The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-10-07
Broken as Som as Made.
An UnsaVory Record for a SO.Called
Great Reforming President.
Black Facts That Demonstrate the
Kind Of Man He Is.

elsewhere by Mr.. Harrison's agents clear
ly in mind it will be remembered by
every voter that one of the chief pledges
of the republican party in 1888 was that
the civil service law should be strictly
maintained. This is a part of the pledge
then made:
The spirit and purpose of the reform should
be observed in all executive appointments, and
all laws at variance with the object of 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reform legislation should be repealed.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 effectually avoided.
Lest this offer should not be sufficient
to secure the votes desired, Mr.. Harri-
son supplemented it in his letter of &C.
ceptance with the following emphatic
utterance of his own:
The law regulating appointments to the CLASH
tied civil service received my support in the sen
ate in the belief that it opened the way to Il
much needed reform. | still think so, and there
fore cordially approve the clear and forcible ex-
preston of the convention upon this subject.
The law should have the aid of a friendly inter-
probation and be faithfully and vigorously en-
forced. All appointments under it should be
absolutely free from partisan considerations
and influence. Some extensions of the classified
list are practicable and deeirable, and further
Legislation extending the reform to other
branches Of the service to which it is applicable
would receive my approval. In appointments
to every grade and department fitness, and not
party service, should be the essential and dis
eliminating test. and fidelity and efficiency the
only sure tenure of office. Only the interests of
the public service should suggest removals from
office. l know the practical difficulties attend
ing the attempt to apply the spirit of the civil
service rules to all appointments and removals.
1t will, however, be my sincere purpose. if
elected. to advance the reform.
In making these promises Mr.. Harrison
and his party sought and secured votes
under false pretenses. The pledges were
repudiated in the first hour of the adj
ministration, and from that time to this
it has been the practice in all depart
ments to evade the letter of the law and
to mock its spirit openly.
I'm appointments to every grade and
department." said MIR. Harrison, fitness,
and not party service, should be the es-
sential and discriminating test" Was it
fitness, or was it party service that die
tated the selection IF Wanamaker for a
cabinet place? If that person had any
capacity or fitness for the important
duties Of postmaster general, nobody
was aware of the fact. But he had rem
dered a party service" He had raised
an enormous corruption fund, with
which electoral votes had been bought.
The men who contributed the money
demanded his appointment as the right.
full price Of their service-the goods
they had bought with their cash. They
called upon the president to ''stand and
deliver" and he stood and delivered.
Was it fitness or party service that
governed Mr.. Harrison in the appoint
ment of Tanner! That preposterous
person was known throughout the coun-
try as a blatherskite and a demagogue,
disqualified by temperament and by
Ignorance for any responsible duty.
But he. too, had rendered a party
service. 1t was he, who, at a crisis, had
been sent to tell the pension seekers that
they should have the surplus in return
for their support of Harrison. And in
order that his promises might have
weight it had been given out while the
campaign was in progress, with Mr.. Har-
rison's knowledge and without protest
from him. that Tanner himself should be
intrusted with the fulfillment Of the
bargain thus offered. That pledge MI.
Harrison redeemed when he appointed
Tanner. Having put the pension Office
in pawn for votes, he repaid the loan at
maturity.
Was it for the sake of ''fitness and not
party service" that j. S. Clarkson-the
high priest of the spoils doctrine--was
made first assistant postmaster general?
Was it to secure fitness that Clarkson re-
moved $4,000 ~postmasters within a few
months, distributed all the Offices within
his gift as rewards for "party SERVICE"
and converted the postal service into a
powerful political machine for the adj
vancement of MI. Harrison's own per-
sonal ambitions?
These three appointments were notices
of the presidents reputation of all the
promises made as to civil-service reform,
and they were hilariously received by the
republican press as proof that the era of
spoils politics had come back unembar-
raised by any squeamish pretense. The
most influential republican Journal at the
capital of New York a few months after
Clarkson's appointment put it's rejoicing
into this form:
Fifteen thousand fourth-class post.
masters have been removed to date, and
Mr.. Clarkson remains in Washington
with his coat off and his shirtsleeves
rolled up. Go it, Clarkson! Out with
the whole 5000 by Jan. 1w
And in this tone the scandalous pro-
ceeding was greeted by party newspa-
pers generally, AS the administration
began 80 has it continued to this hour.
Fidelity and efficiency ~" were to be the
''only sure tenure OF Office" Yet Mr..
Pearson, the postmaster at New York,
whose Fidelity and efficiency were so
and reappointed him, was set aside by
| Mr.. Harrison In order that q more active
politician might take his place. A
most faithful and efficient naval