Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-23
The Other side Heard From.

The other side Heard From
The Augusta Chronicle is still wrest-
ling with the civil service reform ousi-
ness. The Chronicle, as Is wei known
doesn't take much stock in civil service
reform, especially in the kind whloh the
President believes in. II Is printing
LETTERS from various gentlemen in differ
ent parts OF the country on the effect OF
the Presidents way of enforcing civil
service reform on the fortunes OF the
Democratic party. As far as we have
noticed the letters haven't given mucn
comfort to the Chr0Ricte. The aDlest Of
them, It seems to US and perhaps to the
! Chronicle, which have thus far been
printed nave sustained the President.
| On Wednesday, however, one written
| by Hon. Clifford Anderson, Attorney Gen
eral OF this State, appeared, aud the
Chronicle thinks nat it is so good that
we ought to publish it. 1t wants our
readers to "near the other side" The
letter sustains the Chronjcie'S position,
and that is the reason, perhaps, why 1t
wants TO have it circulated.
There is no occasion for printing all of
it. The substance of it, doubtless, will
be sufficient. Mr.. Anderson says:
/ think President Cleveland's civil ser
vice policy Is the great mistake Of MS
administration. TO secure "A change OF
iepubl can office holders. as well as meth
ODDS, was the grand incentive 10 action on
the part OF the peoplei in the last Presiden-
tial campaign.
=
The election OF Mr.. Cleveland meant
that the people were weary Of Republican
administration, and desired cuange--not
partial. but thorough change-bOth Of
policy and methods. 70 accomplish this,
thorough change of otncials is absO
lutely essential.
In proportion as they Democrats are
refused personal participation in the
benefits of the victory, their party ties are
weakened and tueir zeal for future party
trIumphs Is abated.
believe, however, that he (the Presi-
dent) is a true patriot and a sound Demo-
crat-terms which are, according to N,
political vocabulary, Synonymous. He is
man Of singular purity OF purpose and
of great uprigntness Of character--rare
political virtues IN these degenerate days.
One inference from the above-and
very AIR interence-is that the Democrats
fought the last Presidential campaign for
the offices, and that if they don't get all
them their zeal for future party tri-
umphs will abate considerably. We hard
ly think that a majority Of those who voted
for Mr.. Overwhelmingly 5, 200, O0O-were
more anxious TO capture the offices than
they were for the triumph OF Democratic
principles. There were some thousands,
OF course, who had their eyes on the
offices, and they are the ones, doubtless,
who threaten to be less zealou- in future
campaigns if they don't get offices.
Mr.. Anderson says that the President
IS "true patriot and sound Democrat"
IL he is a sound Democrat he must be
carrying out Democratic principles with
respect to the offices. If his course in
connection with the civil service is not in
harmony with the policy and wishes of
tue Democratic party how can it be said
mat he is sound Democrat? Democrats
like Senator Vance, who have no respect
Tor civil service reform, and want the
civil service law repealed, regard Mr..
Cleveland as something of a Mugwump.
We do not agree with them. We agree
with Mr.. Anderson in thinking that he is
a sound Democrat.
AS the Chronicle agrees with Mr.. An
derson, and as Mr.. Anderson says the
President is a sound Democrat, it might
be pertinent question whether they are
sound Democrats, inasmuch as they differ
with him upon one of the most important
questions with which his administration
has to deal.
Before the Chronicle asks us to print
any more of its civil service letters, will
it tell us first whether the President isn't
pursuing the course with reference to the
civil service that he promised to pursue
during the campaign? Second, didn't
the Chronicle consent to the civil service
programme which Mr.. Cleveland an
nounced during the campaign? Third, if
it did, isn't it now trying TO induce the
President to violate his pledges to the
peO Dle?