St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-15
UNMITIGATED HYPOCRISY.

The Pioneer Press works itself into
spasm of civil service Mysteries when
ever Republican is removed from Of
flee, either from cause or because of eX-
piratiOn of his term. and Democrat is
chosen to take his place, while its
serenity is never disturbed when the
action is reversed and a Democrat is
bounced either before or at the end of
his term to make way for some hungry
Republican. A Democratic administra-
ton permits MIR. Sloane to inspect
steamboats, and their boilers for year
and a half beyond his four years of
service and puts Democrat of equal
capability in his place, and the Pioneer
Press foams at the mouth in denuncia-
ton of the evasion of civil service
reform it conjureS up out of its imagi-
nation. 1t is not because that organ of
its party believes that real civil service
reform has been outraged. but solely
because partisan necessity obliges it to
prostitute its intellect in its service.
1t is always poor argument, this re-
elimination that simply says you're
another" Were we disposed to use it
we might point to the fact that Mr..
Sloane quickly succeeded an equally
competent Democrat when the Harrison
administration came in. We might point
to the suspension of President Cleve-
lands order putting the railway mail
service in the classified list beyond the
reach of the spokesman. an order sus-
pended by Harrison long enough to per-
L RI Luz oln
out all the Democrats in the service that
he could by running his guillotine early
and late, so that when the order threw
its shelter around that service it might
find Republicans only in its embrace.
On the other hand we might point to the
fact that it was President Cleveland in
his first term who established the rule,
reluctantly followed by his successor,
that officers otherwise efficient and
capable should hold their places for
four years, and we might remind our
contemporary that it is again Demo-
cratic administration that has extended
the rule OF a four-year term to the
fourth-class postmaster, heretofore,
| under every administration, the early
victim of the headsman's ak. We
would gladly avoid such an argument,
but the unfairness OF Our contemporary
justifies and compeIs it.
The GLOBE would be pleased to see
! every federal Office below the elective
and cabinet positions absolutely ex-
empted from party control, but as long
as the present vicious system is main
tanned by congresses of both parties, we
| believe that when the term of any
| officer expires he should be replaced by
| one in accord with the administration
| in power. Criticism is manifestly unfair
under prevailing conditions, accepted
by all parties, when it is directed solely
against an appointment made to fill a
vacancy caused by eXpiry of term. Ii
the successor is unfit, either from lack
of qualification or want Of character or
possession of blemished reputation,
opposition criticism of him IS just, and
opposition to his appointment is the
duty of every citizen, and especially so
of those OF his own party. Every DEM
ocrat and every Republican who knows
his duty owes it to himself and to his
administration to aid in the appoint
ment of fit and reputable men, and to
strenuously oppose and defeat the Sc
lection of unfit or disreputable men.
Reward for party service comes last in
| the series of questions which should
determine an appointment under any
administrations