The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-13
MR.. CLEVELAND's HUMBUa.

Senator Hale's speech was very complete
expose of the hypocritical sham and false pre-
tense known as Cleveland's civil-service re-
form policy. Probably there has never been
in the history of any government more
remarkable instance of preaching one thing
and practicing another, and of multiplying
professions and pledges merely to break them
than the course of Cleveland and his admins
tration in regard to the civil service. From
beginning to end, from March 4, 1885, to the
present time, it has been a course of double
dealing, deceit and false pretense. The
Presidents words, professions and pledges
represent him as an ardent friend of civil
while his acts and the record of his admins
tration prove him to be, more than any Pres
ident the country has ever had, believer in
the doctrine that to the victors belong the
spells The fact that he seems equally at
home in both surroundings and equally sim
cere as civil-servce reformer and partisan
spokesman raises a suspicion that he has been
moderated. Only very great man can
occupy both sides of question at once.
The facts and figures presented by Senator
Hale will surprise the country. Mr.. Cleye-
lands continued cant about maintaining the
purity and efficiency of the civil service, and
the noisy activity of the Civilservice Com
mission have led many to suppose that the
principle and the law were being rigidly OBJ
served and enforced, in letter and spirit, while
the constant clamor of the horde of Demo-
cratic office-seekers has raised impression
that but few changes had been made. Moth
ing could be further from the truth. Senator
Hale shows that since Mr.. Cleveland's inaug-
uration the entire civil service has been prac-
tically Democratized. The extent to which
this has been done is shown by his statement
that up to the 18th of June, 1886, out of
1879 presidential postmasters there had been
1000 changes; out of So GOO fourth-class
postmasters, there had been 1000 changes;
out of 33 foreign ministers 80 changes; out
of 81 secretaries of legation, 16 changes; out
of Ill collectors of customs, 100 changes; 30
surveyors of customs were all changed; not
one of the naval officers remained; of
Sc app raisers but 2 remained; of ID superin-
tendents of minis and assay Offices there had
been IL changes; the 9 assistant appraisers
were all gone; of the So collectors of internal
revenue "a had gone; of the IL inspectors of
steam vessels s were gone; of the 20 district
attorneys "a semiiudicial ofice) Go were
cha nged; of 80 territorial judges Gu dicial Of
fces) % were changed; of territorial Govern
ors all were gone; of Is pension agents re-
mai ned; every one of the 16 surveyor gen.
erals was gone; of 224 local land officers 100
were gone; of 10 Indian inspectors and special
agents but / remained; of SO Indian agents
butts, and of SO special agents of the Gen.
eral Land Office but 4. And all this time the
President was prating about civil-service
reform and managing to make a few
innocent mugwumps believe he was
not only in favor of the principle, but
would observe it in his administration. If
they can continue to believe it in the face of
the foregoing facts they ought, one and all, to
indorse Rev. Burchard's declaration that Mr..
Cleveland ''is President by the direct appoint
me mt of God" and can do no wrong. Really,
however, we do not expect that Senator Hales
exposure of the Presidents double dealing on
this question will have the slightest effect on
mugwumps of the George William Curtis
school. They will brush it aside as partisan
attack on the President, and deprecate the
attempt to destroy his usefulness. When
men are determined to believe lie, what can
be doneF But the speech will open the eyes
of great many people to the fact that the
course of the President and administration in
regard to the civil service has been a stu
pendous fraud.