The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-15
THE REprBLCANS WEAKENING

| JpHpfSOn. 1t WIS a. ''i'
will he regarded as marking another
mile post in Democratic history. Two
hundred party leaders exchanged views
on the situation and two hundred Well
informed men were unanimous i'll the
opinion that the recent elections proved
the claim made by so many Democrats
that Bryan was elected in 1896.
The banquet was held on the same site
as the first banquet in celebration of JEFF
Persons birthday. which was attended
10y such celebrities as Andrew Jackson
and John {. Calhoun. The Metropolitan
Hotel WAS then called the Indian Queens
Hotel. The speech of Mr.. Bryan was. of
course. the event Of the banquet He was
equal Ia the high expectations, and show
ed again. rs John w Daniel said last
summer. that be worthly wore the man
tie of the sage of Monticello. The spirit
brea thcd by all the speakers was the
spirit of Jefferson, and the Democrat
who was nearer like the founder Of the
party received the largest measure of APP
plauSe. Bryan is the leader. because in
life in spirit, in purpose. in knowledge
and in faith IN the people he is most like
jefferson.
Among nearly all the Democrats here
is II supreme faith that Bryan will be
faith is shared by Republicans. Yester-
day prominent Western Republican re-
ccivcd note saying that unless times inn
proved there wouldn't be enough Re
publicans left to hold the polls next year.
He showed the letter to IA Democratic
Senator. and said: Il am afraid you will
have walk over in 1893"
\ Republican who held Il position under
Harrison, and who is here trying to get
his old place back, said to me yesterday:
Il thought | would never again want to
get back into public life, but the times
are 50 hard outside that | find it harder
every month to make living and l am
looking after my old job" | asked him
about the good times and the restoration
of confidence that we were told would
follow McKmley's election. He said: Il
thought you knew that they were made
for campaign purposes. We got in on
that platform. But platforms were not
made to stand on
From men who live in every section |
hear the same story-it is harder and
harder every year to make a living, and
instead of things getting better they are
getting worse. This is enc reason why
there are so many folks here clamoring
for positions, and ready to take anything.
They have 70 faith in any prosperity
i'll any business except office
holding. And their faith in that
| is great that they could, if they
had a chance, remove the civil service
mountain that stands in the way. How
they do damn the civil service lawi They
sit around the hotels and cuss it and cuss
it day by day. And their ''cussing' has
brought fruit. The new Public Printer
turns men off right and left, regardless
of civil service protection. All the others
have in some instances made discharges
| against the law. And as the time goes
on, and the pressure grows greater and
greater. we shall see many more viola
tons of the law
The Senators and Representatives want
] to abolish the law, root and branch. and
SO does Mckinley. But there are such
men as Hoar and Lodge who hold them
up TO the declarations of the platform.
On Thursday Senator rritchard's com
mittee will begin the investigation of the
operations Of the civil service law. Look
out then for devising methods for getting
around the provisions of the law without
formally abolishing 1t. They want to
abolish it, but haven't the courage. They
will smuggle through all the changes
they can, and under the present law can
make disnissalS 1T pleasure. The diff
ficulty is that up to this date no scheme
has been devised by which they can
appoint the men they want appointed.
They can reinstate old soldiers but no
Senator or Representative can select his
friend and have him appointed AS Sen
ator Pritchard put it, this morning: THE
men who do the party work are not usu-
ally the men who stand the civil service
examinations" If his committee can get
mp a scheme by which the spoils system,
as it was called, can be put again into
practice, and called civil service reform
if they can do this 50 as to give the of
fees and the right TO talk reform, they
will delight the Republican heart II
Is one of those things that cannot be
done They must quit prating Of re-
form or quit the abuse and violations Of
the civil service law. Bua they will try
to do both.
! 1t is on the programme TO abolish the
order Of Mr.. Cleveland putting chiefs Of
divisions under the civil service. and all
| other kindred positions: then to reduce
| the salaries of most of the high priced
! Democratic clerks and put up the pay Of
the Republican clerks; to create new Of
| fees, end to use every other means pos
sible to put none but Republicans on
| Quar1 If thprp hp any Democrat in Of