Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-12
Harrison Will Rule.
Some Democratic Opinions Of
the President-Elect.
HIS BACKBONE rs ALL RIGHT.

OberIy Thinks Civil Service Reform viii
Go Right Ahead-A aoosier Official Says
the New Executive Can Not BE ''Eun"-
Senator Blair Takes a Look Ahead and
Tells What He Sees-Benry Cabot Lodges
Remarks-The Latest Returns.
WASHINGTON CITY, Nov. 12-Referring
to election matters Commissioner Oberly
says: a have no explanation Of our defeat
to offer, snd l don't know what part civil
service reform or its absence played in the
campaign; but have no doubt that every
thing in the way OF reform that we have got
on to the statute book and incorporated in
the rules we shall keep. l have not the
slightest doubt that Gen. Harrison will en-
force the civil service laws and rules, not
only in the letter but in the spirit, so far as
the domain covered by the law goes. sup.
pose he will give to Republicans all the
places not covered by the law. In the
higher places in the departments he will
probably make more changes that President
Cleveland did There was a good many
chiefs of divisions and other department off,
Gals outside OF the scope of the law who
were retained under this administration be-
cause they had great deal of experience
and skill in transacting routine business
and were deemed Indispensable. The idea
that they were Indispensable was generally a
mistake, but the chiefs of division and high
departmental officials appointed by this ad-
ministration can not pretend that in two or
three years they have been in office they
have acquired such fund of information
and such skill in the transaction of business
that they could not be spared.
"But believe that Gen Harrison, while a
| strong partisan, as he undoubtedly is, will
he more independent of the politicians of his
own party than any other man the Repub-
licans could have elected, with the exception
of John Sherman, who, if he had been
elected would have been so completely the
president that nobody would have had any
influence with him. J greatly regret Presi
dent Cleveand's defeat, but if we are tc
have Republican president l think Gen.
Harrison will show more force oil
character and independence than any Other
man the Republicans were likely to select
He is not going to get down to the point oil
discharging Democratic clerks from the de
partments on account of their politics, OF
making an example of Republican clerk,
who have been left in their places by THU
administration by throwing them out
Postmaster Dalton, of the house of repre-
sentatives, an Indiana Democrat, says o
Gen. Harrison: "He will give good, clean
and able administration Everything abou
it will be high toned and honorable. Demo
Gratis and the people generally will hav'
nothing to complain of. 1t will be con
sentative administration, much more liberia
than the extremists would desire, and n,
man or clique OF men can run Mr.. Harrison
He will be the president This will caus
some heartburns in his own party. He is
civil service reformer, and is as firm a
Cleveland In this he will antagonize thos
OF his party who will demand a clean sweep
He will not yield He is respector of tn
law, one of the ablest lawyers in the country
and man who takes him for a person of n
more than ordinary intellect will find him
self deceived
In an interview yesterday Civil Servic
Commissioner Lyman said: II lave YER
decided impression that Mr. Hsrrison's ad
ministration will be practical civil servict
reform administration. see no reason VIII
he should not execute the law in good fait
and extend it to branches of the government
, service to which it has not been applied H
letter of acceptance indicates that as his al
titude on the subjeck | believe that he wa
entirely sincere in the statements in ths
letter, and that civil service reform wi
, have no setback by reason of the change
, | administration