San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-10-25
JULIAN'S SPEECH
AT Indianapolis, September 18th
Concluding Extracts.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Concluding Extracts.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The character of the president in,
vites further illustration in his action
touching the reform of civil service
There is no good reason to doubt his
perfect good faith IN espousing this
reform, and there is just rs little
doubt that he underrated the charac-
ter and potency of the opposition
he would have to encounter. What
we call the spoils system is rooted in
the policy and traditions OF all par
ties for more than fifty years. II
may almost be called an institution
and its overthrow must necessarily
be the work of time and courageous
endeavor. But the president bravely
undertook it. Early in his admins
tration he set about the work Of TAX
ing the New York post Office out OF
party politics, so that its affairs might
be managed on business principles,
and in the interest of the people. He
has done much to redeem the New
York custom house from the great
and crying evils which have disgraced
its management during previous ad-
ministrations. He has postponed the
removal of the great body of republi-
can officeholders till the end of their
term of service. He has repeatedly
favored the extension of the civil SER
vice rules in futherance of the great
ends contemplated by the reform,
and as a rule his appointments have
been remarkably meritorious; while
he has set his face against political
corruption, and kept the executive
mansion free from scandals that have
disgraced SO many previous admins
trations. He has, it is true, disap-
pointed the hopes of some of the
jealous friends of this reform, and
has evidently not accomplished oil
that was desired and expected; but
he has done far more than any of his
predecessors since the introduction
of the system, and placed the move
me mt on such a footing that no re-
treat is now possible. He is bitterly
assailed by the republican leaders
for not living up to his promises; but
the republicans will not fail to notice
that it is not the violation OF the pres
idents promises that offends these
leaders, but the fact that he made
them. Leading republican senators
have openly declared that if he had
made ''clean sweep of the Offices
they would have had no quarrel with
his policy. In this they but echo the
general sense of the party, which four
years ago nominated man for the
presidency whose political life had
belied every principle of civil service
reform, and whose denomination this
year was the fevent wish of an over
whelming majority of its members.
When we remember that with the
slight exception of President Arthurs
action touching federal appointments
the record of the republican party on
this question for twenty years has
been a shameless exhibition of official
corruption and political prostitution,
the hypocrisy of its present leaders
in assailing the president is readily
seen. They despise him in che ex-
act measure of their unfaithfulness. ]
ought to add that many of these as.
saults emanate from republican office
holders who owe their retention in
their places to the impartial enforce
ment of the civil service rules, while
they lack the decency to keep silent.
The president, in the meantime, holds
on along the path of his pledges. He
takes no step backward, but com
mends the good work of the faithful
commissioners chosen by himself for
its prosecution, and shows his deter
minution to stand by them. He can.
not work miracles, but he will not
betray the cause to its enemies, nor
withhold from it his continued and
earnest support to the end. His en-
emies know this, and their malignant
warfare against him would instantly
cease if he should really turn his back
upon his professions.
THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.
1 need not multiply these illustra-
tions of the presidents strong per-
sonality, which has 30 impressed
the country and 80 naturally suggests
the contrast between him and his
competitor. General Herrison is GER
tainly a respectable candidate. His
private life is without a stain, and, i
believe, his personal and political in.
tegrity is undoHbted. / am quite
sure he has written no letters which
ho has any occasion TO call on his
friends 10 "burn." He is n very good
lawyer and an intense partisan who
is not wanting in pugnacity. His
military career bears witness 10 his
patriotism and courage, but 1t offers
no striking situations. His service
in the senate for six years supplies no
satisfactory proof Of his statesman
ship, and leaves him at a disadvaI :
tage when compared with rival lead
ers who have had the experience and
training Of an extended public career.
While in the senate he vigorously as
sailed the president on the score oi
his Inconsistency in dealing with the
civil service, but bis attack fairly i'm
Piled that be bad no fanit 10 find with
the spoils system, while be was ex-
oe.e-lfrrlr nctirn In Lis endeaEor 70