National Republican., 1886-07-08
Tie Democratic Doctors pigor.


The New York World, which occupies
front bench as the sanhedrim of reform, is
not satisfied with the hypocritical attitude
Of the administration on the question OF
civil service reform. The World finds THAT
preparations are being made for grand
sweep, II not clean sweep, at the New
York custom house, which shall put out of
Office many of the present Republican en-
ployes and put into Office as many expect
ant Democrats" On this finding the editor
declares that the Times is right in com.
planning Of Collector Hedden for making
hundreds Of removals for the sole purpose
Of getting Republicans out and putting
Democrats In, because such action "must
necessarily be in antagonism with Mr..
Cleveland's declaration. That declaration
was that the removal of public officers dis
connected with the policy Of an admins
tration,' although mot within the letter OF
the civil service statute should mot be
made during the terms for which they were
appointed solely on partisan grounds aud
for the purpose Of putting In their places
those who are In political accord with the
appointing power.'" The World adds:
The plain fact seems to be that the custom
house is so managed as to keep the word of
promise to the ear of civil service reform aud
break 1t to the hope The civil service law is
not to be demolished by assault, but to be
weakened by undermining. Mr.. Cleveland's 4
declaration against the removal of any of the
Republican incumbcnts "solely on partisan
grounds is not to be rudely repudlated but
gently ignored. The pretense is to be made
that the letter OF the law is obeyed, while no
pretense can be made THAT tho spirit of the
law is not violated.
The Boston Globe, the leading Demo-
cratic newspaper Of New England, has the
courage.to make the remarkable assertion
that "President Cleveland has carried the
civil service law out TO the letter." He
may have "carried IL out" and left 1t behind
the barn in some other exposed place, for
1t is in bad order and bad odor Just now.
There may be few credulous persons
in Boston who can be made TO believe the
GiOje's statement, but there is no intelli-
gent man or woman in Washington in or
out OF the departments who does not know
that It is absolutely false.
The civil service law, as treated here, in
all but two OF the departments-State and
Warts good deal worse than no law at
all. 1t is not only evaded. but directly
violated every day, and the plan OF chang.
ing the personnel of the departments by
turning out all Republicans is being exc
cuted with astonishing rapldlty.
There are two or three Democratic officials
whose desire to retain some of their best
clerks, holding positions requiring rare and
peculiar qualifications, has brought them
into frequent and violent alterations with
their own superIors and with numerous
potentates in the Senate and House.
1t is but calm, mild statement OF noto-
rlous truth TO say that the civil service law,
whose central idea is non.p partlsanship, Is so
perverted that Democrats only can get
places. As for the competitive feature OF
the law 1t is now understood TO mean that
any Democrat VINO can make O5 per cent. is
better than any Republican who can make
C5,