Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-27

A Popular Papsr-Cisr.ssrvics hs'
form.


sentiments Of the people, mas tue mac
| pendepce 10 have opinions Of its own
and the courage tostick 10 them, and
stand upon its own merits, as is the case
| with the Dispatch when it endorses the
sound Democratic doctrine Of voorhees,
and Wise on civil-service reform IN
stead of the sentimental special plead
| ing and strained logic as set forth in
| the second annual report of the Civil
Service Commission and the Presidents
message accompanying it; advocates
that only measure Of relief ever Offer
ed 10 the taxpayers Of the South-the
Blair educational bill; stands so firmly
by the debt settlement; resists 30 man
fully the payment Of taxes in coupons,
and allows so freely contributors among
the people to be heard in its columns,
there is no wonder that its circulation
is doubling every year; and every
patriotic Virginian should aid in ex-
tending it as am doing.
Nondescript mugwsmpian impractl-
cables" wiser in their day and gene
ration than the Pharisee propose to
copy from the English monarchical gov
erpment an innovation into our repuo-
lican government not at all consistent
with its spirit, and create here, as in
England, privileged official class inde-
pendent Of the party or the people who
are supposed to govern IN this country:
The idea that the party power should
select the agencies for the administra-
ton of the government in part from
the party that has been defeated is an
imputation that the Democratic party
is incapable Of civil-service reform
within itself, and character, capacity,
and all good material for good govern
ment is lacking among its members !;
and that we cannot carry on this Gov
eminent by our party without calling
Republicans to our aid. If the voters
had not supposed that we had in
the Democratic ranks competent officers
and privates to make the fight for
good government successful to the end
of four years without retaining and sd-
hitting recruits from the enemy, how
many would have enlisted at the elec-
tionp The President has the making
of the rules under the civil-service law.
The rules can be changed by him at any
time to conform to q far more efficient
civil-service reform than those now in
operation made by President Arthur.
lie can abolish the rule not admitting
persons over forty-fve years of age,
although physically competent, to civil
service examination. He can make a
rule requiring all applicants to produce
certificates Of character and competen-
CIV from all previous employers, and
otherwise introduce business methods
to secure honest and capable men for
office; and just as we'll from among
Democrats as Republicans. The way
for the President, Cabinet officers, and
members of Congress to avoid annoy
ance from Offices eekers is to give
the party what it claims as its
owp, like the second Andre "
MISUNDERSTANDING Lincoln-did with
the Republicans when he first
went into office. In less than six
months he had every Democrat out and
every Republican in, and as there were
no more Offices to ask for or to give
his Administration was annoyed no
more for the balance Of his term. Let
us have civil-service reform, in all con-
science, but let the law be construed
to mean what it ought to mean, and be
administered to suit the party elected
by the people to administer it.
A. S. GARNETT.
Lloyd's, Essen county, Va.
p. ST. enclose slip from Senator
Ingalls's speech, which | would like to
see appear in your paper, as think his
views will meet approval upon that
subject among most all Democrats:
Therefore, Mr.. President, | am not
of those who believe in non-partisan-
ship in politics, and | should be re-
creant to the high trust confded in me
we're to refrain from declaring my
conviction that political parties, ener-
setic, vigorous, and we'll defined, are
Indispensable to the success Of free
popular governments. Wherever the
life of States is freest and most ire
pressible, there party spirit is most
active and aggressive. 1t is by the
conflict and collision Of political par
ties that the latent and richest powers
of the State are made manifest, and
those whom | represent have no SYM
paoby with the dogma that it reflects
glory upon statesman to affect inde-
pendence of his party, or that it is an
indication Of virtue in citizen to be-
long to no political organization.
Political parties are social groups in
the nation, allied by common purposes
and kindred aspirations for the accom-
plishment Of beneficial results. When
parties perish this Government will ex-
pire, for we all understand that in this
country the only government is the
party in power. Here is no dynasty,
no ruling family, nothing correspond
ing to the functions of government un'
der other systems except the party
that is for the time being en-
trusted by the votes Of ma
jority of the people with the exc
cution Of their will. And, sir, when
. majority of the people declare thai
there shall be change Of Administers
ton it is necessarily implied that there
shall be . change of those agencies
through which alone political admins
tration can be made eilectual. 1t il
useless to juggle and palter about this
matter. A change Of Administration
is change Of policies and methods, ant
the Chief Magistrate is entitled to the CO
operation of agents and ministers who
are in sympathy with his opinions anC
the doctrines which he is chosen to en-
force and maintain.
Sir, unless the President Of the United
States is to be . mummy swathed in tn
cerements Of the grave, he must hav,
powers commensurate with his duties
, He is charged to "tske care that tn
, laws be faithfully executed" and un
: less be has the power to select the agen
cies through which the laws are ad