New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-21
BRYAN VS.. JEFFERSON AGAIN.
THE GREAT DEMOCRATIC EXEMPLAR'S
OPPOSITION TO THE sPOILS SYSTEM
OF CIVIL SERVICE ADVOCATED BY
THE NEBRASKA POPOCRAT.

|
| the writings of the reputed founder of the Demo-
cratic party that indicated the radical antagonism
| between his views a certain paramount issue
of the present campaign and those of the present
| candidate OF the party. With your permis-
sion will illustrate equally radical divergence
| between them on another important question:
| taking my extracts. before. from the most re-
| cent edition of Jeffersons works, edited by Paul
| Leicester Ford.
1t is not needful now to set forth the hostility
| of Mr.. Bryan and his platform to the ideas at the
| basis of Civil Service REFORM that done with
| great explcitness, force and fervor by the most
| prominent representatives and opponents of that
| reform in 1896. The Chicago platform-a reafhrma-
| ton of which by the convention that nominated
| Mr.. Bryan at Kansas City insisted on by the
| chief candidate himself-was recognized as more
hostile to the reform in terms and spirit than any
| platform adopted by any party since the Federal
Civil Service statute the Pendleton act, passed
in 1888, and the candidate affirmed over and over
| again his complete assent to all 1t asserted on
| that subject He has since expressed himself with
such defniteness in favor of short. limited terms
| to leave doubt concerning his position. Any
familiar-as he seems most emphatically not to be
with the writings of Jefferson knows that his
expressions were very strong in favor of what
Is now recognized the Civil Service reform idea.
On the subject of short terms. tenures. he
pressed himself in words that I shall give my
last quotation, but first permit to present three
| or four of more general character Jefferson's
statement that the question of appointments
and removals his test of candidate in
cumbent was, "Is he honest? Is he capable? Is he
faithful to the Constitution" has been many times
quoted, and most familiar with tat any rate.
| most Republicans are-but the two or three that
Immediately follow they may not have seen.
To Samuel Adams he wrote. on March &c. 1891:
But opinion and the just maintenance of it,
shall never be a crime. in my view, or bring in
jury on the individual
To Elbridge Gerry he wrote. under the same date:
| Officers who have been guilty of gross abuses
packing
| shall now remove. as my predecessor ought In
justice to have done. The instances will be few,
and governed by strict rule and not party fashion.
To George Clinton he wrote. under date of May
IT. 1901
TIC, you need not make the observation. that of
government appointment to office is the most difi-
cult and most irksome.
To John D. Burke. on June 81 1901:
On the subject Of once ny PRINCIPLES and those
should be removed for difference of political
opinion, has given little to do in that way.
To DR.. Benjamin Rush, May "a. 1901 he wrote:
Y. S. very few individuals only probably not
twenty; viii be removed; and these only for doing
what they ought not TO have done
To Thomas Mexican he wrote, on July a. 1901:
South of the Potomac not a single removal has
DeGa Ss s IN me c9nP4FE Lney are Gsens tnat
made, which was for malversation.
The demand was different in other localities, as
will appear from this written 10 John Dickinson
on July %, 1901:
MY position is painful enough between the Fed
monopoly. and Republicans who cIamor for uni
versal removal
These quotations express the feelings of Jefferson
on this general subject given on numerous
occasions during his first term of Office when nat
urally, the question most prominently arose The
remaining extract however, constitutes his most
decisive utterance against tenures of official
terms the very things in favor of which the plat
! {S haiti
argues. 1t discusses the so called Four Years
law, still on statute books though Civil Ser
vice reformers Mr.. Curtis. Mr.. Schurz and the
rest, have advocated it's repeal and denounced the
principle at the foundation Of It as pernicious and
destructive Of the highest administrative efficiency
The extract is from letter of Jefferson his life
long friend, his Secretary Of State during both his
! Presidential terms, and his successor as Presi-
dent, James Madison, dated November 90 1920
| This is a sample of the effects we may expect
from the late mischievous law. vacatng every four
years nearly al the executive offices Of the Gov
functions of the President, and introduces prin-
eaven the whole mass not only Of Senators. but OF
Gi{ iob ;.d It Is more Panefg than the attempt
to make all officers irremoyable but with the con-
ali aPponmenfs under ther power i2q no ye&F
obges them to act on every one nomination 1t will
morants of office render them, we'll as those in
| in eternal intrigue one and put In an.
other, in cabais to swap work; and make Of them
4
| of corruption and faction. This been
of the midnight signatures of the President
doubtless referring to his predecessor President
Adams) when he had not time to consider or even
TO read the law; and the more fatal as being ire
pealable but with the consent of the Senate,
will never be obtained.
This expresses antagonism wide and marked
could be imagined. Mr.. Bryan would he saws
not only have short official terms, but have them
accurately defined. that every appointee would
know, when he accepted appointment as a
Federal civil servant. just when he must relinoush
his place to a Efficiency attained after
ever efficient indispensable the perfect run
ming Of a department he had become at the end
of a fixed, short term. he should go, and the new
mantle prentice hand. Lowell expressed it
should dspace him. And the Vice. Presidential run
ming mate Mr.. Stevenson, is also representative
this subject and agrees with the head Of
Campbell, will be remembered, in Introducing
him at an Ohio Democratic meeting wears
ago paid him a solemn tribute. and uttered a
warm eulogy, in referring o. Mr. Ste-
Mr.. Cleveland's first term, when Mr. Steven
son Assistant Postmaster-Gene The
Governor said he had gone to Mr. Steven
son-With very characteristic reouest nP
records of which he had any knowledge and
cut off more than sixty Republican official heads
in two minutes! So that the head and the tail NJ
the ticket harmonizel And Adlai's ave is an q ~
propriate emblem for both. But what contrast TO
JefferSon GEORGE r
NeW-York Oct Is. 1900 ~ Di0iiOr'
ADVICE TO YOUNG VOTERS.
To the Editor of The Tribune