Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-11-15
rnn own snnrron.
Will General Harrison Iaprove HIS
Great Opportunity

| N. Y. Times, Nov. 9th.
At the beginning Of his administration
General Harrison will fnd himself Don.
fronted with grave responsibility, which
is also great opportunity. Flo may OK
tend aud consolidate the reform Of the
civil service begun by President Oleve-
land so rs to put 1t beyond the reach oil
the spoilsmen in future. On the other
hand by making the "clean sweep" which
Mr.. Cleveland, OF the beginning OF his
term, was importuned to make and re.
Trained from making, he may pat the
clvel service back where II was before Q
Democratic President had been inaugu.
rated.
1t is quite true that President Cleveland
has not done everything in this respect
that was expected Of him, but that is no
reason for undertaking what he has really
accomplished. Burns famous lines about
human endeavor in general are especially
applicable to this department OF IL
what's done we partly may compute,
But know not what's resisted.
When President Oleyeland's term be.
gan ii WAS true that the professio nal poll
tioinns among the Democrats were VERY
hungry and very thirsty" as they we're
reproaohed with being. II all the Federal
Offices In the country had been divided
among them for spoil there would not
have been enough to 60 around. In re-
sisting pressure for the employment OF
tho civil service as ''loot" the President
doubtless made many enemies. But what
Is especially worth the attention OF Gen.
Harrison Is that by withstanding the pres-
sure for o clean sweep he not only
promoted his personal comfort, but
strengthened his administration and his
party. OF course he made many enemies,
but any President who is ct 10 hold the
office must make up his mind to that, and
he probably made fewer enemies than he
would lave made had he unwisely at
tempted to plaoate his supporters with
patronage or to use it in order
to build up o personal party
for himself. The saying of the
French statesman that whenever he be-
slowed an office he made twenty enemies
and one migrate" is simply the expression
OF the law that governs such things. II II
be known that sentiments Of personal
gratitude and friendship arc MOI allowed
to weigh in the disposition of public
trusts, and that fitness is truly and hon
estly the test of appointment, party
workers are consoled for their failure to
get oiii,es by the reflection that at least
these have not gone to other party work
ers. or course the only way 10 make
sure OF this is TO limit tho scope OF exepu
tive discretion by extending the civil
service rules to all departments to which
they are fairly applicable. A President
who uses tho appointing power consoien.
tously and for the public good facilitates
this extension by showing tho ofliee
ssekeis thst they ore not likely TO be ap.
pointed because OF their opportunity, and
thus by dimini hing their opposition 10
the passage Of law making the civil
service business like any other. No
doubt MIR. Cleveland sometimes yielded
where he ought to have resisted, but there
was never even during the first months
OF his administration, the first Of his party
for q quarter Of century, anything like
such craze Of offios begging as that
which brought about tho murder OF one
Republican President uccesding another
While he undoubtedly suffered from the
opportunities of place hunters he suffered
FAR less than If he had undertaken the
task as hopeless as 1t is immoral, of "sRt
isfying" all his supporters OF the public
expense
His administration has been even more
noteworthy in the completeness with
which 1t has exploded tha delusion thai
tue use q sne civil service lie nsc.ssary "a
-ouild up the partyn or TO form per
s1HaN following fOr the Lad OF the party.
There has not been an election for half 9
century in which the force OF Federal
ofiiee holders played so small part either
IA tue nomination or the election.
II Gen. Harrison Is Capable OF emulat
ing the courage and the honestyywitt
which his predecessor has treated public
question:, he may DO sure that be will
be equally beyond the need of patronage
and II he is not, il Is questionable whether
tho use OF patronage will avail him
There has been within the last four years
q real though partly unconscious progress
IA tho popular way OF looking at thi.
question. A ''clean sweep" now would
hosii'y men who would have taken II as i
matter Of course If MIR. cleveland had
Ventuged upon it. There will be no dis,
position We believe, to judge Gen. Bar
iison hypercfitically, or to quarrel with
MIN 10; removing summarily any person.
wnom Ar, Cleveland may have besp in,
dueeu 10 appoint for political rsasone
and who haze exhibited either incon
potency or 'parniaiOus activity" pro,
vided he does not fill their places will
PERSONS equally incompetent or per
nloiously active on this other side. But
upon him will rest the responsibility o
either advancing still further or degrad
irg TO itF former level as part of the part,
machine the civil service Of the country
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MIR. kennHn's Change OF Views,