New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-10
OFFICE REBUKED.

At last President Cleveland himself bears
testimony to the fact that the offce-begging
importantly of his party has become utterly
intolerable For the first time in American
history a President has been forced to deny
himself to all applicants for office to demand
that Senators and Representatives shall not take
ND his time in presenting them, and to notify
to the whole spols- grabbing tribe that those
have better chances who stay at home ana let
him alone than those who hang about Wash
ington and try to pull wires.
Nobody seems to realize what humiating
admission this is to be made by the official head
of party processing devotion to Civil Service
Reform Mr.. Ceveland's sclf-defence is right
enough hut what of the vast horde OF Demo-
Gratis who have been marshalled by Democratic
Senators and Representatives to besiege the
White House so constantly that transaction OF
public business has been rendered Impossible I!
Ever the President appears to have become a
reformCr when it was case OF reform or deatn.
Before that he tried as far as he could to meet
the active and accredited members of his party,
as all other Presidents had done, getting the
benefit of some slight personal knowledge oil
the men. 1t was not until the greedy grabbing
he declared war against IT,
The Democratic Spoilsmen are enraged be-
yond expression, and they have much reason
to be- The very readiness OF the President
and his subordinates to listen to their applica-
tons as long as it was possible was oncial
notice to them that the Offices were to be filled
with Democratic workers. But now the party
autocrat proposes to pick the men according 10
his own will, or as may best further his own
policy without giving the men who labored
and spent their money for him even so much
rs n chance TO see his face and tell him what
they did.
Some Democratic Senators and Congress
men, it appears. arc cunning enough 10 repre-
sent this change as immensely gratifying 10
them. as though it enhanced their personal IN
Huence about appointments But II Is really
inst the other way The President bears testi-
mony by his latest order that they have been
in the habit of personally introducing and
recommending to him hundreds of men whom
thew wished to hatter or please or use, but
whom they never wished him to appoint. That
sort of hypocrisy at his expense is tireSome, and
the President concludes to stop it. Ii the men
put their signatures to the papers OF applicants
by the score for every Office, that only makes
their signatures Of no value, and the refusal u
see the men deprivcs them of the easiest ana
neatest way of making a preference for one
understood, while n recommendation for many
is given.
The public can only commend the decision OF
the President and rejoice that he has at last
60 far recognized the necessities Of the pubic
| business that he feels compelled TO stop per
sona] office begging. Nine ont Of ten American
| citizens have only a very languid interest as 10
| whether one or another of the ward or village
| workers gets an Office. it seems TO them con-
temptible that the time of high officials should
be taken up with the distribution OF spoilS-
What politicians are wont to call their merits
| look to most citizens very like dement's in too
many cases. Some persons may even be DIS
posed t, contend that the President might adj
vantagoousy 90 still further and make 1t an
| absolute barrier to the appointment OF any
man that he has applied for Office. either per-
| sonallv or by letter, or been recommended foi
office by any member Of Congress except III
answer to inquiries Possibly such rule would
break up the Democratic party. But it would
not leave the country without competent officials