The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-12
TUESDAY.
NIcH1GAN AVE- cIYIL SERVICE.

1t has developed that there We're one
hundred and forty eight Federal office
holders in the Michigan convention In
which gold won by about fifty major
ity. In this connection it may be inter
esting to read Mr.. Cleveland's famous
declaration against such practices, com
tanned in his letter of acceptance in
1884:
.'Oficeholslers are the agents Of
the people, not their masters.
They have no right as officeholders
to dictate the political action OF
their party associates, or to throt-
tie freedom of action Within party
lines, by methods and practices
which pervert every useful and jus
tifiable purpose of party organiza-
ton. The influence of Federal
officeholders should not be felt in
the manipulation Of political meet
ings and nominating conventions.
1t is a fact that in the Michigan State
convention, the county Of Tuscaloosa
sent ten postmasters and one internal
revenue collector, and instructed them
for silver, but they bolted instructions
and voted against silver. Two
thirds of the postmasters in
the State were on the floor of
the convention. In the several county
conventions, the advocates of free sill
yer coinage at 10 to / elected q major
ity of 161 delegates TO the State conyen-
ton. OF course the silver men were
foolish to send men who were not at
heart for free silver, and most people
viii say that they deserved to be be-
frayed when they elected Federal office
holders. Since when did holding a Fed
eral Office become a badge of dishonor?
And how is it that man holding po-
sition of trust can disobey instructions
with more IMMUNITY than any ordinary
citizen? The people Of Michigan
thought the men in Office would be in-
fiuenced more by honorable considera-
tons than by orders from the repre-
sentatives OF the administration. And
they were mistaken.
The recent structures of Senator Vest
upon the wanton disregard OF civil SER
vice orders by the high priest Of civil
service, was welcomed alike by civil
service reformers and spoilsmen, so
called. If Mr., Cleveland believed in all
he las written about the evils of per
ntcious political activity by Federal
otficeholders, he II convicted of disre-
eafdfng his principles By an abuse as
shameless as that witnessed at Mime
apolis when Harrison was nominated
il, 1892. The Democratic national CON
sention that nominated Mr., Cleveland
IN that year, endorsed his strong
denunciations Of official political actiy-
ity, and held Harrison's disregard Of
civil service rules up TO public criticism
in these ringing words:
The nomination of a President,
as in the recent Republican Con-
yention by delegates composed
largely of his appointees, holding
office at his pleasure, is scanda-
lous satire upon free popular in-
stitutions and a startling illustra-
ton of the methods by which n
President may crafty his ambi-
ton. We denounce policy I'M
der which Federal offfceholders
Hsurp control of party conyen-
tions in the States, and we
pledge the Democratic party to re-
form these and all other abuses
which threaten individual liberty
and local self-goyernment.
It was upon this vigorous pledge
that this administration came into
power 1t practiced in Michigan, as
it did last year in Kentucky, the same
'scandalous satire upon free popular
institutions 1T denounced" and stands
convicted of repudiating pledges that
the people believed would be held sa.
cred. Its zeal in repudiating this
pledge is indirectly responsible fol
dishonorable betrayal of their politi
cal trust, in violating instructions, by
the revenue officers and postmasters
of Tuscaloosa and other counties. II
was only by such betrayal Of Dem