Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-12-29
FROM WASHINGTON.
A Few Facts About the Civil Service
Its Aim Clearly Stated.
(From Our Special. Correspondent.)

NNNNI'NN hiSh nv III Washington 10 HUI.
A. M. Clapp, formerly Public Printer, and n
gentleman widely known, and at present the
President of the Anti-Civil Service League.
Mr.. Clapp is well advanced in years but he
has lost none Of his former energy, and he is
today one of the most forcible writer's and
speakers In the country. The Anti Civil Ser
vice League could not have found Il man
better fitted to preside over it's deliberations
because he is thoroughly posted on all the
methods and motives Of the graceless crew
who inaugarated the civil service law for the
sole purposeof demoralizing and disintegrat-
ing the Republican party. Such charlatans
as Carl schurz and Jencks, OF Pennsylvania,
the fathers OF the iniquitous measure are
well understood by Mr.. Clapp, and it is with
a view to rescuing the party from the clutches
of these traitors that he devotes so much
time to attacking and exposing their sophis-
tries. Mr.. Clapp remembers how Schurz
conceived a bitter enmity against President
Grant, denouncing that great soldier in the
most scandalous manner Schurz embarked
in the Greedy movement and tried to boost
that deceived mai into the White House. 1t
was probably owing to the efforts of Schurz,
more than any one else that Greedy was in
duced to turn traitor to the Republican party.
When the philosopher was repudiated and
defeated by the SURFACES Of the American
people, and Gen. Grant was again made Pres
ident. this mar Schurz, through sheer spite
and envy joined hands with the notorious
Geo. VIM. Curtis and the aforesaid jerks and
rested not until they had foisted the civil
service fraud upon the government. schurz
who had been an adyenturer in his native
land, from whence he had been forced to flee
from the wrath Of his sovereign, deliberately
conspired with the aforementioned confede-
rates to break up the Republican party, bo-
cause 1t saw At to prefer a valiant soldier
like Grant for President Of country which
his provinces had saved, TOT weak v~ascilla-
ting character like Greedy. Uniuckily for
America she is the dumping ground OF Euro
pean countries, and as there was no outraged
sovereign here TO make him seek safety In
flight he has been permitted to remain in our
midst and continue his efforts as afomonter
OF discord and strife. How anomalous the
situation when a Republican Executive ofthe
nation will render aid and comfort to the
Vaccinations and designs OF these adventu-
rous Intermediates. The veriest tyro in pol
itics must have seen that the mutations and
changes that have occurred in politics since
Gen. Grants day were directly traceable to
this civil service device. The American peo-
pie are slow to anger, but the day is not far
distant when this civil service question will
be made the supreme issue, and when the
advocates ofthis un-Republican and un-Dem-
ocratic measure will be relegated to q lasting
obscurity. The people are beginning to see
that the villanous system is only beneficial
to the college bred sons Of the rich TO the OK.
clusion and neglect Of the sons Of the poor.
They reflect that from the days Of Washing
ton to Grant-the best days OF the Republic,
there were no civil service laws to hamper
and thwart a great party, and to disgrace our
law books with a statute which virtually
states that Cabinet officers have not sense
enough to make appointments, but they must
be made by a triumvirate Of Civil Ser
vice commissioners. How Gen. Washington
would squirm were he again In life to be told
that an unmitigated marplot like Schurz. a
general WIN "a single VlctoIJ anu IA statesman
with not even one triumph, was the author
OF this civil service heresy, designed to op.
press and exclude all save those who could
afford the polish ola college education. Verify
the time has about arrived when the advo-
Gates of their fraudulent system In imitation
OF the ancient soothsayers, should wear wells
when they appear in public, to keep the
duped masses from seeing their derisive
smiles OF contempt for the simpleton, who
take stock in their absurd %pretentions. tits
manifestly a most glaring fraud, just such a
scheme of bunco as suited the willy designers
OF n moral and political delinquent, like
Cleveland; and enabling him to fill 5000
positions with his henchmen and adherents.
If by any chance this law should be permitted
to remain Of the statute books 1t will result
In the defeat Of the Republican party in 1900,
for hundreds Of thousands Of Republicans
will remain away from the polls and allow
the election to go by default, as they have al
ready done on more than one occasion. But
few sell respecting Republicans will care to
vote at an election where their voices and
wishes are to be ~disregarded, and the public
emoluments and offices are all to be given,
or allowed to remain in the hands OF men
distasteful to them and believed to be mimi
cal to their true interests. Mr.. Clapp and
other veteran political observers think they
see In this civil service scheme an entering
wedge designed to pave the way for aristo-
cratic innovations upon our popular system
of government. If the Constitution of the
United States, which declares that the ap-
pointments shall be vested in the President,
can be d~isregarded with impunity why may
not its provisions be violated In other re-
spects, and a man from Germany, after the
manner Of Schurz be elected President, or
why may they not have titles Of nobility or vio-
late its blessed precepts in any other way. AS
u general principle the American public will
be inclined to look with doubt and distrust
upon this and all other devices conceived In
the brain Of foreigners. They realize that
while a man like Schurz may know know to
manage a cabbage patch, brew a good article
Of beer, or even be an accomplished perform
err on the piano, yet he is scarcely a fit and
proper person to shape momentous ques-
tions for the greatest Republic that the sun
ever shown upon. They will know that as a
general in the late war he was a roaring farce
laughing stock Of every soldier in the
army, and was often used by both Grant and
Sherman to round of their d~enunciations OF
political generals" AS a Senator from Mis-
souri, he wal more than a failure, his sole
stock in trade being his boosted influence
with German-American citizens. 1t was this
supposed influence that made Hayes give
him a seat in his Cabinet, a position which