The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-03-10
First Year OF the Administration.

First Year OF the Administration.
In a review of the first year of .,Presi-
dent Clevelands administration Hdr-
per's Weekly makes desperate effort to
get some satisfaction from the results
1t says that, on the whole, the country
has not been a sufferer by the accession
of democratic administration. How
does it know this? 1t might have
added that the "good times" which
democratic orators and newspapers pre-
dcted would come with a change of
administration have failed to material
ize. But Harper's Weekly is compelled
to acknowledge that in some respects
the democratic administration has
proved disappointing to the "inde-
pendent vote that supported the Presi-
dent" 1t designates three serious
mistakes of the administration, viz:
the changes in the civil service without
legitimate cause, the continuance of
the Encouragement in the cabinet, and
the refusal to make public the reasons
for removal. The mugwump admirers
of the administration who assembled
in Boston, the other evening, to cele
brate the first anniversary of Mr..
Cleveland's Inauguration, sent a dis
patch to the President, congratulating
him upon the "success " of his admin
istration. The speakers INDUCED in
extravagant laudation of the President,
and by perverting facts sought to palliate
his mistakes. Their unqualified endorse
ment of the President does not harmon
ize with the candid admission of Har-
per's Weekly that Mr.. Cleveland's course
has not been wholly consistent with
his avowed principles. And yet that
journal declares that no president has
done so much for reform as Mr.. Cleve-
land. This singular conclusion is chiefly
based upon the grounds that he has not
made clean sweep" in the federal
offices, and that in some cases he has
successfully resisted the demands of
the spoilsmen of his party.
Now admitting that the President
has done some things well, that his
views on some important public ques-
tions are sound and merit the approval
of all parties, and that he has done all
in behalf of " reform that his party
would let him, it is none the less true
that he has belied his reform pro-
fessions and signally failed to keep his
reform pledges. In his letter of ac-
ceptance Mr.. Cleveland said: "The
selection and retention of subordinates
in government employment should de-
pend upon their ascertained fitness and
the value of their work" He has since
often reiterated this doctrine in the
strongest terms, and yet he has dis
placed men of experience to make
room for men who have none; he has
removed faithful and efficient republic
can office-holders for partisan reasons;
he has made many Objectionable NOM
nations, knowing them to be such; he
has attempted to nullify Gin the Sterling
case) an important provision of the
civil service law, to serve the interests
of party workers; and he has removed
republicans from office, before the eX-
piration of their commissions, on the
ground of their being " offensive par
tisans," but has selected " offensive
partisans from his own party to fill
their places. To say nothing of the
errors of his administration in other
matters of public policy, the Presi-
dents so-called reform policy has been
one of hypocrisy and deceit; and, meas
ured by the prescribed tests of the civil
service reformers, the administration
has not been the success" which the
Boston mugwumps affect to believe.
Almost without exception the new APP
pointees have been active democrats
who have been selected because of
their past services to the party or be-
cause they can use their positions to
benefit the party hereafter; and the
President has done, and is doing, the
things which his mugwump supporters
claim that no president should do
Thus far, the great mistake of the
President has been in trying to please
both his party and the mugwumps
Perhaps his administration would BIZ
more successful if he should abandon
his efforts to run partisan govern
ment upon non-partisan basis.
The President and Senate.