Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-10
The republican platform, q, 1900 ra,o... q,

The republican platform of 1883 repeats its
civi-sersice-reform pledge of 1884. declaring:
ine reform OF the civil service auspiciously
begun under the republican administration
should be completed by the further extension
OF the reform system, already established bv
law, to all the grades Of the service to which II
Is applicable The spirit and purpose of the
reform should be observed in all executive
appointments, and all laws at variance with
the object OF existing reform legislation sbould
be repealed, to the end that the dangers which
Turk In the power of official patronage may be
wisely and effectively avoided" Harrison. in
his letter of acceptance. ia eouaIly exnlicit
he not only favors liberal Interpretation and
vigorous enforcement Of the existing law lint
would approve legislation extending the reform.
which, he adds, it will be his sincere purpose
to advance If elected He points ont that the
cNI-service-reform law received his support in
the Senate, and expresses the opinion that all
appointments under it should be absolutely
free from partisan considerations and influence.
and that only the interest of the public service
should suggest removals.
In view OF these pledges President Harrison
wiz soon be subjected to the same severe test
which has been applied to President Cleveland
Inc republican party in its platform has made
distinct promises, and in the same connection
II taunts President Cleveland with breaking
his word in respect to civil service reform, and
declares that 1--WE will not fail to keep our
pledges because their candidate has
broken his" VIII the party in good faith keep
esepromises, or disregard them as recognized
forms of ante-election falsehood and deception,
not expected to be taken seriously? If parti-
san ciamor for a clean sweep of the offices shall
make the party false to its word, will pressure
compel the President to prove equally false?
VIII he Withstand political demands in pursu-
ance Of his ''sincere purpose to advance civil
service reform? viii appointments be Stree
from partisan considerations and influence"
and will removals be suggested only by 1.-The
interest of the public service? These are
questions which greatly concern the army Of
government employees in the District of Column
bia. and the District itself. II the offices are
still to be viewed as political spois each change
OF administration, whether political control of
the nation be changed or not, will involve
factional redistribution of the plumber,
and deny all sense of security to the most de-
serving clerk and all hope of the advantages of
a reasonably permanent element of population
FOR the District in the thousands employed by
the great workshops of the Government. L.
may be assumed that the politicians of the re-
publican party, initiating the recent conduct Of
the politicians Of the democratic party, will, in
large numbers, demand division of the offices
as spoils, eontemptuously disregarding platform
promises, but it is not to be assumed that the
new President will break so readily the per-
sonal pledges of his letter of acceptance. He
Is known as a man of integrity and firmness
who lives up to his word. He will need all his
resources, both of conscience and backbone, to
withstand the frightful partisan pressure, under
which MIR. Cleveland faltered. The people of
the District and all friends of good government
and of the public welfare will wish him victory
in this trial.