Evening journal., 1915-01-01
SPIRIT OF THE
DELMARVIA PRESS
OWL SERVICE AND POLITICS.

NiNiL oEh6itE AND IULllltOs
From the Newark Post.
The letter of the law Of Civil Ser
vice is merely Scrap of paper" and
the spirit of the law is Utopian
sentiment not 10 be countenanced
in the practical workings of a party
government AT least. it would so
seem from the official order from the
White House removing U. S. Marshal
Townsend from Office yesterday
morning. The tone and wording Of
the communication sounded like a
message from the front or an edict
from one of the "I-am-the-King"
sovereigns of century or so ago.
While we do not agree with the Pres
\ ident in many of his policies. this
latest act is surprise to our appre-
citation Of his usual grace and dig
! nifty. Effective as he is in his COM
msnds, he has always issued his or
/ derS with an exceptional grace and
( tact Never prOfuse in explanation
he has usually given some statement
/ of fact upon which he has drawn his
conclusions. But this-without a
7 word-it is so unlike the President
that we hesitate to lay the blame
at his door except as the weakness
VI NNtl-NOnlutnfNs III nuc iNliNu
! upon Senator Salisbury rather than
his own Judgment, based on investi-
cation. In street parlance, Senator
Salisbury has simply put one over
on the President. BY comforting with
his party leaders in Delaware. rather
than taking hls cue from the Junior
Senator, We warrant that curt order
would never have been issued.
Tnnrngof,.l 4 ft., t,n1fffrfar,
and this insult Will be hotly resented
by members of both parties through
out the State. Aside from this thrust
at Mr.. Townsend. We look upon the
order as favorable to Delaware poll
tics It shows too plainly the hand
back of the message This method
of service has been long a custom CT
that dominant figure Of the Democrat
party in this State. In-this instance
he has risked much and won-but
only temporarily. Already strongly
suspicioned in his own party, this
new evidence is so clear that his
present term of Office probably marks
the end of his political career. AS
such, the curt message from the
White House promises well for De-
laware.
RATE DECISION GRATIFYING.
From the Salisbury News.
The decision of the Interstate
Commerce Commission to give the
railroads the increase of five per
cent i'm the freight rates asked for
is most gratifying decision and one
. which will go a long way towards
relieving the present business de-
preston in this country. The busi-
ness life Of any country depends upon
the prosperity of the railroads and
the ability of the railroads 20 keep
up their repairs. pay their interest
. and provide for the retirement Of
their obligations. Depress the rail
roads and all lines Of business viii
= be depressed with them.
The increase applies TO practically
b all commodities except coal and COM
bined lake and rail traffic. In which
{ equivalent advances have alreay been
made. For the rest the permission
. for a raise of per cent. through
| first one classification and then for
another, occurs with pleasing regu-
larity
II will be the pleasurable privilege
Of the members of the Commission
years hence to survey the feld OF
progress and see the part they have
= played in bringing order out of chaos.
prosperity for the country out OF
threatened bankruptcy Of prosperity's
chief agency
! No EXPLANATION.
I From the Wilmington Every Evening.
l The community still awaits, in sur
= prise. an explanation from Senator
+ Salisbury of his amazing course in
+ securing the forcible expulsion of
George L. Townsend from the Office
= of United States marshal for the
district of Delaware. But no ex-
PLANTATION is even limited at
No charges of official misconduct
could be laid at Mr.. Townsend's door.
He has not been guilty of 'pernicious
4 political activity" Yet he has. been
\ brutally forced out of Office long be-
I fore the expiration of his official term,
. apparently for no other reason than
the partisan one of making room
.. for a Democratic selection. And this,
i too. in conflict with the approved
Democratic practice and policy so
wisely established by President
Cleveland during his first term
Senator Salisbury thus far has
given no explanation of his surpris-
ing course But he cannot expect
that outraged public sentiment in
this community will be satisfied with
X silence
DECENT DEMOCRATIC
H. METHODS NEEDED