The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-31

West vlrslnia Appointments How ths
BlE Plums say 10 Dlstrlbatsd- THE
Preslasnrs Rs,olye that tlo Tarig Mast
Ne settisaaFitt,
Mr.. a. W. Campbell returned to the
city yesterday from q weeks visit 10
the national capital, IN conversation
with an Intelllgencer reporter he re-
marked that he had not gone TO Wash
lngtOn for any purpose personal to him-
self, but solely in the interest Of an old
friend Asked in regard to the prevail
ing tone of conversation In ana around
the hotels and capitol corridors, he re-
marked that Il turned OF course largely
on the matter Of the various otiiceS and
the favored few who were TO all them.
The West Virginia visitors who were sit-
ting on the anxious benches at the Ma
tlonAl and other hotels. - also vlsl-
tors generally from all the states, were,
~ q rule, far more Interested IN the
>posslble repeal or modification OF the
civil service laws than IN the passage OF
the Dingley tarln bill
The pIhBley tArltf Is all right Of
course in their eyes, but civil service re-
peal or modification y, u anything,
Fighter still, and II possible more Inn
peratively needed for the good Of the
party in the next election. This thing
OF q great lot OF Democrats being Sc
curaly fenced in for life in the green
pastures 20 plainly discernible through
tho apertureS between the rails was IN
the last degree agErRvatlng 10 the 9v-
eTage man who had worked and made
speeches and spent his money for the
good Of the party and OF the country In
the last campaign, who's going 10 90
the party work hereafter, if this law u
10 stand as Il stands to-day?" was q
query often heard from Indignant lips.
"ClevelanJ>' said they, has scooped the
Republican party IN this business, ana
we ought not to stay scooped.
'Thls." said Mr.. Campbell, "ls a fair
specimen OF very much OF the conyerSa-
tlon one hears Just now at Washing
It simply re-ecfoes the old Democratic
cry that to the VlCtorB belong the spOils.'
II is an old doctrine that finds response
deep down In the hearts Of the bafiled
and Respondent outs but that Is never
heard any more from the lnnumerablc
Democrats who used to believe in II and
proclaim It before they were given life
stenures at the public crib and who now
constitute the Inns to such a large ex-
tent"
'Well. what will be done about It?"
inquired the Intelligencer man.
Nothing much" replied Mr.. Camp
bell, 'The President Is known to be In
earnest sympathy with civil service re-
form. He himself has so proclaimed.
He knows. as an experienced politician,
that Just what IL now heard at wash
Ington must needs follow the enactment
Of such reform as civil service, Just as
often as a change OF party occurs. The
same thing was heard four years ago.
after Cleveland came in for the second
time. and II the country II going TO be
scared by such clRmor as we now hear
into a return TO the old spoils idea, then
indeed may we prepare TO give up all
hope OF serving the American people as
a whole instead Of the very small num-
Der Of people who make politics more or
less Of a business for the sake Of Its per-
GOnRl rewards. The reform is Of course
an imperfect reform. AZ set, but Il 10 q
great advance-Rn immense advance
on the old spells idea, and President
Mckinley, as a long suffering public
servant In Congress, knows too well the
invaluable character OF the movement to
seek To reverse what has been done. He
will never do It
''As 10 the West Virginia appoints
ments," said Mr.. Campbell. they are
few in number. but there Is a good deal
OF pressure as regards one or two OF
them. II seems 70 be settled that
MessrB. N. B. Scott and G, B. Hart viii
receive commissions at an early day, the
p,yloV, = = arV,aV.al NJ RVHt NFNO1
enue and the latter as minister 10 one
OF the South American states. The COLI
lectorship Of internal revenue for the
state IL as yet hung up between the four
contestants, Bowers, OF MaFtlnsburg.
Davis. Of Grafton. White. OF PRrkers-
burg, and Petty. OF Charleston, with the
chances possibly in favor Of Davis, The
United States marshRlship and the dis
trlct attorneyshIp will, IN the event OF
his appointment, 20 to the Third and
Fourth districts. But for the two ime
porlant appointments from this district
already agreed upon. ex-Judge John A.
Campbell. Of Hancock. would have a
fair chance for the Rttorneyshlp AZ
matters stand to-day at Washington,
the prospect Is that the collectOrShip.
the mArShalshlp and the Attorneyship
Will be parcelIed out between the Sec
ond, Third and Fourth districts. AS to
consulships, Judge ]. T. Hoke, Of Pres
ton county. will be likely to get an linz
portant one, unless he Is otherwise con-
genIally placed In one Of the depart
ments Mr.. N. r. Scott would like, It Is
said, to have made him solicitor for the
internal revenue department, but the
President Is understood TO oppose taxi
ing the commissioner and solicitor from
the same state. The strength Of his
candidacy for an important appoints
ment lies IN his having made q decided
personal sacrifice in the campaign,
namely, surrenderIng his regular nonl-
nation as Judge IN order to harmonlEe
the party and assure It's success In the
Second congressional district.
"As to other consulships and mlseel-
laneous appointments" remarked Mr.,
Campbell, "they are involved in delay
and uncertainty, The Presidents first
concern IL to get the tarlft bill passed,
and II Is well understood at Washington
that he will hold back stlttly and unTe-
lentInRly on all the minor appointments
until Congress either enRets or defeats
A tariff bill"