Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-11-01
orrIr srnrror nnronar.
On That Issue Also Cleveland is Far
Preferable 90 Harrison.
~ u m NJ


On That Issue Also Cleveland is Far
Preferable 90 Harrison.
n. z. Times, 90 obsr ISL
Reform Of the OWL service does not
figure prominently as an issue In the pres
ept political canvass. The tariff question
has thrown II into the background for
the time being and its influence Is only
incidental. Nevertheless it Is in the
minds of a certain class of voters who
supported Mr.. Cleveland In 1884 on ac-
count of his civil service reform record
and pledges and who are not satisfied
with the fulflment Of his promises. One
of these is oceasionally heard from who
declares the intention OF voting against
the President, not because he has any
hope that Harrison would do better, or
even as we'll, but as q means Of rebuking
the administration for Its shortcomings
and the Democratic party for falling TO
support its reform efforts.
Such course would be neither logical
nor consistent with the professions OF
civil service reformers, whose object Is
to promote by all practical means the
cause which they have at heart. II may
be admitted that the President has fallen
far short of the ideal standard set up by
/
cases yielded to party pressure where
1 there was no sufficient excuse for doing so.
II is, nevertheless, true that he has
maintained aud even advanced the reform
/ system within the restricted scope Of the
law and the rules framed under its pro-
| visions Re hs has not strengthened and
advanced the general cause 80 much as he
might have done, he has firmly upheld 1t
! al. Ill a. IN.
gain ground for 1t. No doubt he has at
the same time felt the necessity of party
support for his administration. His best
efforts have met with nothing but hos
tility and encouragement from the Re-
publican side, and to accomplish any thing
whatever, even TO maintain what has been
accomplished as vantage ground for o
further advance, he has felt obliged to
keep his own party behind him. 10
break with that would have rendered him
the reform.
The practical question now Is whether
the reform cause would be best served by
re .eleciing the President or by putting
Mr.. Harrison at the head of the govern
ment On that point, II seems to us,
there can be no doubt. Many abuses
ton of the public service has been, on
the whole, greatly improved. The Law
has been in the main faithfully executed
In what is known as the classified service,
, to which the rules apply. The President
, and his party are still pledged to main
. tain their ground, and there Is every
reason to anticipate q steady advance in
the reform policy as public sentiment in
. ,Ha~a,.k ,oarfo ~ tba aouptru vr0ut
stronger In its support, as II surely will
/ provided It is not interrupted by chang,
| Of administration.
. With such O change, what Is to be ex
, pected The Republican psrty, while il
i opposition, has made no progress what
i ever in It's position on this subject.
) was thrown out Of all sympathy with i
: by the nomination of Mr.. Blaine in 1884
; and 1t has shown no disposition to re
o cover itB ground. While II has been crit
|, cal to the point Of extreme unfsirness ii
q it's attitude toward the President and hi
Q administration, 1t has given no evidenc
L whatever of real care for the principle
II OF civil service reform or OF SINGER
a purpose 10 advance their application. Mr.
/, Harrison, when he was senator, wa
q known as an unusually greedy spoils
i sympathy for the methods Of filling th
Ia public service which the reform system
o proyideg We're he to be elected, Their
n is scarcely q Doubt that what has beei
n accomplished would be practically I'M
q done. He is bound by no pledges, an,
Il the pressure that would be brought upol
q him would be even greater than tina
h which Mr.. Cleveland has withstood will
| - nj ~ a rx7ny mn
' have q 1.-THE of tho disposition or tn
/ ability to resist such pressure that MI
W Cleveland has exhibited.
' Should the Republican party return t,
power with Mfr. Harrison Of its head
;. what would be the prospect for OWL ser
vice reform in the next four years? Th
o party would not como in on that issue
l. and 1t would be practically free iron
pledges and promises in regard to 1t, ant
10 Judging by its past conduct and the char
T. acter Of its present leaders the result
b would be practical abandonment of tn
n reform policy and return to the spoil
10 system in everything but the name.
., might be assumed that il such were th
10 result 1t would produce reaction il
" public sentiment that would throw th
rs party out Of power again at the mex
" election. II such resction were stron
" and coupled with the feeling that woul
O be produced by the predeBtined failur
fa to accomplish anything for genuine re
" vision OF ths tariff it might make the re
10 turn OF tho Democrats too easy. SO eas
r. that they might count upon getting bao
" without making such promises aud non
2 mating suoh candidate as enabled ther
10 to overthrow the Republican ascendspc
y four years ago. We ara convinced tbs
d civil service reformers who vote for Hal
|. ris1n as q means of rebukirg Clevelan
" FOR not doing all that they hoped for wi
d simply DO trying to throw away viii
,r has been accomplished and TO wrec
r the cause to which they profess to be d
h voted.