The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-11-10
THE FEDERAL OFFICES.

When Grover Cleveland was inaug-
urated as President THE HERALD, as
did most of the newspapers in the land,
expected that the Republican Federal
ottice-holders would be promptly
turned out, and their places taken by
Democrats. That this was not done
was grevious disappointment not only
to The HERALD, but to Democrats ard
Democratic journals everywhere. We
shall never oease to believe that it was
the one big mistake Of Mr.. CIeveland's
administration to retain the officers
who had been appointed by his pre- de-
cessors. The President was elected on
the cry of turn the rascals out" and
those who elected him meant what they
said. But he didn't turn them out.
He kept them in. He held fast to them
until their terms had expired, and in
some instances longer; he even reap
pointed some Republicans. We believe
that every Republican Federal official
in Utah either resigned without pressure
from Washington, Or served to the end
! OF his segttl. The result Of the Presi-
dents anomalous course in this matter
was that for g considerable part of his
own term of Office the men in the Fed
eral offices were opposed to him and his
party politically, were doing what they
could to make failure of his admins
tration, and were certainly willing to
defeat the Democracy. We have be-
lleved this was mistake on the part of
the President. 1t was disappointing
and discouraging to his own party
friends, who were deprived of the vic.
tory which they had won; it gave COM
fort and material aid to the enemy, and
it deprived the country Of the efficiency
which was demanded in the Federal
service. 1t injured the Presidents ad-
ministration, for it is impossible that
enemies will labor as faithfully as
friends, or that Republicans will sup
port Democratic policy with all their
hearts. We will never cease to believe
that the Presidents stubborness honest
and conscientious though he was in it.,
contributed largely to his defeat last
Tuesday, as he had algenated not few
of the earnest Democratic makers of
four years ago.
There will soon be change in the
| Federal administration, but is there
ANYBODY who thinks the Cleveland
policy in the matter of appointments
will be followed? Is there anybody,
outside the off1ce-holders themselves
who wants to see that policy followed ?
Repu blicars don't want it, and no true
Democrat can desire It. 1t is the Presi-
dents right to have suhordinates of his
own political faith, who will be inter
ested in something more than their
salaries, who will do their utmost to
make his administration a success.
1t is the right of the party to enjoy the
fruits of its victory. So far as THE
HERALD is concerned, it hopes that
General Harri son will spend the time
between now and the 4th of March in
selecting men for the various offices to
which the President appoints, and that
he will follow his Inauguration by in
dustrlously signing his name to COM
missions. A clean sweep :and an early
one will please US best, and the
Democrat who squeals will be
unworthy the name. 1t would be
still better if the Democratic
ofice-holders would be more manly and
consistent than their Republican pre-
decgssors and send in their resigna-
tious. We all know how the Republic
ans sank in popular respect when they
chung so tenaciously to the offices which
did not belong to them, and we all
know how many of them were despised
for cringing to the Democracy in the
hope of keeping their places. The
Offices will belong to the Republicans
after March Attn, and we hope the
Democrats will be manly enough to give
them up without a mHrmur.
A Pu11AnE1pHIA CORRESPONDENT of