The Washington critic., 1886-10-28
WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 2s, 1886.
AN ORDER TO nE ENFORCED.

The difference between the civil
service order of Mr., Hayes In 1877 and
that of Mr.. Cleveland In 1856, Is
that while the former was more con.
else and plain in terms, it really meant
a good deal less than the latter 1t
read in this way
No officer should be required or permit
ted TO take part In the management Of pJ-
litical organizations. caucusvs, conventions,
or election campaigns. Their right TO vote
and to express their views on public que.-
tions, either orally or through the press, is
not denied. " No assessment for poll
teal purposes on officers or subordujtr-
should be- allowed This rule Is applicable
to every Department Of the civil service.
Mr.. Cleveland's : order Is this {:
deem 1t proper time 10 especially
warn all subordnates In the several depart
ments aud all olllce-hOlders under the Cen
eral Government against the use of their
official positions In attempts 10 control pu
litical movements In their iucaliti's. Iaey
have no right as oilicehullers TO dictate
the political action OF their party assp.i tics.
or to throttle freedom OF action within party
lines, by methods and practices which per
vert every useful aud iu,'l.ah.e purpose OF
party organization. The iuilucucc ~ Fed
eral Office holders should not De felt iu the
manipulation Of political pruiy meetings
and nominating conventions. The usc by
these officials OF their positions Co compass
their selection as delegates TO political CON
ventions Is iudcCelt ana ugfur and proper
regard for the prophecies and requirements
Of official place Will also prevent their ne
sumiug the active conduct Of political cam
paigus.
There is little too much HIGH toned
craftsmanship in this order to be
readily absorbed by the average poll.
tician; but whatever may be its faults
of construction, there can be no ques.
tion as to Its sincerity of intention,
which is considerably more than can
be said of its famous predecessor, which
was a pretense at the start and dead
letter in results.
The suspension of District Attorneys
Benton of Missouri and Stone of Penn
sylvania, shows the President to be in
dead earnest in this matter, and it will
not require many definitions of this
sharp and significant character to make
the meaning of the order uncomfort-
ably plain, The policy of the Admins.
tration as to the active participation of
Federal office holders in politics may
therefore be considered settled.
We are not of those who believe in
the justice or wisdom of such policy,
still less in the theory of its necessity
TO the purity of the civil service, bu'
in view of the fact that the President
is repeatedly charged with posing as &
Civil Service Reformer in bis letters
and speeches, while adhering to the
"spoils system" and all that it implies
in his executive methods, he deserve.
credit for this convincing evidence Of
good faith to his pledges.
When the spirit of reform reaches
such pass that the incumbency of a
public office shall be made disqualiti.
cation to open and aggressive party
service, II can 90 no further unless il
be to absolute disfranchisemcnt Re
publicans-Mugwumps-nll, you car
certainly take no further exceptions t.
the genuineness Of the President
Civil Service Reform principles.