Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-16
The current number of Hrper's Wfesly re-

The current number Of Hurper's Weekly re-
plies to The STARS comments upon those pas
sages in Mr.. Curtis's address as president OF
the civil service reform league, which picture
the representative republican press and repre-
sentative republican assemblies as hostile to
the civil service law. Mir. Curtis failed to
mention the leading republican journals and
the important republican conventions which
have declared in favor of the law and of its
extension, but quoted a few foolish utterances
OF unnamed publications hostile to the law
and added: Naturally this uniformity of
tone in the party journals throughout the
union is echoed by party assemblies. HE
STAR called attention to the fact that there has
been no such uniformity of hostile tone in the
expressions of the representative republican
press and conventions, and suggested that this
sweeping accusation was not only unjust, but
that it played into the hands of the spoilsmen
BY backing up their contention that everybody
Is a spokesman at heart and that there is nobody
Of consequence who will resent a violation Of
pledges on this subject by an administration.
Mr.. Curtis in reply contents himself with argu-
ing that to state that neither party. such, is
reform party is not to take sides with the spoils
men and to promote the repeal of the reform
law. since the reform movement depends not
upon a party but upon "a public opinion not
confined to either party and not controlling
either, but of quality anil force not safely to
be dsregarded" This public opinion which
Is to terrorize the two great parties, viewing
these organizations as things>distinct from the
people who compose them, must express itself
in some visible. tangible way, to accomplish its
purpose. An administration, disposed to dis
nd "a MI nd to turp 10 bioh
it has promised to favor will not be terrified
from this course by an alleged public opinion
which is represented as so feeble that there is
uniformity Of expression among the news
papers and assemblies of its party indorsing its
proposed act of treachery. The assurance that
its own supporters with practical unanimity
are urging it to repeal the law and that the
alleged public opinion in favor of reform places
as little confidence in the opposing political
organization in it. would seem to remove
every obstacle tending to prevent the full
qualification of the spoilsman's instinct. The
STAR believes that public opinion in favor of
civil service reform and of good faith In OBJ
seryance of political pledges does not merely
exist in ghostly, intangible shape. which
strong nerves may disregard, but finds
practical expression in representative party
newspapers and representative party assemblies
in fashion which gives pointed warning to
political leaders with the spoilsman's tenden-
cies. Mr.. Curtiss Imputation of uniform hos
tility to reform in republican journals and as
semblies unjustly minimize that public opinion
upon the strength of which the reform depends,
and in this way Mr. Curtis, a most earnest and
intelligent advocate of civil service reform,
plays the game of the spokesman.