The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-12-16
A Dissatisfied Democrat,

The Prog. Age of last week contained some
very candid criticisms on the Presidents mes
sage and the policy of the Administration con-
corning appointments. The message ii said, is of
slight interest outside of Congress. 1t is COM
planned that the promise Of a plan for tariff re-
form has not been kept, ard that under this
head the President presents nothing new, nor
does be insist upon the united action of those
who profess to favor tariff reform with the
urgency it had been hoped" OF the Presidents
position on the leading questions OF silver
coinage and civil service the Age says:
As to silver coinage his position is suhstan-
TALLY that Of The Republican party. while in
regard to civil service it is questionable wheth-
er his views are in harmony with either of the
two parties. 1t j. bantling which is prolong-
ing but a Sickly existence. While caressed in
turn b! party leaders on one side and the 9th
er, each would gladly Strangle ii but for fear of
the other. Promotion or reward for partisan
service seems to be one of the greatest of evils
in the eye of the President, and which especial
IL deserves to be uprootcd from our system.
As to the system being misunderstood, the peo-
pie have seen his illustration of ii under his
administration. and ii has had a wonderful eff
feet in decmating and paralyzing the Demo
cratic party.
And in conclusion:
The spirit of the message throughout shows
that the President ardently desires to give the
country wise and pure administration. 1t is
unfortunate that his methods and sympathles
are 50 little in accord with the eminent states
men nd leaders of the Democratic party who
are striving for the same end.
Following the editorial on the Presidents
message is one captioncd Local Choice"
l. Il, -
a Collector for this District, a position for
which the editor of the Age was candidate.
The Age maintains that ito carry out the prin-
cple of local Self-goyernment residence within
the precinct or district where given Office is
located is requisite to render candidate eli
gible. Then when it is shown by petitions and
otherwise that Il candidate is the local choice
the appointment should follow TO diSrc-
gard such a choice" says the Age, us to as
sumo the prcro-ative Of Il King or autocrat.'
The Age further declares that 1.-THE newly i'll
troduced system of civil service tends in Il
great degree to render imperative the express
sion of party choicc.'' and "ams at the eNcu-
sion of party workers, at least, from the offices,
and the repeal of all laws limiting term of Of
fee" Aad, finally, our contemporary thus
plainly and vigorously expresses himself:
Local choice and rotation in office have ever
been the leading principles of the Democratic
party. This newly applied system which
tends to take away the incentive to honorable
efforts 10 secure a share in the administration
OF the governments and forbidS representatives
of the local sentiment from having any voice in
the distribution OF the offices. Is anti-Demo-
cratic and unpracticable, and worthy only of
political empires.
The editor of the Prog. Age was an original
Cleveland man. naming Mr.. Cleveland as a
candidate for the Presidency before the meet
ing Of the convention: delegate to the Ma
tional Convention, and member of the commit
tee on rules and he has been a thick and thin
supporter of the Administration. standing by
It even i'll lis many mistakes and shortcomings.
lie certainly has reason to feel sore al his fail
ure to receive recognition from the Admins
trati0n.