St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-02-06

therefore repeat our declaration of
1884, to wit: The reform of the civil
service, auspiciously begun under the
republican administration, should be
completed by the further extension of
the reform system already established
by law, to all grades of the service
to which it is applicable. The spirit
and purpose of the reform should be
observed in all executive appoint
ments, and all laws at variance with
existing reform legislation should be
repealed, to the end that the dangers
to free institutions which lurk in the
power of official patronage may be
wisely and effectuallv avoided
[From President Harrison's Letter of Ac-
ceptance on the above Platform
The civil service law should have
the aid of a friendly Interpretation,
and be faithfully and vigorously en-
forced We should have but
one view of the matter, and hold it
with a sincerity that is not affected
by the consideration that the party
to which we belong is for the time
being in power.
The republicans of Bratt1eborO at
once said, THAT means us. Post
master ChildS is a democrat but he
is not a partisan. He is the most
efficient postmaster we ever had. We
do not wish to exchange him for an
untried man, and now by the highest
republican authority it is not only
our privilege but our duty to retain
him. His retention will give practi-
cal application to orthodox republi-
can doctrine" They at once circu-
lated a petition among the patrons
of the office-republicans and demo-
Gratis alike-and secured a very large
majority for the disappointment of
Capt. Childs; although great ma
jority of the signers were republicans,
as the average democrat still believes
and acts on the principle Tor want OF
principle) that to the victors belong
| the spoils
Thus matters stood for months.
But as the time for Capt Childs'
commission to expire approached
| January 1S9O-the partisan republi-
cans became uneasy. This doctrine
which republican platforms and re-
publican presidents had reiterated
from Hayes down to Harrison-in-
Guiding Grant, Garfield and Arthur
was all we'll enough for campaign talk
and Sunday school politics, but such
doctrine carried into practice would
discourage the ''boys" and eventually
smash the machine. Whereupon
Col. George w. Hooker and other
strictly partisan republicans posted
off to Washington and had a confer
ence with the Vermont delegation in
Congress. Their influence there can
be guessed at by the result. Although
Gen. Grout already had bill before
Congress to take the post office out
of politics and make the recOmmerl-
dation for postmasters depend on the
votes of the patrons of the office IRE
spective of party, he threw away the
petition for the retention of Childs
and ordered the case decided by a
caucus of republican patrons of the
office including republican" women
who are eligible to vote in school
meeting This order was signed by
Representatives Grout and Stewart
and Senator Morrill, - Edmund S
name not appearing.
| Col. Hooker returned home with
his new instructions, feeling no doubt
that he had won in the first round
and that he would on Saturday
knock out" his opponent. But il
either Hooker or the Vermont dele
cation thought that the BrattleborC
republicans would not vote their
convictions if put under the party
whips and the eye of the party boss
they are now disabused of that i'm.
preston. Brattleboro republicans
have a large amount of sand in their
makeup. They do not believe in re
solving this and that, and then vot
ing the other. They planted them
selves on impregnable ground-or
ground taken by the party latforms
and party leaders for the last four
teen years and there they stood like
a rock. All honor to them. 1t is
fitting that the summer home of Dor
man B. Eaton, the great apostle o
civil service reform, should be the
first place to put the question to {
practical test
Mrs. Levi P Morton is at the heaC
of a woman's movement, national il
character, to collect funds for the pur
pose of erecting suitable monument
to the mother of Washington. Mrs
Governor Dillingham; of Waterbury
has been appointed by the organiza
ton at Washington to take charg'
of the work in this state, and ha!
selected ladies to superintend TIL
work In each county.