Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-09-11
DEMO-LIST AND P0P-OCRAI
TOr1-T0MS.
France and Russia Balance OF Trade
Civil Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10. There is
but little more than the shouting to
do, SO far as the elections in Ohio and
Iowa are concerned. Dollar wheat
and forty cent silver, have settled
those contests. The Denolists and
Popocrats are making great noises,
particularly in Ohio about the cleo
ton, but their noises have no more
effect upor the result than the tom
toms, the savage African tribe used
to beat, did on the rifles of their OPP
ponents. The people see and feel
in their pockets-that the Republi-
cans are redeeining the pledges OF
1896 and they will vote the Repubii-
can ticket. The Democrats, not hav-
ing any principles of their own for
the last quarter Of century, snatch
at every offer from any quarter and
slop like washerwoman in her tub
OF dirty clothes, picking anyold thing
offered by the Coxey's and PETERS,
but the people repudiate their vagar-
les.
The Franco Russian alliance lately
concluded, is attracting the attention
of statesmen everywhere. 1t is
most difficult problem to consider
where the policeman, has kept the
peace in Europe fol the last decade
OF course Russia had a reason for its
peaceful courses. rhe reason was
Russia was not ready for war. The
question is HAS Russia finished her
preparations and is she ready" II
so the French alliance means war
that will involve all Europe, While
it may not be christianlike to hope
for such thing as war, it is proper
to discuss the possible results, and a
war in Europe means the most unex-
ampled prosperity in this country.
The United States is asked to join
the alliance. But while both nations
are our friends, the United States will
not enter into untangling alliances.
The report of the Bureau OF Stats
tics shows very gratifying condi-
ton of foreign trade. We are not
having to send our gold abroad to pay
balances Of trade. The balance for
the year is 5000, 600, 900 in our favor
and the balance of the world has to
make this up to us in some form of
money. Europe may pay its debts to
us for the year in some of our own
paper held abroad, but with the feel
ing of uncertainty created by the re-
cent Franco Russian treaty there is a
greater probability of more invest
ments from abroad then there is OF the
sales of any of those now held there.
Republican prosperity has come to
stay.
There is a feeling, an undoubted
and undeniable feeling in the minds
of the Republicans that what is known
as Civil Service Reform has been car
ried too far. Gentleman George"
Pendleton, an accidental Democrat
Senator from Ohio, was the au-
thor of the Civil Service Law. At its
inception it was intended to cover
merely the clerical work of the De
partments, but it has been extended
by the encroachments of the commits
sioners and the action Of the late Mr..
Cleveland, so that an incoming ad-
ministration is hampered, so that it
canrot place the administration Off
ces in the hands of men in sympathy
with the views of the administration.
Admitting that the merely clerical
force should be selected by competitive
examinations and have a life tenure
of office, and this is hardly to be ad
mitted, it is very certain that no ad-
ministration should be compelled to
keep men in office who use their high
official positions to try and drive that
administration out of power. And
yet that is the condition now. There
is no doubt but that very vigorous
effort, will be made when Congress
meets, not only to curb the further
encroachments Of the Civil Service
Commissioners, butlto lop off much OF
what tLey have done. 1t was suggest
ed this week that il the commission
was not restrained, they wopld prob
ably place the Presidency under the
service rules and instead OF premit-
ting an election in 1900 would order
candidates to appear before them for
examination.
The British having tailed to secure
control of the Nicarauga Canal, have