San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-20
JUDGED BY ITS FRUITS.

! This democratic administration, uSh-
| cred in with such floGrish of trum-
pets for retrenchment and reform, has
almost passed and its record is with
the people. Its promises Of four years
ago, and its performances stretched
along the highway of those four years
active administration of public af-
fairs, are matters of history and so to
be judged calmly and dispassiOnately
and in the clear light of accomplished
results. Retrenchment there has
been if not reform, but there has been
no reduction of the national expenses.
Retrenchment there has been in the
judicial and postal departments of the
public service, to an extent that has
crippled both and very materially in
terfered with the proper performance
of their duties by the public SER
wants. The revenue necessary to
efficiently carry on the bust
ness of the United States courts has
been withheld until in many cases the
processes of the courts were suspended
and the ends of justice were defeated.
The postal expenses were reduced
until the working force in many i'm
portant offices was below all decen
requ irements of the service, and the
underpaid, and this while the postal
The complaints against such foolish |
retrenchmentS were loud and deep |
but no regard was paid to it and the |
evil was increased rather than |
abated There was entrenchment |
but no reform. The efficient public
servants were dismissed without |
cause, for utterly inadequate reasons,
or on the tlimsy preteXt that they |
were perniCiOusly active in politics, |
and their places were supplied by !
men unfamiliar with their duties and |
untaught and as consequence the |
service deteriOrated. All this, while |
that branch of the national congress |
in which financial measures originate |
was under the complete control of Mr.. |
Cleveland's friends and there was 20 |
necessity for so niggardlya dealing |
out of public funds necessary to
properly maintain the efficiency and
credit of the public service |
Retrenchment indeed, but no
reform. Under republican adj
ministratiOn there had been some
respect to the letter, and some regard
to the spirit of civil service reform. In
Mr.. Cleveland's first year there was
feeble effort to maintain this, but it |
soon ceased, and in the later years of
his administration political place was
the open reward of political service as
it had never been before. No there |
was no reform. Nominated by party !
who had no other candidate to present, !
not because they loved him, every |
IIach merry of the government was put |
in operation for his election. He open
ly con buted a large sum of money |
to his own reelection and sent, or per- |
mitted the democratic national COM
mittee to send, his cabinet officers on |
stamping tours for him. Never before |
has such parts; n|hip had fee course |
in the higl places OF our government,
and yet with it all he failed of sue
cess, and leading democratic journal !
gives this as the CONCLUSIONS:
"Mr. CleveIand's administration
has arrived at the very eve of it's de- |
mise, and the general sentiment of |
the democracy is one of relief and |
thankfulness. That the great hlstor-
ic party, which holds the noblest !
traditions of the fathers respecting |
the nature of our constitution and |
government, should be driven from |
power by an adverse majority must |
always be affecting to its members;
but when they consider how much |
more desperate their situation would |
have been for another four years of |
Mr.. Cleveland, and of his autOcratic, |
pOmpOus and canting methods, the !
thought that they are no longer eX-
posed to that extreme calamity may
well reconcile them to the lesser mis-
fOrtune.n
With all this burden Of opprobium
and incompetency and deterioration
of the public service Mr.. Cleueland's
administration can not even boast of
a reduction of the public expenses as
the result Of this pitiable attempt at
economy. His administration has ac-
tually cost the country $lOO,OOO,O 900 per
annum more than did that of his pre-
decessor, Mr.. Arthur, and has much
less to show therefor. The foreign
policy of the government was to the
full as ignominious as the domestic
service was sectional, wasteful, par
tisan and unsatisfactory. If this esti-
mate be unjust let history vindicate
his administration il it can.