The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-03
RIVER AT s A. M.
A REFORMS TRIUMPH.

A REFORMS TRIUMPH.
How completely this campaign re-
flutes the old objection, or one of the
old ones, that we used to hear when
some of the press were urging the re-
moval of the civil service of the ma
ton from the spoils of national cam
paign. So dependent had become can
meet the expenses of the campaign
that many of them really believed that
these contests could not be carried on
unless there were promises of place in
the locker with which to employ the
workers. 1t was in vain that one asked
them to observe the spirit of English
campaigns, where not an office below
the cabinet was affected by the re-
suit. We were calmly assured then,
as Mr.. Bryan assures US now, that this
is not England and we must not do
whatever England may do lest we be
come English. Tt was this that made
congressman first oppose openly and
then eovertly the reform and finally
public opinion.
No national campaign in decades has
surpassed this in bitterness None, we
are assured, since 1861 passes it in i'm
portance. If the Republicans win it,
they will do it without an Office in ex-
pectancy, for the civil service has been
swept clean of the speilsmen by Presi-
dent Cleveland. And yet one sees as
much ardor as ever exhibited. There
are, to be sure, half dozen offices in
each state to which Republicans will
be appointed when the terms of the
Democratic incumbents expire, but 1t
is absurd to suppose that so pitifuI a
morsel could account for or appease
SO great an appetite. No Republican
hopes that his president will reverse
the policy Of Cleveland, for, in what
ever else he has been wrong, he has
been right on this reform. On the
other hand, while the Chicago plat
form makes covert assault upon the
reform, Mr.. Bryan, if elected would
not dare affront public sentiment by
turning the current back to the old
abuses. We question whether appoin4-
ment into the civil service is the cause
or cause of the enthusiasm shown by
his supporters. Nor can one find .suf-
ficient cause for the interest shown in
the spoils that yet make inefficient
our state service, for, if a "clean
sweep were made, there would be but
a few dozen paltry Offices with which
to reward the working hosts.
Meanwhile, the public service goes
peacefully on about it's various duties
with not a man on the lists made
coward by his fears not one of them
quaking with apprehension and not
one of them taking time paid for by
the public to give to the service of
his party No longer are they the
prey Of the finance committee of parti-
san committees and made. under q
duress as forceful as the bandits nis-
toll, to share their pittanees with their
party. Each man is more a man and
more manly that he ever dared be nm
der the obsolete and vicious system.
for he now can hold what political
opinions he wishes and vote then,
without fear that he will imperil his
place. We have lost sight, in the sound
and fury Of this campaign, of what
has been accomplished, and it is one
of the satisfactions the National Dem
ocrat will have In marking his bal
lot that he is not only doing nothing
that will endanger the work done, but
that he will thereby indorse it and
write guarantee Of its continuity and
expansion.