The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-02
HIS ONE FAULT.

In communication to his paper the
other day, the Washington oorrespon-
dent of the New York Herald said:
All the departments here are still full
OF Republican clerks in the proportion
of one hundred Republicans to one
Democrat. These Republicans were put
there IN the most corrupt days OF the
Republican party, and the stern rule of
President Cleveland has prevented their
removal for partisanship.
The Mugwump journals, and not a
few Democratic newspapers point to
the above fact as evidence that Mr..
Cleveland is non-partisan in his adj
ministration, and employ the c;rcum-
stance as an argument in favor of his
reelection. 1t is the one thing which
counts against the President with the
people. When Grover Cleveland was
elected President it was with the I'M
standing that he would remove Repub-
licans from Office. The Democratic
campaign cry was, "turn the rascals
out" and it was that cry which gave
Democratic majority at the polls. If
the people had been satisfied with Re-
publican rule they would have elected
Mr.. Blaine bat they we're not satisfied.
They were tired of the party of spells
and corruption, and wanted change.
With them it was not question OF
which was the ADLER or personally better
man, Cleveland or Blaine, but which re-
presented the idea Of the majority as
to who should fill the Offices and
administer the affairs of the nation,
Democrats or Republicans. The deci-
sion was in favor o, the Democrats, and
there have been very widespread disap-
pointment and much chagrin ever since
that the verdict was not complied with.
Nobody charges that Mr.. Cleveland did
not act for what he deemed the best,
and it is possible that what he did has
actually been for the best; but he
nevertheless went contrary to the ex-
pressed will of the majority of II e
sovereign people when he retained in
public service men of the contrary
political faith to that OF the mali rity.
The people ike to have their will
obeyed, whether that will is right or
wrong in its expression and direction.
Strong as Cleveland is in the affections
of the voters, we believe he would
have been stronger if he had promptly
obeyed the party command and
turned the rascais out" making the
administration Democratic in detail,
and giving his partisans the full benefit
of the victory which they won. Wher-
eyer there is lukewarmness to-day in the
support of Cleveland, it can be traced
directly to his policy Of not making
changes in the public service. A good
many people cannot reconcile them
selves to the belief that there can be
perfect Democratic administration as
long as any considerable number of the
Federal officials and employees are ep-
posed TO the Democratic party and do
ing all they can to overthrow it.
It is believed that Mr.. Cleveland will
he reelected, for the people like his
rugged honesty, his courage, his indie
pend:noe and his patriotism; but if he
had not retained so many enemies in
the camp there would have been no
doubt of his second triumph. When
ever we hear a man praising the Pres
ident for retaining Republicans in
offices which belong to Democrats by
right of having won them, we regard
him as an enemy to Cleveland and
friend to the Republicans.