The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-03-18
ELKTON. MARCH IS. 1898
DRAWING THE LINES.


President Cleveland is drawing the
lines sharply that divide his hungry and
thirsty followers from the fat spoils OF
office. He has shut the door in the
face of those who held office under his
former administration, and 1t seems
that so rigid is, his rule, that not even
the brother of former Office holder is
to be eligible to office undo r his present
administration. Acting upon the in
struction of his Chief, Postmaster
General BisseIl has also drawn the lin es
sharply, and will not appoint mer
chant or business man to fourth class
postmastership, unless he devctes his
whole time to the duties Of his office.
These unexpected rules are carrying
disappointment and consternatiJn into
the ranks of the faithful, but are delight
ing the hearts of the thousands of
SfTesh" Democrats who have never
held office.
The report YVES current In Washing
ton last week, that the President had
announced his determination not to
recognise newspaper men by appoint
mentto office. This reported discrimi
nation against journalists as class, was
based upon the opinion attributed to
Mr.. Cleveland, that for an editor to
accept office, would be in the nature
of bride, or an attempt to influence
the opinions of the appointee upon
public questions. This palpable refisc
ton however upon the good sense OF
the President has since been denied.
Commenting upon it, our contemporary
the Baltimore 4me1ican very forcibly
says that:
"There are no distinctions in this
country with regard to office holders,
and to make such distinction would be
for the executive to practically revise
the Constitution. Every citizen who has
the necessary qualifications is eligible to
office, and has the right to apply for
office, and to expect, at least, that the
occupation in which he is engaged
shall be considered in the distribution
of offices. If the average be struck, it
will probably be discovered that there
are at least as many newspaper, men
fitted for office in proportion to their
number, as can be found in any other
eallipg, and, -xP>.ieuce OF Presi-
dent Hsrrison's administration show
that there ere few occupations which
can furnish more capable or more
admirable public servants.
"The insinuation that an editor, by
accepting Office, loses his independence
is so barren Of sense as scarcely to
need notice. Whoever is appointed TO
office owes a certain decent respect
to the man who appoints him, and to
the policy of the party under whose
auspices be is appointed, and an
editor owes no more and no less. What
his paper may say is matter to be
determined by enlightened judgment,
and not by the inefably low standard
set up by these queer trends of Presi-
dent Cleveland, who, in order to do
him service which he repudiates with
scorn, would blacken their own reputa-
tloas, and foul their own nest. But
it may be said of journalists that fewer
of them apply for Office, proportlonately
than in other professions, for the reason
that their familiarity with politics, poll
ticians and official lite, leads them to
prefer to serve the public in private
capacity.
"When they seek office they usually
aim high, and, if chosen, they more
than justify the confidence reposed IN
them by honest and frequently brilliant
service"