St. Paul daily globe., 1890-05-29
eoLasRKsoN,s DIAGNOSIS.

sCIARKSON TeprOduceS in his Iowa
paper the very elaborate speech he re-
Gently delivered before a Republican
club in Boston, which had rendered him
a banquet. All the current public topics
are incidentally disposed of in approach
ing the central theme of civil service re-
form. His mission to thescapItaltof Mas
saehusetts had for its chief ebjeetsto dis
sipate the sentimental notions about the
public service that obStruct the work of
practical politicians and which have
had more lodgment in Massachusetts
than any other state. 1t may be con-
ceded9 that his position is in harmony
with the methods his party have oper-
Rted upon after the campaign platforms
have been laid away. BE has
the courage to defend the spoiIs
system as the proper one for
the conduct of the government.
His views are not notable for their
freshness and novelty, but their interest
arises from the fact that they are those
he has illustrated in his high position
under an administration elected on re-
form platform, 10 which the president
and those in his advisory family still
profess some sort of adherance. Not,
however, an assertive and obnoxious at
tachment that would obstruct CLARK
SON in the most marvellous industry in
putting Democrats out of Office. Nor
Will-there come from the White house
any word of rebuke for this quasi
official exposition of the object lessons
set in the chambers of state. The
CLARKSoN system makes all the Offices
the sprizes-of the party workers. They
Bhould'be filled by those who earn them
by their party service and success in
filling the ballot boxes. ITO the yictafs
belong the spoils." All from the presi-
dent down should be of his politics,
with the minor eXeeptionof the erailway
mai! service, which was not altogether
an exception when Mr.. CLARKsON and
his crowd came in. Competency and
efficiency are not to be put before parti-
san devotion. Reference tohis present.
alton of this subject is had just now,
not to discuss any of its features, but
for the light it affords upon the remark
able change in the reading supply of the
people as set forth by Mr.. .sCLARKSoN in
this speech. The popular taste does
not run to Republican literature in
these later times. This is where the
spokesman sounds the alarm bell. 1t is
Interesting to note how he states the
situation. He is an old newspaper man
himself, and can speak from something
besides theory and the statement OF
others. He asks special mngwump at
tention to his averment that this great
change was inaugurated by the ''perni-
cious activity" of ofsDemocratic postmas-
ters under CLEVELAND. He awards
them the credit of having done more
to,circulate newspapers than any postal
officials since the organization of the
republic. This gave the Democratic
press the long reach ahead. Among the
specifications in the city of Boston,
where he was speaking, there used to
be three Republican papers printed to
one Democratic, and now the reverse is
true. In New York you have to shnnt
over six or seven daily papers at any
news stand before Republican sheet
is found. This was very much the case
III Chicago and all the large cities. He
brings in Rowell's Newspaper Direct
oEy as authority, and finds from it that
255 Republican dailies with circula-
tion, ,ofover 1000, and an aggregate of
one and a half million copies, are over
borne by S20 Democratic dailies,
with an aggregate circulation of
two and half millions. The
weekiies, too, that mainly find the peo-
pie in their rural homes. show SS9 Re-
publican with a circulation exceeding
1000 each, and an aggregate of two
millions and a half, while the Demo
Gratis have 1,346 weeklies of over 1000