The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-29
EVEN GIBRALTAR sUcCUMBs.

After long, hard fight the federal
service has been freed from the raids
OF the politicians after each preside-l-
tai campaign, and so complete has
been the work that when Mr.. McKfn-
ley comes in he will find that he has
only about 700 places at his disposal
instead of the $4,000 that have been
usually dispensed as rewards to the
boys" for their arduous work in the
campaigns. So far from being chag-
rined at this deprivation of patronage,
it is understood that Mr.. Mckinley is
devoutly thankful for the relief from
the frksome, disagreeable and harmful
| task Of selecting one from among the
dozen or more applicants for each Of
these places
Having made conquest of the nation
al fortress, really the most difficult of
all, it is advancing on the positions yet
held in the states and municipalities.
To be sure the tentative advance at
tempted in this state met a veto at
the hand Of Gov. Clough, because, it
was understood, his amour propre was
offended by not consulting him before
introducing the measure. But if the
political air Of Minnesota is yet too dry
for this reform in the state, it's western,
march has reached Chicago, whose
voters adopted the reform by ma
jority hardly less emphatic than was
that by which they rejected silver
fiatism. New York, the home of Macy,
the first of the spoilsmen, has cleaned
the state departments, and the reform
has obtained firm footing even in the
city, while Massachusetts and other
New England states are making slow
but sure advances.
Baltimore has been the Gibraltar of
the old system. A sturdy band, led by
Bonaparte has waged war on it I'M
avallingly. 1t gave the notorious Eu-
gene Higgins to Cleveland's first adj
ministration, and Senator German
never falls to curl his lips into a sheer
when the reform is mentioned. But
The reaction against Gormanism. aid,
ed by the lavish promises of the Re
publicanS of reform in the civil service
OF the city, swept the Democrats out
of control and installed the RepubIi-
cans. Forthwith the historic individual
that would, when sick, be a monk re-
sumed his normal disposition, and the
Republicans clamored for the spoirs.
Cnhappily for them, happily for the
public veal, they had nominated a man
who really believed that promises made
before election were serious things 10
be redeemed in good faith after cleo
ton. He proceeded in the unheard-,,t
way Of appointing men who had char
acter and were competent to perform
the duties assigned them.
The Republican council were first dis
mayed, then protested. then rebelled.
They not only refused assent to his
appointments, but they proceeded to
pass ordinances taking away from the
mayor the power of appointment and
assuming it themselves When their
appointee as collector applied to the
mayor for his commission that officer
refused it and the wouId-be brough,
mandamus. The case reached the su-
preme court and that body has just
handed down very vigorous decision
sustaining the mayor and routing the
spoilsmen at every point. The latter
are said to be in the doldrums and.
while some of them are casting about
for means to circumvent the obdurate
mayor, others are saying that there is
no use in making any further f1gh,
and that it is better to accept the in
evitable. When Baltimore succumbs
Minnesota reformers can pluck ND
courage and begin another assault on
their legislature and governor.