New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-30
AN ANSWER TO MR.. SCHURz.
HIS LOGIC REFUTED BY THE HON. JOHN JAY.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM TO BE PROMOTED ONLY
BY REPUBLICAN SUCCESS.


Tothe Edo tor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Among the suspicious features OF the
present canvass is the entire responsibility OF the
Republican candidates for the Nation and for the
State. Among tho fortunate results Of NOM
nations which so tend to inspire the respect and
confidence of thoughtful citizens not the least is
that they are reviving hopes that Civil Service
reform will once more have fair chance at
Albany and at Washington. and that the reform,
ne embodied in our National and State legislation
by Republican votes, shall again be permitted
both in the State and in the Nation TO advance to
the fulflment of the Republican pledge that =" the
reform in the Civil Service should be thorough,
radical and complete"
recent letter Of the Hon. Carl Schurz dated
Forsteck, KEEL September 10, 1889, in reply to
gentleman who wrote to assure him of the APP
preaching reinstatement of the Republican party
to executive control" {" The Evening Post" DC
tober 6, 1881 shows that Mr.. Schurz is not pre-
pared to leave the Democratic party, although he
can scarcely be happy in his present position, with
the views he entertans of his associates and their
chief, who, he admits, are neither the ideal party
nor the ideal candidate / beg to point out
what seem to be fatal fallacies in his reasoning,
and show that the facts which he admits and the
conclusions which he draws from them consti-
u
Alright Civil Service reform should longer adhere
10 a party under whose orders the spirit princi-
PIES rules and regulations of the reform have been
largely sacrificed.
The cold treatment Civil Service reform has had
under Mr. Cleveland's Administration is frankly
admitted by his own friends. In August 1887
the National Civil Service Reform League declared
IN its annual report that the change in unclassi-
fed Civil Service is great as to forbode the COM
plete partisan reconstruction by the close of the
Administration" Harpers Weekly" is quoted
as saying: President Cleveland has not been
sustained by his party in Civil Service reform, and
yields TO the party" The Evening POST OF
May %, 1883, saidi 1.-THE painful truth is that
we doubt if single independent voter In this
State of the thousands who supported President
Cleveland in 1884 any longer attaches any i'm
portanoe to the differences Of the Administration
on the subject Of Civil Service reform or any
longer refuses to believe that the Presidents
promises and professions have been violated or
dsregarded on a great scale with the utmost bold
ness in sundry places and in divers manners"
Mr. SEIZURE in answer to this Indictment inter-
poses neither plea nor demurrer, apology nor de-
NAL. He writes: In condemning the concession
10 the spois element in the Democratic party made
by President Cleveland in violation Of our original
programme, 60 as far his severest critics among
the friends Of reform. With. my experience of
public life I cannot join in any Of the excuses or
palliations which have been offered for them"
Presently occurs this striking passage: 1.-THE
American people love that manly courage which in
keeping good faith and in Fighting wrongs does
not shrink from defying great odds The spectacle
of President telling his party friends that neither
fattery nor threats should tempt him TO abandon
single ota of his word, either in letter spirit,
would have stirred the noblest impulses of the
American heart His very enemies would have
been compelled to do homage to the intrepidity of
his recttude. The party organization, seeing that
1t could not command him, would have been obliged
10 follow his leadership; for it could not have
sacrificed such President without running itself.
His party would then have been morally as
well numerically stronger than it is to-day. :.
But even if such expectation had not been entirely
fulfilled, certain it is that by the example of such
conduct the President would have rendered far
greater service to the cause of healthy politics and
good government in America than by anything he
has done or could have done.'
1t would seem difficult to pronounce more
condemnation of the Presidents course on tho
Civil Service question than Mr.. Schurz has here
gwen when he declares that course TO have been
without excuse pallation. To this relentless
condemnation is added the suggestion that he had
yielded to battery threats, instead of maintain
ing the intrepidity Of his rectitude" that he had
been wanting in political sagacity; and had under
valued the respectable portion of his party and the
"noblest impulses of the American heart"
Whether or not Mr. Schurz is right in the
motives to which he seems TO attribute the
failure of MI Cleveland to maintain toward Civil
Service reform, as President, the position which
he maintained as Governor, and which materially
assisted to secure his election, it is difficult TO
see how his analysis of the Presidents mistakes,
morally and politically, can add force 10 his APP
peal TO the friends Of the reform TO sustain the
President for a second term; since if that analysis
be correct 1t goes 10 show, not only what the
facts themselves prove that he has yielded his
personal convictions and his official pied ges to
the wishes and the power of a hostile Democracy.
but that he has yielded them from personal mo-
tives, and has shown in the breach of his pledges
want Of personal integrity, Of manly courage. and
OF political sagacity. Mr. Schurz has certainly
shown great power in overthrowng the hero
worship which led its enthusiasts to believe with
such trustful faith that Mr.. Cleveland, as a
Democratic President, would either convert the
Democratic party to Civil Service reform,
would heroically carry out the reform against
that party's Will He has shown how completely
that idea has been exploded, and his appeal to
the Independents 10 support the Democratic can
didate rests on no confidence in the intrepidity
of his courage" before the opposition OF
the Democratic masses but on a personal opinion
that the cause of Civil Service reform would
have to hope rather less from Mr. Harrison than
from Mr. Cleveland
But in this surmise that Mr.. Harrison would,
under similar trials exhibit the same irresolutiOn
and unwisdom which Mr. Schurz attributes 10
Mr.. Cleveland appear two fatal defects. 1t is
not simply assumption unsupported by a |
single fact in Mr.. Harrsons career but IL ignores |
the foundation fact of the entire question, that |
there is fundamental difference in the character |
and tone, the ideas and sentiments, the hopes /
and feelings of the masses of the Democratic and
the Republican parties. in regard to our National |
Civil Service as representing the historic ttadi
tons principles, and dignity of the Republics |
difference which can be read in every chapter of
our country's history since the birth of the Re
publican party in 1884 II Mr.. Harrison shall
be elected President, the earnest thoughtful class
Of citizens who have been from the start the rep
resentatives and supporters Of Republican prin-
ciples will not stand in the attitude of opposi-