The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-02-23
THF LEXINGTON INTEIIIG ENCETe. SATURDAY.. FEI8IS

d LIN l. 81
responsibility He has all along been
animated by a high and serious sense
of his duty to The people and this has
ufien prompted him to a course OF
action in opposition to the wishes or
opinions of personal friends. III Is Inc
secret, too. of his laboriOus devotion TO
matters OF routine. lie expresses him.
self very moderately on the latter point
and shows no disposition whatever to
explain his industry. at NAV be be-
cause ] am awkw ard at IT," he said
to-day, 'tthat | nave 10 work so lard.'
# may be stated that the president Is
Thoroughly satisfied with the practical
outcome of his administration and its
effect on the fortunes of the democratic
pnrty. He is very earnest in predicting
"A great future for the democracy and i'll
asserting his unqualified devotion 10
The party ut is IA grand party" said
he, land was never in better shape
than il is al present. When we consider
the condition il was in before the tariff
issue was formulated the want OF I'M
aniIniiN, tie vide difference OF views
on many points and the hearty united
support il gave me dnring the compalgn
who can doubt that its status has been
improved, and that it has u glorious
future before it,"
THE TREAT DEMOCRATIC ISSUE.
The president is as firm now as he
ever was in the opinion that tariff re-
f,rm is the greal living issue tor the
democracy. lie regards il MS All isst Q
liz irarnIVuy with the spirit and tradi-
lions OF the party and one involving
enormous benefits to the people. lie
believes thai sooner or later The tolllng
masses will be thoroughly reused to an
indignant perception of the burdens
unjusIly imposed upon them by the
tariff laws, and of the fact that the tax
ing power OF the nation is baing reck-
lessly used for the benefit of favored
few. lie Ices not tolerate the idea
that the democracy was beaten OH the
tariff issue last fall. "IIad certain coli
ditiOns been eliminated from the cam
paign," he saws, "we would have won
a decisive victory"
So far as he is Individually concerned
he has 40 regrets at laying down his
trust. lie thinks the defeat of the
democracy is to be deplored because of
the injury resulting to the public inter-
ests, but personally he experiences u
profound sense of relief at the prospect
OF speedy release from the ordeal to
which he has been exposed during the
past four years. The strain has been
so great hat no man of less robust
health and rugged virility could have
withstood it.
i! One of the most trying features of
l his position has been hat in the dis
charge of his official duties he has been
, called upon So frequently to offend
l persons whose friendship and good
/, opinion he valued. MIR. Clevelaud's
! %sympathies are warm and easily reused.
: The insensibilitv with which he has SO
\ often been accused is a supposed trait
y OF character which has no existence.
? He has often hesitated between his
personal incIIu6iiOus and his sense of
s what was exacted of him by the dig
n nifty of his position, the interests of the
9 public and his oath of Office. He has
d stood Tor the right at almost every step
> of official duty.
WITHOUT FURTHER ASPIRATIONS.
1t is an open secret that the democrat.
ic nomination last summer was accept
ed with genuine reluctance and after
earnest efforts to escape it. His sup-
posed political aspirations for The
future do not exist. AS to the future
he said: 81 am in no mans way.
shall be delighted to be relieved of the
cares of the presidency. On March 4,
hext, on purely personal grounds there
will be no happier man i'll the United
States thar l."
With reference TO the civil service
system, he re. asserted his vie WIS on the
question. lie believes that civil service
= has come to stay. lie has endeavOTed 10
= give the civil service scheme a fair trial
and expresses himself as fully satisfied
with the results. There may be differ.
8 enccs of opinion as to details, but he
: thinks il is the best test of merit that
cal be devised. II is certainly far pre-
Ierable TO the 81 oils system, which has
no feature and will degenerate into u
= mere bureaucracy. The worst type OF
e bureaucracy was developed under the
spoils system OF former administrations.
= When MIR. Cleveland came into Office
he found the departments filed with
incOmpetents who had found perma-
nent Judgment there through favorit-
II ism His doubt is whether sufficient
= clearing out has been done to subserve
2 the best interests of the government
e and TO give scope for civil service re-
form through It's methods in filling the
If places of inefficient with capable men,
Ie The president recognizes fully the feel
is ing of the great masses of office seeker.
e who expected place and recognition
e and the disappointment and irritation
C which resulted from his inability tt
satisfy them. 1t is u matter of deel
b regret to him that he could not do SO
l. but he had a duty to periOrm-tb'
" publication and elevation of the public
n service and the elimination from party
politics as far as possible of the degrad
y ing use Of patronage" all evil which
is had grown to gigantic proportions ant
$, was steadily increasing. He is yer,
st earnest III advocaliom OF The civil ser
es vice system as being a thoroughly prac
D teal reform in no sense uudemocratic
- lie takes ii that the work of his admin
Ia istratIon has fixed this reform as a per
10 manent feature OF u system of gov
III ernment and that no party can afforC
to antagOnize' it openly. So Tar as hi
own status IN the party is affected b,
his attitude on the civil service question
y is concerned it may be said that he re
rs CARDS himself as a better democrat tina
i many of his enemies.
THE SOUTH > PROSPERITY PLEAsAN !
of The president is especially gratifle
an nj the effect of his administration o
&c the prosperity and happiness of tn
or southern people, both black and white
70 lie believes in making no dis.inctio.
ID between amy of the sections and he de
H. preCates strongly the revival Of animot
lilies which were supposed 20 be dea'
lie aud buried. lie is satisfied that In
~ race problem can be worked out 10y III
people of the section without ontsid,
n interference.
hit He speaks in terms Of grateful appre
- ciariOn of the hearty aud united SUI
in port accorded bin by the members
he his cabinet. The administration,
g. must bo conceded, will go down
,ir history as unique III The tact that all ii
"a IN imbcrs have pulled together >frol
Di beginning To end aud no personal Jeal
=. ou-ics or resentmeuts have measure
Nv the harmony OF its deliberations. Ever
r. incilhtr OF il has been hard wOrkIll
his and wholly devoted to the public inteI
rs Ct and every department presents a
NJ emviablr record OF important refuru
M ami economies accomplished and
b. substantial results in The effort 10 pre-
Ia mote the pubic good. No breath
or scandal OF faint OF corruption has al
n tarIru 10 auV branch OF the public SCI