Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-31
IAuoAsrER, PA. October 81. 1889.
Harrison Surrenders.

Harrison has fallen before the nre OF
the politicians and brought confusion
upon those who undertook to figure him
q defender of the doctrine of civil
service reform upon the strength Of his
alleged stand In favor Of retaining until
the expiration of their terms Demo-
cratic ofIiceholders against whom moth
ing was alleged but their Democracy.
This position Harrison has apparently
desired to take, but he has been driven
from II by the assaults Of the politicians
10 often and has 80 conspicuously per-
mitted his cabinet officers to disregard
Il In their appointments that there was
NOT much ground left for his defense by
civil service reformers. The Philadel-
phia Offices, however, remained for their
comfort, and they have believed them
selves to be entrenched behind the presi-
dents positive determination to let the
Democratic ofYiceholdcn there stay until
their terms expired. They find them
selves cruelty betrayed by the removal
OF the postmaster, though he had but
few weeks of hts term left TO him; and
Harrison stands exposed to them rs hav-
ing deserted the last show Of his virtuous
resolve.
The Ledger, which has been staunch
believer in the presidents virtue, is
dnmbfounded at his action, and asks
what possible good can come from the
removal of Postmaster Harrity when in
. few weeks more he might have made
Il consistently with his avowed princi-
pies. 1t finds no excuse for him and de-
clAres that '.the removal puts the presi-
dent In the attitude of making n delib-
crate surrender of the position, volun-
tArily espoused, that faithful and capa-
be federal officers should be permitted
70 serve out their four years terms"
There IL no doubt Of that. 1t is made so
plain that he who runs may read. The
postmaster general makes the feeble ex-
cuse that the new postmaster will not Ike
able to take his place much before the
expiration Of Mr.. Harrity's four yenrs
term and that II therefore was not much
Of an infraction Of the four years term
Idea, anyway. But II SO, there was all
the more reason for not making the
change until the time was quite up,
when there was SO small gain to he
~ lde by It; and II Is all the more sig
: nifcant Of the complete surrender of the
I president to the politicians. They de-
manded the postmaster's head, and de-
manded 1t at once. They declared that
4 the removal must come before the elec-
tlon to give the Republican PARTY heart
4 and they now claim that 1t will make n
gain to the party Of ten thousand VOTES.
They do not believe 1t. They wanted
Il only IA sign Of the presidents sur.
render TO them. They now carry him
\ along In captive chains behind their tri-
( umphal car and exhibit him to the
4 world as the instrument of their will.
He can no longer parade his indepen.
dence. No more will he obtain credit for
firm resolve to adhere to virtuous dee.
larati0ns. Hereafter no one will be de.
\ ceived into reliance upon the reform
promises. The good people who haye
been betrayed once will not again be-
come the victims of misplaced conf
denee In him.
This Philadelphia postmastership has
thrown bright light upon the charac-
E ter and conduct of Harrison's admins
tration. 1t has illustrated vividly con-
test with the Republican politicians in
which the honor of the administration
has finally fallen. Wanamaker has
saved Field, but II has been costly and
solitary salvage. Postmaster Harrity
was besought to save him from the as
saults Of the Republican politicians by
( Onering his resignation. He declined TO
thus aid these politicians and to relieve
the administration from the duty of de-
tending its advertised devotion to civil
service reform principles to which it
I has now at last turned tail In ignomini-
Osls fashion upon the demand of Quay
for Harrity's head to be exposed on u
charger before the day of election. Mr..
Harrity has done great service to the
people In refusing to resign and securing
the complete exposure Of the hollowness
Of Harrison's pretended devotion to civil
service doctrine and the weakness Ct the
heart which he pledged to that reform.
He gave him the opportunity of show
Ing the sincerity Of his declared convic-
tiOns and Of exhibiting the courage and
honesty needed to maintain them. The
stun was not in the president; it was
but wind and he has collapsed His
surrender to the working politicians is
complete.