New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-13
dROTT THE SIDE ISSUES.

Il is noticed as if il were n fault, that Re
publican discussions of the issues to be decided
by the coming campaign do not turn much
mon Civil Service reform or temperance. That
is right. No intelligent man will vote for
Grover Cleveland as Civil Service reiormer
or as temperance reformer against
BENJAMIN Harrison. But number OF
men who think they are or who frauduientiy
profess to be Civil Service reformers or tenn
perance reformers will vote for Mr.. Cleveland,
or so vote as to aid him, knowing that in either
respect he deserves no support because under
their various DISCUSSES and shams they are free
Traders, or else are persons who sell them
selves for money, for place, or for the salts
faction of inflated vanity.
Mr. Cleveland has done more than any other
President since Martin Van Buren, to debauch
and degrade the Civil Service. This statement
is made with full knowledge Of the disgraceful
doings after Andrew johnson lost his Repub-
licanism and his decency. He did al! that he
could to make the public service dishonored,
but he had not much time, he had not an or
ganized Democratic party to reward, and he
had not ell-advanced and promising reform
to break down. Pierce and buchanan were
openly the tools of the spoils politicians, but
there was no reform in their day to defeat or
destroy. Van Buren, prosttuted the pubic
service to the uses of the party in power re-
form under Republican Presidents from even
1868 to 1885 did something to lift 1t out OF
DEGRADATION: and now Mr.. Cleveland has made
its abuses more shameless and more corrupt
than ever. If any man honestly thinks the
condition of the Civil Service more important
than the protection Of American citizens IN
their industries or in their right OF suffrage,
and has enough intelligence to support any re-
form whatever, he will vote for Mr.. HARRISON.
The shams and frauds who pretend to be Civil
Service reformers when they are only Free
Traders, will stultify and disgrace themselves
by accepting Mr.. Cleveland, with all the de-
moralization of the public service he has caused,
and with all the hypocrisy which has made the
very name of Reform Odious.
Not essentially different is the case as to
temperance Not one step in the direction OF
reform has ever been taken by the Democratic
party during all the fifty years of its control
in some States or the Nation In every To-
caty where any step of temperance reform
has achieved a success during all that time
it has either been opposed by the whole Demo-
cratic party or has triumphed by a non-partisan
combination in which the Democratic organlza-
ton had no part, and which split the Demo
cratic party. Not one step of progress IN tenn
perance reform, during the thirty years which
have elapsed since the Republican party be-
came strong, has been effected without the aid
Of a great majority Of its voters. Not one
genuine step of progress in temperance reform
has ever been opposed by the Republican party
But that party has ever held that the tenn
perance question could be wisely met only by
action in the different States, in accordance
with the popular will in those States, and that
it had no right as a National organization to
prescribe treatment which the people OF all
the States alike should adopt, regardless of
local preferences or necessities. To the party
in each State the National party has left the
choice Of measures to meet the situation in
that State; and in most Of the States all the
actual reform effected during the last thirty
years has been supported by the Republican
party and mainly by Republican voters. There
is not Temperance man, sincere and intelligent
enough to be of any use TO genuine reform,
who does not know these facts, and not one
who will vote for Mr.. Cleveland as temper
ance refOrmer, or so vote as to aid his election.
Those who have votes or political activity to
sell, as usual, will apply to the Democratic
managers for contribute Is.
1t is well that the coming campaign has
taken such shape that NJ sincere temperance
man or Civil Service reformer can be in doubt
what party he should support with reference
to the issue he thinks most important. Nine
tenths of the voters in this country hold that
other issues require immediate settlement, and
have shaped party action with regard to other
issues But the temperance man or the Civil
Service reformer who votes for Mr.. Cleveland
on that ground or so votes as to promote his
election simply stultifes himself, and retards
the cause he processes to have at heart.
BAYARD DESPISED AT OTTAWA.