Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-12-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From Our Special Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON. Dec. |, 1897.

WASHINGTON. Dec. /, 1897.
congressman are beginning to arrive
and the hotel Hobbies are presenting
their usual animation. The sole topic
OF conversation amongst all classes is
the active warfare being waged against
the ClVil Service Law by the Anti
Civil Service League over which the
venerable Hon. A. NJ, Clapp is Presi.
dent, and ex Congressman Baker Vice
President. Mr.. Clapp has assurance
from a majority of the Congressman
that they will cheerfully vote for the
repeal OF that obnoxious law, which
had its origin in the biased mind Of the
late Geo. NJ, Pendleton, of Ohio. Mr..
Clapp has devoted several years to the
study of this foul blot upon our Nation
al escutcheon and freely expresses the
opinon that unless it be speedily
eliminated it will most certainly result
in the defeat of the Republican party
in 1900. The anti Civil Service League
has auxiliary clubs organized gen.
orally throughout the middle and
eastern States, and is determined
to encompass the defeat of every
Congressional aspirant who refuses to
pledge himself in writing to oppose
that law. The law is a mo~ustrosity,
in that it plainly violates the letter OF
the Constitution, which declares that
the appointing power shall be vested in
the President. Yet a set of subser-
Went politicians, after the type of Carl
Schurz have undertaken to delegate
this power, which can only be consti.
tutionally exercised by the President
or his cabinet officers, to a civil service
triumvirate, who have unblushingly
filed the Washington departments with
their Democratic friends and adherents.
Such was the situation when Mr.. Nc.
Kinley entered the White House, and
such is his aversion to giving offense to
the mugwump confraternity that he
has left them undisturbed in their ef-
forts to degrade and dencralize the
Republican party, Thus it appears that
a Republican administration is render
ing all the aid and comfort possible 10
a system that was unquestionably de.
vised by a set of d~isgruntled adventures
for the sole purpose Of disrupting a
great political party. But Republicans
should not lose heart and become dis
%couraged by this blunder in high
places. Let them work with renewed
efforts to continue to send to Congress
men who are known to oppose this
odious law Let them stand by such
men as Walter p. Brownlow, who has
always stood by his friends, and who
has merited the distinction of having
dealt the civil service fraud the heaviest
blows it has received. There was whis
pered opposition to the law until Mr..
Brownlow entered Congress, but he
attacked it with such vigor as to de
moralize its adherents and embolden
its opponents. When Mr.. Brownlow en-
tered Congress he was not unknown,
as is the average new member, because
ne had spent many winters in Wash
ington, and was known to the most ex
allied men in the nation. Especially
was he held in the highest esteem by
such men as Hon. John Sherman. Gen.
Logan, Senator Cameron and many
Others who gladly availed themselves
of his political sagacity and shrewdness.
Happy is the constituency that is rep
resented In Congress by a man so fully
capable and thoroughly equipped at
all points as is Mr.. Brownlow. That
he has not been able to secure more ap-
pointments for his friends is no fault
of his, but rather of the Infamous sys-
ten in vogue which virtually has
placed nearly all the offices in the
hands of the rich to the exclusion of
the poor. The college bred young men
who are able to tell the distance of the
sun from the moon, and describe the
rivers and mountains IN the lunar
sphere preferred over the IONS of the
poor who were denied the acquisition
of such useless knowledge. 1t is against
this iniquisitous system Mr.. Brown
low has been rendering such yeoman
service, and when 1t does give up the
ghost, it will be due to the sturdy
blows that he has dealt it. As a repre-.
sentative in Congress he has proven a
great success, has made scores of
friends in high places, and he has never
tired in working for his constituents.
Such a man, and such worthy efforts
are worthy of encouragement, and
doubtless will receive the con menda-
tion-"Well done thou good and faith.
full servant" REPUBLICAN,.
Bring in that produce you promised
us on subscription.