The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-03
OFFENSIVE PARTISANS ARE NOT
GOOD FOR THE SOUTH.

While every man Of sense does not go
crazy over the civil service cry, there
Is TO doubt that it can be greatly inn
prov ed by n general application OF
sound principles and enforced qualfi'
cations. AS a general thing in this
country those men have the more
claims upon the president who did the
most to place him in the high place he
occupies. 1t really looks reasonable
that n mar of real talents. of high
character and influence who has given
them to advance the Of his party
for a couple of decades or more. Is
| more entitled to recognition and reward
than a man who has done nothing
Ought not a president to see this and act
the burden and the heat of the day is
much more entitled to a paying office
than a laborer who comes in at the
! ele venth hour and with o shoutings
sup%Dlicates for office. If civil service
tests are to be applied fairly. severely.
then talents and character must
triumph. Democrats should not seek
Office of a republican president Or any
| other official. He lowers his own stand
ard in doing so. If he gets it he will be
| suspected; if he fails he will have hu-
| Initiated himself.
The republicans who have held office
have been very good specimens of
the virtues of civil service. AS a
class they have been the super-service-
able, plant. INSCRIPTIONS agents and
instruments in controlling the negroes
and in keeping in power that party
that has shown itself so corrupt that
| some times decent men of their party
have revolted. We believe that always
in argument like ours that partisans
will be in office. bu this does imply
that there need to be offensive parts
anship'' that disgraced the republican
party though more than a quarter Of
a century of supremacy.
In the past the ruth made three
complaints. and they were we'll sus-
tained by facts
First. The south was placed under
the control of imported federal officials
80 WV N1A AN~
condition of the people who were hostile
in feeling towards them, and wholly in
different to their works. They came as
enemies and ~plunderers and they got
the plumber. They were aliens and ene-
mics from the start. and a satrapy was
SET UP that was b~urdensome. fagitious.
dishonest and oppressive.
SarAnI Tho noti-ac thot u-ara uiyap
office for the most part were disrepu:-
able men. some OF the worst character.
who cared nothing for the people they
HAD deserted for pelf. The plundering
was great and the abuse of power in
many instances was unbearable and
wicked.
Third. The men in office used their
influence and power as "partisans" of
the most offensive and irresponsible
kind, and were the ready tools used by
the INSCRIPTIONS wire-pullers in Wash
ington to humiliate and abuse the
south and to bind it fast in the rivited
chains.
If President Roosevelt in distributing
his favors to party friends in the south
will avoid the class that proved so Of
fensive he will help the south. and
command more of its respect. Give the
country competent, decent. sober, hon.
est. fair, obliging. faithful men who viii
represent the federal government with
| dignity and credit.
| Welcome as >unshfpe.
After a long storm is a feeling of relief