Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-25

Civil Service Throw-Down
THE appointment in response to the demands of
J. the spoiismen Of a postmaster for New York
70 succeed Postmaster Morgan. who began a.
letter carrier and worked up through all the Grades
TIL put BY Roosevelt and retained by Taft in charge
Of the office for years. inosnsed friends Of
President Wilson q backadinR from the principles
OF civil service reform 70 which he professed devotion
How the civil service democrats feel about Il may
be gathered from this expression o. oswald Garrison
Willard IN his New YORK. Evening Post. which he Is
himself serving washinston correspondent.
whether one beisves in preparedness or not;
whether one is shocked BY the johnson appointment
IL inclined 20 overlook It OF the necessary
compromises OF politics. whether one believes in
conversion q sudden Mr.. Wilson's to woman SUI
frage OF not. there II fullest agreement. when the
friends OF the administration meet that things not
goine well There is tone Of jubiation here today.
no real pleasure In the many things OF solid worth
achieved since Mr. Wilson took office but distinct
feeling OF disappointment and OF anxiety 10 the
future. There s feeling Of confidence except when
therS discussion OF the possible republican candi-
dates Then there asserts itself belief in Wilson's
lucky star; unless some one suggests Charles E.
Hughes.
'If the reader will recall the personal enthusiasm
for Grover Cleveland in his defeat and prior to
hts triumphant reelection, he will understand what
Is meant No such feeling exists in the democratic
party today; such sense OF personal devotion This
is Of course. largely due to the prssdents inaccess
bllity to the rank and file Thay read about him. but
II they live ia Washington they do not often
see him. and as for being asked 20 meet him, that
happcn--as the Federal Reserve board knows
even II should be doing important piece Of
work for the government
The result Is that the president has not built up
any enthusiastic following. either in of office
One may call tho roll of congressman without finding
whose personal relations with Mr.. Wilson
really intimate close; and. IL outside the
charmed official circle finds group OF enthusi-
correspond with that fine body OF Cleveland
Mugwumps and devotees that made the old Reform
club a OF strength in the Cleveland days.
and in god-standard days.
There has disappointment all along the line.
Even during what may easily prove to be the high
water mark OF this admnistration-the period in Au
gust Immediately after the third Of that wonderful
and stirring series of Lusania notes-there always
urked In the background the spectre Of the undeno
cratic aloofness Of the president which in part
TO be explained by the natural necessity OF husband
ing his strength for the all but crushing tasks hand
And always there the fear that the president
not getting enough advice and the right sprt-that
ne perhaps too much influenced by his immediate
encourage and the few ofoeholders that he from
time to time.
1T because OF q realisation OF this that there
much rejoicing In that same entouraee over the
presidents wedding. because It was hoped that his
remarrage would bring him out Of hs retirement and
people into the White House. and that would
know how charming, entertaining and winning the
president be II no chooses TO unbend and make
the effort Whether the hoped-for change will come
It Is too early to tell but II IL fact that hnr
penngs have hurt and not helped. The sspousaI OF
the preparedness cause. whether rightly or wrongly,
without consultation with the party leaders, does
smack to the democratic politicians savorng any
too much democracy within the party. Had there
hAan c0na ftA4 tlara hnO baan
mistakes made in the process OF turning the completes
somersauit, and there would not have been much
surprise at the revolt Of the eightyfive democrats
(who. according to Mr. Bryan in the last Common0s.
against the presiden, just as. IL there had
been team work a year aso. should not have had
the almost unprecedented spectacle OF the president
urging policy and his secretary something quite
opposed. And the tragedy of II all is that. II ray
observation Is correct the president really Wishes 20
be beloved os the people, and not merely respected
and admired
To-day the terrible blundsr In the Johnson case is
intonsfyinE the feeling that the president. he is
going TO like this and to slough off friends who
have stood by him since he entered public life
and to compel others Of them to question the sincerity
Of many of his professions OF past ought to be
saved from himself BY some ADVISERS, whether headed
by Colonel House by other who know past
history and present politics and how Mr.. Cleveland
succeeded But in this the blame cannot DO laid
at Mr.. rumultys door, or at Mr.. Burieson'G Cor
tainy defender Of the president aiiege truth
fully that he acted without full information or on
bad advice Two Of the presidents friends who havs
Of getting their letters directly into his hands
have assured that they put the facts before him.
IL n believed hsrerighty wrongly-that message
telling the president Just how the Mitchell Submissive
would and act II tina proposed appointment
should be made reached the presdent
$50 did explicit letter from the tried ana
true civic leaders In New York whose service nss
covered many years during which he has never sogt
taken office. But something has made the presi-
dent take the fatal STEP which lie surely greater
break with the Wilson Of thu past than he pos-
siby realize, This is more the Wilson who was
vice president OF the Civil Service Reform league
(Which besought him not to Morgan) than
the inaccessible president has been like the Wilson
who governed New Jersey in large room the door
20 which open to any citizen OF the state
who chose to approach H. Il ts certainly not the
Wilson who would not dine with Tammany men in 1914