The Washington critic., 1886-12-16
WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 16, 1886.
THE PRESIDENT, SENATE AND
TENURE-OF-OFFICE ACT.

nc TemHThS VI MI, IuHluuusi hhuuO
in the Senate on Tuesday, in opposition
10 the bill for the repeal Of the Tenure.
of-Oflicc act, show that tho distin-
guished Senator from Vermont Is
firm believer In civil.service reform, at
least, to the extent that he Is not be-
liever in the spoils system under a
Democratic administration.
lie protests against a repeal of the
act in question, because 1t would be as
much as to say that the victors are
the persons who are entitled to the
spoils," and to this doctrine he cannot
subscribe. The passage of the pend
ing bill would be 1.-THE greatest possible
step backward in the reformation of
the civil service" The law Is n
wholesome restraint upon the tempta-
lions to abuse in the executive power,
and the Senate would make mistake
which 1t would live to regret by its re.
peal.
Remembering the famous controversy
of last winter between Mr., Edmunds
and the President, which began with
such flourish of trumpets and ended
nobody seems to know how or where,
the Senator could scarcely take any
other position than he does without ac-
knowledging himself worsted In that
contest. This, of course. he is not pre-
pared to admit; yet, judging by the
tenor of Mr.. Hoar's argument In sup.
port of the repeal bill, the opinion is
not unanimous on the Republican side
of the Senate that Mr.. Edmunds scored
signal triumph.
Mr.. Hoar says that the question
which arose at the last session between
Mr.. Cleveland and the Senate "has
subsided and is past" and debate upon
the general subject may now be chal-
lenged from "a different point of
view," without any discourtesy to the
Senator from Vermont; which is deli
cate way of stating that the latter
having marched up to the White House
and then marched down again, without
capturing the President, the way is
now open to the Senate to return to the
ancient policy Of the Government which
existed prior to the adoption of the
obnoxious statute of 1867.
Mr.. Edmunds urges that repeal of
the law practically gives away certain
powers of the Senate that are essential
TO the safety and welfare of the people.
He would place a check upon the
patronage Of the President by making
the Senate party to it.
Mr.. Hoar takes the higher and
broader ground-several planes above
the dreary level of ciyil.service re.
form-that-
"N IS totaily Inconsistent NTH tie
constitutional theory Of om Government
that President ,oho is responsible for
Hetaithful erecutton Of the h,cs, anil
IN ,chOm the erecHtire p0cer is expressly
lOdged By tie Constitution, stouh be
compelled TO dR@cer 10 that respORsi6H-
Sty, ichea tie Instruments lrithoW phom
10 is impossible for lin to act, are ,torced
upoR han agalnst his aoW, and are in
StrumeHts IN rhom he las no con-
.fdence."
He also charges with much force
that one of the great evils which grew
out Of the struggle with Andrew John
son was to make the civil service of the
United States, in many instances, an
organization for the advancement of
the political fortunes OF the Senators
themselves.
He says that the first step for re.
form and publication of the civil serv'
ice is total overthrow Of the claim Of
Individual Senators to keep obnoxious
officials in place against the will of the
Executive.
What, then, the use of retaining OF
the statute book law from which /
is impossible that the party opposed t
the Administration can derive any ben
eft, and in every controversy growing
out of which the Senate has been inva
riably worsted2
1t will be seen that the Senator from
Vermont and the Senator from Massa
chusetts are wide apart, and 1t is SAT-
TO say that whether the advocates of al
independent Executive succeed or no
In repeating the Tenure of. Office act
there Is no likelihood that the attacl
made upon the Administration last win
ter will be repeated. 1t is not at a
h probable that the President will go on
of his way to provoke 1t, 1t Is still les
probable that any Senator, bearing th
disastrous experience OF Mr.. Edmund
In mind, will have the hardihool to IL
augurate 1t.
It's long, long distance between th
place where Senator Edmunds stood
year ago and where Mr.. Hoar stant