The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-05-15
The Administration Arraigned.

Service Reform association held in New
York last week, President George
William Curtis delivered an address
which was a scathing arraignment OF
the methods of filing Federal offices
hitherto adopted by the present adj
ministration.
Prefacing his address wirh the words
of Mr.. Harrison during the campaign
that, if elected, he would not only
support but advance the REFORM" and
with the passage from the Chicago
platform in which the Republicans
covered themselves all over with Piled
ges that they would uphold the cause
of civil service reform, Mr.. Curtif ex-
amines seriatim a number of the prin-
cipal appointments which have been
made during the last two months; and
after showing that in each and every
one of them the spirit of the Civil
Service law had not only been broken
but had even been outraged, he thus
gibbets President and party, Unions
and organs alike, as utterly insincere
in the promises they gave to the coun-
try, and traitors to the pledges they
obligated themselves with before the
people:
If the President regards himself as a
trustee of his party, he is trustee of a
party which adopted civil service reform
as its policy and declared that its spirit
and purpose should be observed in all
Executive appointments. Yet, not in
one conspicuous instance, so far as | know
y has the President observed that spirit
and purpose. or ordered them to he OBJ.
served. do not mean, of course, that he
has appointed no honest and capable Off
GERS, but that he has not respected the
principle that such officers in places which
are not political should not be removed
for political reasons; nor do / know 6
: single member of the Cabinet, a single
Senator or Representative in Congress, o
with few honorable exceptions, a single
!. recognized local leader of the dominan
r party who has publicly insisted that tn
+ declared policy OF the party on this sub
@ Iiect shall be respected. The adninistra
ton Senators and Representatives. VIII
r. fingered in Washington after the adjourn
Y ment of Congress did not remain to tax
e care that the party policy of retorl
d should be enforced, but, as Office broker
l. and peddlers of patronage, to secure pla
l.. ces ior political workers, to procure part
7. advantages, and to foster personal amb
tons. They were not engaged in promo
8 ting the public welfare by excluding pc
to tics from the public service where polite
he are impertinet, but in tightening an
5. strengthening by patronage party IN;
J. chine. Meanwhile, the party club
leagues and committees all over tt
re Union have shown by their conduct tt
ed confident expectation that no rega1
as would be paid by the administration
er the platform promises and pledges ind
which In the campaign the support of il
g. telligent citizens friendly to reform VI
IS, solicited With very few honorable 6
ceptions the press of the party has eth
demanded the usual political proscripti,
in the civil service or it has acquiesc
nd in the practical contempt of the declar
10 party policy, or it has truculcntly defen
,vt ed the plainest neglect of principle
real reform. The chief party organ
bo the country frankly defended the ov'
~ throw of reform in the New York Pc
tod office by the assertion that "It is certa
cot that party organization cannot be maj
an. tanned by ignoring party leaders, viii
tho is the old and fundamental plea for
nv. spols system.
i've 1t has not to he forgotten, eff cour
,de in connection with this strong arraie
ing ment Of Mr.. Harrison's appoint
W." methods. considered from the point
mt. view of the pledges given by Mr.. II
ers. rison himself and his party, that \
red Curtis and the association for VIII
'''' he speaks were not by any means fa
IT, satisfied with the civil service she
the ing achieved under Mr.. Cleveland.
But an important distinction is
Tor. servable in the nature of the dissa
VIC faction expressed with the condnct
S to
and the present aph the past adminis'
The tons. The Reformers admit in FAY
ing of Cleveland that he not only mad
the considerable advance in the direct
,os of carrying ont the spirit of the G
ans Service law, bnt that he would b
Far gone to the full measure of. his {
s at and the Democratic promises had
res been allowed to have his own "
e The politicians of the Democratic I
an ty, however, the Reformers aver, in
took posed the weight of their enorn
lSed influence against sthe plan of ref
D'o' conceived and entered upon by Gil
,a;r land, and compelled him against
are his indictment aud his will to do ss