The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-30

The Washington Star has the follow
ing to say of Congressman Joe Bailey's
visit to the Hon. Joe Sibley:
Representative Bailey of Texas has
gone to spend Christmas with eX-Repre-
sentative Joe Sbley at Bradford, Pa. This
visit is in fulfllment of an engagement
made long ago.
There is probably no particular political
| Significance in this visit, but there Is II
| general impression among democrats that
| Sibley is going to again figure prominent
| ly in politics. There is some talk of his
| being the next democratic candidate for
governor of Pennsylvania. He is also
| spoken of as II vice presidential candidate
on the ticket with Bryan. He and Bryan
and Bailey are mutual friends, and are
| admirers of each other.
| On Bailey and Sibley Is expected to rest
much of the work of crcumventing eff
forts that are to he made to unhorse Bry-
| an as a leader of the democracy and to
revise the platform. Bryan, Bailey and
! Sibley are the typical representatives of
| the young democracy" which has been
in command since the Chicago conven-
ton. The principal point from which nm
attack is expected upon the lines of the
young democracy is New York. and Penn
Oh by New York in convention. Sibley will
be chiefly relied on by the Bryan democrn-
cy to hold the democrats of Pennsylvania
! in line with the Chicago platform.
| The suggestion coming from New YORK
! that Croker, at the suggestion of ex-Gov-
ernor Flower, is to 90 to the head Of the
League of Democratic clubs, is regarded
as significant of the method likely to be
adopted by the democrats who would over
throw the Chicago platform.
| If Sibley can hold the Bryan end up in
Pennsylvania, and George Fred Williams
| hold it in Massachusetts. il is figured that
| there will be little left for Tammany to do
but to accept the inevitable and make
the best for themselves out of the stua-
ton.
Some little Autter has again been caused
in local republican circles by the an
nouncement that the appointments for the
| revenue Office and the pOstOflice here will
| be made not later than the 9th of January.
| AS yet the various aspirants have received
no tips on who the winner Is, but are In
possession of the nerve-exciting informa-
| ton that the end is near. and they are
now awaiting its coming III the greatest
agitation of mind.
! Yesterday, in conversation with prom
inent local republican relative to the agi-
| tatiOn cause by the discussion of the civil
service law, he said:
"Somc of the republican opponents of
| the civil service law have persuaded
themselves, or are trying to persuade the
country, that unless the law Is repealed,
or its application very materially modi-
! fed, the party at next years congress
! elections will go to overwhelming defeat.
Let us examine this proposition in the
light of incontrovertible facts.
| 1T can not be denied that the republican
| party is in power as the result of cam
paign in which the civil service law was
distinctly championed The platform of
the democracy was revolutionary In every
line and specification. 1t declared against
the civil service law ms IL did against the
existing financial policy. the existing eco
nomic policy, the practices Of the courts,
and what not. As the canvass progress
ed 1t took on the aspect of n fight in which
one party was speaking for and the other
against everything that was In govern
mental operation. Cuba afforded the only
ground on upon which the two parties met
| in any sort of agreement.
Not much, 1t IN true, was said in the
campaign about the civil service law. ST.
yer became so prominent and important
| topic that II overshadowed all other top
les. Besides. II was not considered nee
eSbuis ioT tHc reDuDllcHnS TO lay any
especial stress on that question The
partys record was entirely clenr. Moth
| ing had occurred at st. Louis to even srig-
gest any opposition to policy which had
| come 10 be regarded as quite as much n
| republican policy as protection itself. But
| the subject was not avoided and when
ever Il came up 1t was dealt with frank
". The country thoroughly understood
that republican success would mean a
continuation of the policy of civil service
reform.
The country so voted The popular
majority was large. There was no mis-
taking where the peOpe stood on all the
propositions that had been submitted.
How can II be seriously contended then
that on this particular proposition there
has since occurred so marked change?
what has taken place to produce such a
change? How Is it possible that tbe
party which won so handsomely last year
partly by reason Of its championship of
civil service reform should now be threat
encd with expulsion from power unless IL
violates the faith ii then plighted to the
people?
"The real situation very likely Is that
few republican leaders have pledged them
selves extravagantly in the matter of re-
wards to faithful blIstlers, and are mis-
taking the opportunities of these men for
the sentiment of the country. But. any
how, the republican party could better
AFFORD 10 go out of power for keeping its
promises than obtain brief extension of
its lease. by violating them. Bad faith
means disaster"