have been uncommonly
dishonest, incapable or inattentive to their du-
ties. If the President lived up to his pledges and
promises.
In Ohio there have been % removals; across
the river, in Kentucky, only 9. In Alassachu-
little Vermont Z; in New Hampshire, 6; in Maine,
TO- in Louisiana 10; in Minnesota, IL, and the
same number in Mississippi In North Caro-
lina--thanks, perhaps. to the suave and per-
suasive ways of Senator Ransom-23 Office
holders have been removed; in South Carolina,
| only 6. In Missouri q were removed; in Ne
braska, only Z; in Kansas, IL; in Virginia, q;
| in California IS Colorado saw 9 remoy-
ais; Florida, s; Delaware, 3; Georgia. only
| 6; Michigan 16 against Wisconsin's %; Nevada
| l; New Jersey Z; Oregon 4; Pennsylvania, q. In
Texas IL Office holders either dishonest in
| capable or inattentive to their duties, for that
| many have been removed; in Tennessee, IL; in
| West Virginia, 6; and in Rhode Island, 2, which
| completes the list of States. There were, be-
sides these. 20 ofice-holders proved unfit for
| their places in the Territories.
| Finally, in the list of removals stand 10 chief
| and associate judges in the Territories, 81 con-
| suls-general and consuls. surveyors general 4
| Governors and Secretaries of Territories. 16 In
| dian agents and inspectors. and secretaries Of
/ legation.
| study of the long list shows some curious
| features. In two States. Connecticut and Mary
/ land, there have been no removals at all. In
| Ohio, Indiana Illinois, and Iowa there have
| been total of l08 removals In four CORE
| spending Southern States. Georgia, Alabama.
Mississippi, and Arkansas, only A. Michigan
/ and Wisconsin together show 48 removals, Ohio
| and Indiana Sc, and New York and Pennsylva-
MIA only GIL. In the whole South there have
been TIA removals, in the whole West, 22I; in
| the Northern Atlantic States. l0l, and in the
| southern Atlantic States, 70.
| On the theory that Mr.. Cleveland has removed
men ouly for cause, il is certainly curious that
he should have discovered twenty three unfit
| men IN North Carolina, and only twelve IN Geor-
gia and South Carolina together: or that he