Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-06-17
0LRTELASD AND REFORM.
An independent View of President
CleveIand's Noble Work.

An independent View of President
CIeveIand's Noble Work.
New York Times.
Mr.. Schurz, at the meeting of tho Massa-
chusetts Reform Club on Saturday night,
did some very plain talking regarding the
course and prospects OF civil service
reform and the attitude of the indepen-
dents toward the President. He summed
up the letter concisely, "This," he
said, "must be our motto, Help whenever
we can, crltlcise whenever we must" He
recognized fully the honesty of the President
In principle and In endeavor, and he called
attention TO the great advance that had
been made, not only In the service, but In
the public view OF the reform. No one
can question the substantial soundness of
the independent position as defined by Mr..
schurz. The mon who opposed their own
party in 1884, to sustain Mr.. Cleveland be-
lieved he was honest and Intelligent In his
devotion to civil service reform. They be-
lieve so still But it would be very poor way
OF sustaining him to say that such mistakes
as ne mas made are not mistakes, and when
he has yielded to men who hate and despise
the reform to declare that he has not
yielded. That would be sheer childish
blindness. 1t would not alter the facts; II
would only convince the country that the
Independents either cannot see the facts or
will not acknowledge them when they do
see them. That course would discredit the
independents, but 1t would not in the least
help the President.
What Mr.. Cleveland is now entitled to Is
-as 1t always has been--slmple Justice, and
he never needed 1t so sorely as he docs to-
day. This simple Justice requires the con-
slant remembrance and repetition Of the
fact that In the official representatives OF
his party he has hardly one active and zeal
Gus supporter. A great many of the mem
beers OF his party In private life quite agree
with him In his devotion to the reform. A
very large number, probably n majority,
who have any views on the subject do NOT
agree with him. They don't care to de-
nounce or oppose him. They regard his
reform Ideas as u "hobby." They IRE ready
to tolerate him and give him "show."
But thoy have no confidence In his views
| on this subject or In his political sagacity,
In the meanwhile the men Immediately
present to MIR. Cleveland In Washington the
lenders In tho House, the prominent sena-
| tors, the politicians who throng there, have
violent and unscrnpuloIs hatred for the
reform and all It's fruits. They would Do.
| down or undermine 1t If they could. They
arc engaged IN q constant effort 10 eyade il
| and make II OF no effect to embarrass those
who are charged with Its execution, to mis-
lead the President, and to entrap him into
acts and words that may be Interpreted as
proVlding an abandonment of the cause.
II Is In the light of such facts as these
tnat tue President Is to be iudged-for, of
course, his public acts are every day the
subject OF discussion and judgment-and 1t
Is particularly In the light of these facts
that, while Insisting on his sound motives.
the candid and independent and observing
critics, oil politics must plainly describe the
things In which he errs. Nothing would SO
please the speaking opponents of the re-
form, who, having abandoned all hope of
forcing the President to yield his own posi-
ton, are now trying to make It untenhble.
rs to blindfold and silence honest critics. ii
they could by any means induce the indie
pendent supporters OF the President to ac-
cept everything the President does or seems
; TO DO as, lpso facto, right they would then
leel that their way was comparatively clear.
Ihey control q vast machinery of politics
all over the land, with its forces centrIno
In Washington. They are using It every day
70 confuse or misrepresent facts for the
Presidents consideration. Even In his cabi-
net there Is not one man whose zeal to get
at the truth and to uphold the principles of
REFORM IS equal to his own. II there were
to be no independent criticism the spoils-
men would have free swing, and Mr.. Gleye-
land would DO deceived into doing many
things which, with the facts before him.
they would never ask him to do. II would
be strange result II the men who are most
deeply In sympathy with his ideas and pur-
poses, who have the strongest faith In HIS
ndelity and In the cause he has espoused
and who have absolutely no interest to he
served and no preIudlces to consult. were
to withdraw from all discussion Of his
policy and leave him to the tender mercies
OF a lot OF selfish schemers who both fear
and dislike him, AMI would be glad to see
MN iail IN the honorable work In which he