Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-21
BEECHER ON THE DEMOCRACY.
He Pays a High Tribute to President
Clevelsnd's Courage and Devotion.

He Pay n High Tribute to President
Cleveland's Courage ana Devotion.
New YORK, April 20.-The Brooklyn
Sunday Eagle published on Monday the
following interview with Henry Ward
Beecher: 81 haven't read that interview
which was telegraphed from Chicago"
said Mr.. BeecheT, 'but if, as you say, 1
am quoted as characterizing the Demo-
cratic party as a double-eared ass, l am
willing to stand by the statement and to
amplfy and enlarge it if necessary. To
tell YOU the truth, / don't believe that a
more contemptibly asinine exhibition has
ever been shown on any stage than that
which is now being enacted by
the duly-accredited representatives
and mouthpieces of the Demo-
cratic party. On the one hand we
see a brave, honest man i~mperturbable,
sticking steadfastly to the spirit and let
ter Of his words and his promises, obsti-
nate in right doing, misled on occasions
by those whom, in the natural course of
things, he was called upon 30 trust, seek
ing steadfastly and with the best faith,
and the best light that is in him to carry
out, the pledges he has made and to obey
the laws he has sworn to administer, with
convictions deeper than his shallow crit
les dared penetrate and q LOYALTY TO hon
OItDlG ODli EdlNOlb mOT6 bIc6ukdSL ana
sterling than the everlasting hills. Who
are they who sneeringly and secretly
scot at his actions and characterize his
adherence TO pledges as base ingrati-
tude! '
500 you conclude, then, that the sub
ject of civil service reform is the most
pressing question of the dayY"
II do, most decidedly. The silver ques-
ton but touches the pockets of our peO-
pie. A reform in the revenue laws, no
matter how ~imperatlvely demanded, is
yet not the most momentous or pressing.
To my mind, indeed, this one matter OF
filing the Offices with competent men
and leaving them there while they re-
main efficient and honest is the over
s~hadoWing issue of the day. When We
see the decentralization that money has
wrought IN our politics, the threatened
clean sweep that a victorious party
would ~inaugurate if it could and
the large interests that are involved, it
seems to me that the time has come for a
rational and business-like settlement of
this question. That Mr.. Cleveland views
the subject in the light of reason and
common-sens must be apparent 20 all.
His Cabinet advisers, too, are, | think.
inclined TO look upon the public service
not as a political machine nor as a refuge
for Dartisans. Indeed, l would not have
n AAOAAthb . hNbA1WNAOh NbAAb1 W
Bayard if he were nominated for Presi-
lent tomorrow"
GLOW about Mr.. Manning?"
Eyes, Mr.. Manning, too, and l don't
think l would stop even at Mr.. Whitney,"
"W ere you correctly quoted in the
Chicago interview in which you were
made to say that you never accused Mr..
Blaine of personal dishonesty ?'
IA good deal depends on the standard
Gnt NV non IN fhpGn noaffprG did GnU
that Blaine was deficient in a nice sense
of honor, and that if he had not traficked
his official position for mere money, he
had used it to advance his own interests.
The facts in that case are incOntrOVerti-
BILE. There are dozens of prominent men
in Washington who would no more do as
Blaine did than they would u off their
right hand. Imagine Thurman barter
ing the honor the people pressed upon
him for railroad stock or inviting his
correspondent to burn his letters"
what have you got against Gov.
HIP"
''In his private relations am quite sure
Mr.. Hill is irreprOachable, but he is a
trimming politician, who, if he would not
sell his influence for money, would use
Legitimate means to secure votes. l
have good reason to know that In Elmira
this fac is patent"
Comparatively, don't you believe that
Mr.. Cleveland yves as much TO the party
that elevated him as Mr.. Hill does, and
should be equally ready to liquidate the
obligations?"
"Mr. Cleveland yves nothing to the
Democratic party. He was nominated
because he was the most available man,
not from any affection which the party
bore him. He was elected mainly through
the efforts of independent Republicans,
and yet these men put forward no claim
for office or reward. | could not be in
duced to ask Mr.. Cleveland to appoint a
man to a place for me; and il ] did help
any person this way, my first and only
concern would be the public interest,""