Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-06-19
The President and Ciyil-SerYice Reform.

The President and Ciyil-Seryice Reform.
A Washington dispatch to the Baltimore
Sun dated June 14th, says
s'The members of the civil-service COM
mission are about to start on tour of in
spection through the West and Northwest.
They called in body upon the President
yesterday and had a long talk with him as
to the civil-service policy of the present ad'
ministration. They informed the Presi-
dent that in many instances they tipd that
the law is being practically ignored, and in
some places it is openly asserted that the
administration is not in sympathy with the
law, The President said he was not re-
sponsible for any such impression, and, to
prove his sincerity, he authorized them to
see that the law is strictly enforced through
out the public service, and said they could
rely upon the administration sustaining
them"
The Valley Frginian will see, what IL
probably knew before, Us it had read liar
rison's letter Of acceptance giving his EN-
phatic endorsement to the civil-service re-
form plank of the National Republican
party, that the President belongs to that
class of men whom 1t declares TO be tine
holier-thsn-thoui political phsrisees" VINO
desire that .'an exclusive official class De
created. iron,olad and steel-bound from the
reaeh of public sentiment and the verdict
of the ballot. box. "-"that il is not the re-
puhhoanism OF our political system, and
that il is direct reelection upon the inhe-
rent honesty and capacity Of those who
constitute the government" and that sit
will be dangerous, aye, disastrous for
parties to tritle with IT.
AS the Republican party is committed to
that policry by its national platform, and
the President is committed to it by his
letter of acceptance and his expressions in
the despatch above quoted, the VALLEY Var-
o,nia must conclude that Ichabod is written
upon the portals of the ''grand old party"
for in it's article, above quoted, it says
SIT requires, indeed, no prophet to fore
tell the fate of the political organization
which adopts this undemocratic pretense as
cardinal tenet of it's creed. II will be
swept from power with a force and i'm
petuosity that will leave nothing but wreck
and ruin to tell of its existence, and teach
lesson that will be warning to all latter
day "reformers," who arrogate higher
morale and keener sense of patriotism than
the great mass of the people. "Reform,'"
to be genuine and lasting, must be ground
ed in the conscious right which is inherent
with the people and which admits and sus-
tains the cardinal idea upon which our gov
eminent is founded. Sham "reform' will
not do in this practical age. Thu tinsel
and flash of the modern article will not
wear. It will not bear the scrutiny of the
robust common sense which has made this
country and is moulding it's destiny, and
which builds up and tears down parties"
1t is to be hoped that, in this instance,
the prophecy of the Virginian will be
realized, and that the Republican party
twill be swept from power with the force
and impetuosity" of the Johnstown flood
'that will leave nothing but wreck and
ruin to tell of its existence"