The Cecil Whig., 1886-06-12
NOTICEABLE DECLARATIONS BY
PROMINENT DEMOCRATS.

PROMINENT DEMOCRATS.
Our fellow -townsman, Mr.. John S,
Writ, whom the CisH .Scy1ICc Re
former dese1vedly compliments as a
brilliant and influential Democratic pol
itician of Cecil county, recently made
a noticeable address before the gradu-
ating class of the law department of the
University of Maryland.
We'h have not had the pleasure OF
reading his entire speech, but judging
from such portions of it as we have
seen, it was an able and timely declara-
ton against the evils of the spois sys,
tenn, and by implication if not by positive
assertion strongly condemnatory of the
persistent attempts of prominent men
Of his own party to destroy the non
partlzan requirements of the Civil Ser
vice law, and to bring the law itsel!
into public contempt and ridicule. If
Mr.. Writ shall prove himself to be pos
sessed of the courage of his convictions,
he will find ample opportunity for ex.
cellent reform work in Maryland. 1t
is said that Dean Swift on one occasion
asked his man ] )hn "where he could
do the most good by preaching the
gospel?" "Wherever there is the most
devil" replied his blunt and outspoken
body servant.
Upon the same principle, Mr.. Writ
as courageous and consistent advo-
cate of political reform, need not desire
a more prolific field than Maryland, on
the soil of which there is o-day proba-
bly, a ranker growth of spoilsmen than
ever before in its political history. This
conviction is becoming general among
the most intelligent Democrats, and is
frankly confessed in most unexpected
quarters. In recent communication
to the Cecil Democrat another con-
spicuous Democrat of this county,
equally prominent with Mr.. Wirt-we
mean DIR. r. C. Mackall-whose devo
ton to the sentiments, ideas, and even
the traditions of his party no one can
question, makes this declaration
at is perhaps as we'll for the country
"that Mr.. Cleveland's administration
"should stand or fall upon the merits
"of the man, for the party stands before
"the country to day without a principle
cor measure on which it can rely for its
strength. Fleshpots are its one bond
"of union, and over these its reform
president stands guard
Compare this admission of DIR. Mack
all's with Mr.. Wirt's portrayal of the
evils and corruptions of the spoils sys-
tenn. Says the latter:
"Few men of ability and independent
"thought do succeed because the mo
"nopolists of patronage keep toll gate
sat every avenue to the public service,
which is ever open to favor and shut
"to merit. * * i;
"But the direct result of the spoils
System is the disintegration of party,
eff you define party to be an assocla-
"tion of men who think alike concern
"ing the republic. Subordinating prin-
"ciples to patronage, it robs parties OF
"distinctive principles, and substitutes
Gas the bond OF union, the cohesive
"power of public plunder. Every po-
''litical contest degenerates into battle
''of the 'ins' against the 'outs'.''
Has ary Republican orator or editor
in Maryland or elsewhere ever denounc
ed more truthfully the unblushing perver
sion Of the Federal patron ge in Mary
land? Mr.. McComas, on the floor of
Congress on Tuesday last, forcibly por-
trayed the dissatisfaction existing all
over the state on account of the open
disregard of the Civil Service law, and
the recent office brokerage carried on
by the Maryland Democratic delega-
tion. But his denunciations of these
corruptions and abuses were no more
earnest than those we have just quoted.
1t may possibly be the omen of better
day in Maryland politics, when the best
classes of both parties, shall make com
mon cause against the avowed enemies
of needed reforms, in the administra-
ton of public business, land the distribu-
ton of public patronage.