The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-02-11
GENUINE CIVIL SERVICE REFORM

TWILL lOh hbE OhM
Those gentlemen who have been uc-
cusiug Mr.. Cleveland of indifference III
regard to civil service reform will find
cause to change their views when they
read ihr new civil service rules, which
meet with very general approval and
are in line with the democratic plat
form which demanded genuine reform
in that direction, not hollow promises
and ghttering generalities.
The rules condrnse and emphasize
the statute, aud render II practicable to
secure Il compliance herewith, some
thing that has not heretofore been Mt
tanned.
A sensible change is the removal ol
the Limitation of the age III applicants
to furty-tive years. and the raising OF
the age To twenty. a very important
aud c~ommendable alteration Is the rule
which now permits II head oil depart
meut TO reject, tor cause, an applicant
no has passed the examination. Tins
will commend itself 10 all as sensible
aud necessary.
The changes peculiar 10 the postal
department all seem To be good ones.
Tho much ~stricter rules against levy
ing assessments Tor political purposes
Will meet with the appreciation OF the
people, whatever may be said against
it by the managers of political machines
The civil service reformers should be,
and generally are, satisfied with Mr..
Cleveland's evident purpose TO strength
en- the law, without expecting from
him that he shall prefer republicans 10
democrats tor offices that ito mol come
under its purview. Even III these'
where marked general approval OF Il
republican has been shown, as in the
case of NJ. Piersou Of New York, Mr..
Cleveland has retained him. The pre-
tense that a more liberal policy,
s~tricter regard for the civil service
| reform idea, would have prevailed If
republican president had been elected
is only a %pretense. The people kno"
that republican asccndancy meant d
republican in every office where il wa
possible to find one to fill it.
---
The Southern Leader, II Florlds
newspaper, and the organ OF the col
ored people of that state, takes TIM
view of the tariff question:-"The col
ored people are not benefited 10y I
high protective tariff, and consequent,
they ought to favor a low tariff, which
would, il adopted, be more iavorabI'
to their condition rs poor agriculture
laborcrs. We favor a low tariff becaus'
our people need cheaper necessarics o
life. We oppose any reduction in tn
tax on whisky and tobacco, becaus
these luxuries are very filthy and dos
%structive Injuries at that. Give III
poor people cheap WOODEN blanket
and goods; cheap sugar, rice, crockery
tools, farming implements and iron
and make whisky and tobacco higi
and scarce" II would puzzle MI ad
vocate of a high tariff TO reiute thes
positions, or to show how any coiorc'
man in Lexington or. Lafayette count
10 benefited by a high protective tariii
It is cheap sound to say 1t Is protective
but how Is it protective! Wherei
does II add one cent to his wagesT
takes from them; of that there is II
doubt; it makes him pay more for hi
wedges, more for his pick, more tor hi
pocket knife, more tor his salt, NOR
for his shirt, drawers, p~antaloons, Goa
hat and shoes; it makes him pay mo:
for these, else is protection for th
alleged purpose Of increasing th
wages of the operatives In these manu-
features q farce, but wherein does
advance the wages OF the miners {
Lafayette county, or the ~manufacturin
operatives OF lexington Not on
cent; and any p%retense To the contrar
Is simply a far fetched sophiStry. III
war is over, republican workingna'
We have all 10 make IL living togetht
under the same government, 10 whic
one party is as loyal as the other. Don
any longer take your politics simpl
because it is labeled republican StuC
your own interests and those OF yor
children.