Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-20
New York Tribune
SO-caIIed Reform.

Before the elections, when it was desired
the Presidents virtues, he removed an active
republican of Pennsylvania who, being an
official was also an efficient speaker, and saw
fit to use the time that belonged to himself
time the President removed a democrat of no
particular influence who had been doing the
same thing in Missouri, State where dem
ocratc speeches are about the most super
hnous things conceivable. Then professional
reformers shouted hallelujahs to the Presi-
dent for purifying the service, and for treat
ing both parties just alike.
The election being over, Senator Vest, of
Missouri, demanded the reinstatement of the
democratic official of that State, Benton, and
declared that any order prohibiting that of
fetal from using his own time for the pro-
motion of good government according to his
convictions as tree citizen was unconstitu-
tioRsl. He threatened that, if this man was
not restored, the Senate should fnd out how
many speeches Postmaster General Villas and
other officials who had not been removed had
made during the campaign. Now the Presi-
dent restores Benton, and does not remove
Villas or the other officials Especially he
does not restore the republican from Penn
svlvania who was removed ct the same time
with Benton and for the same offence. So
the cant of reform goes on, and the country
every day gets more and more disguised.
The Presidents trouble began when he was
pressed to help his party by the removal of
republicans The notion that tidewaiters
clerks, and crossroads postmasters can make
public opinion is about as serviceabIe in pol
tiles as a prehistoric stone axe would be in a
Michigan lumber camp it is relic of that
ancient night in which there were no tee-
graphs, railroads or newspapers. Because of
that sntiqusted notion Mr.. Cleveland has Of
Tended the most sincere and intelligent indie
pendents by removing about 90, 900 officials
tor partisan reasons only-about one every
five minutes for every working hour
since he was inaugurated. Because of
the same antiqusted notion, his
party feels outraged because he has not cut
Oft twice as many official heads already, one
for every two or three minutes. When he
answers that he has gone so fast already that
a great many disreputable persons and jail
birds have been appointed by mistake, he is
told that heavy democratic losses have been
the fruits of attempting TO buy the favor of
republicans with half the Offices. But his
removals were more sweeping and undis-
guisedlf for partisan reasons ia Virginia and
Indiana than in any other States, and these
prove to be the two democratic States which
republicans have now carried.
If the President had been able to grasp the
idea that crossroads postmssters do not m an
utacture public opinion in modern times, he
might have helped his party more by genu
inc fidelity to Civil Service Reform. But
that cause must indeed be strong if it survives
the odium of Wholesale removals aud jail-bird
appointments. and the air of cant aud hypo-
crisy thrown over the business by the appoint
ment of Bishop" Oherly as chief of the COM
mission, by the offensive partisan circu-
lar. by the political speechmaking of Cabinet
officials and the removal of subordnates for
doing the same thing, by the packing of nom.
mating conventions by officials, the careful
blindness of the President. and the perfume
tory appreciation OF his course by conspcu-
Gus professional reformers. This, at least,
has become clear, that whatever is lett of the
reform, after two years more of sitting under
Presidential pretences and nursing by the
democratic party. will not seem worth saving
to ANYBODY except republicans. Whatever
force that issue NAV have in the future can
only go to help the republican party.