Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1885 — A GOOD START. [ARTICLE]

A GOOD START.

A Candid Esview, from an Independent Standpoint, of the First Six Months of the New Administration. (From the Nation (New York).] Six months have elapsed since Mr. Cleveland was inaugurated. The first half-year always strikes the tone of a new administration, and the occasion suggests a review of what has been accomplished between the 4th of March and the 4th of September. First and most important of all, it has been demonstrated, to the comprehension of even the blindest partisan, that the public interests are as safe in the hands of one party as in those of the other. The superstition which had come to possess a large proportion of Republicans, that the accession of Democracy to power would involve the ruin of the country, has been forever dispelled. It seems almost incredible now that, only a few months ago, there wore hosts of men who fully and sincerely believed that the election Of Mr. Cleveland meant the bankruptcy of the Federal Treasury by the payment of “rebel claims,” the “loss of all the fruits of the war,” and such a general political, financial, and moral upheaval as would “set the nation back twenty years.” Popular government is a failure if a party which comprises a majority of the people cannot be trusted to govern the whole people. Six months ago a considerable percentage of the public held this most discouraging view of a century’s trial of the American experiment. To-day the man who should begin ranting about the country’s going to ruin because the Democrats were in power would simply be laughed at, even by the Republicans whom he formerly duped most badly. To have thus restored faith in government of the people, whatever servants they may emuloy to do their work, is in itself a great achievement.

Next to the dread of national ruin was the apprehension of a “clean sweep” of the officeholders, and the consequent demoralization of the civil service. Six months have sufficed to remove this apprehension. One-eighth of Mr. Cleveland’s term has expired, and only about one-eighth of the Republicans whom he found in place have been succeeded by Democrats. The civil-serv-ice law has been maintained in spirit as well as in letter, and among the 40,000 positions which it covers in the departmental service at Washington and the large custom-houses and postoffices throughout the country, removals have, as a rule, been made only for cause—the few exceptions having aroused such criticism that the performance is not likely to be repeated. Among the chiefs of division and heads of bureaus, whose places do not fall within the “classified service,” a very large proportion of the experienced and efficient incumbents have been retained. Not one change has been made among such officials in the State, War, or Navy Department; only fifteen new appointments have been made to these positions in the Treasury, with over seventy such places, and nearly all of these changes were demanded for the improvement of the servioe; removals have been rare in the other three executive departments. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, which has more places not subject to the civil-service rules than all the departments combined, and which has been a sink of patronage ever since its establishment some twenty years ago, has been committed to a pronounced civil-serv ce reformer, who has cut off sinecures right and left, and thus reduced its running expenses one-half, while he has increased its efficiency. The State Department made no more changes in consulates under Mr. Bayard during the first four months than under Mr. Blaine during the same period preceding Garfield’s assassination, and changes have been even slower in the last two months. A considerable number of Consuls appointed by Republican Presidents, whose records are found to justify their retention, have been assured permanence, and Secretary Bayard has made it understood that fitness rather than political influence is to govern the filling of Government places abroad. The most important postoffice in the country has been continued in the hands of the man who brought it to its present high state of efficiency, and many hundreds of Republican incumbents in other lucrative postoffices are serving out terms which run well into the future. There are about 2,300 postoffices which are filled by nomination of the President and confirmation by the Senate. As all such offices have a term of four years, appointments to the whole 2,300 must be made in the course of four years by reason of the expiration of term alone. Appointments to fill vacancies caused by death, resignation, or removal for good reason would carry the average number of normal changes in this class of offices during a half year up to fully 300. Mr. Cleveland has made only 524 appointments of postmasters. There are about 49,000 fourthclass offices filled by the Postmaster General, and under Arthur appointments to these offices were made at the rate of nearly 12,000 a year, or almost 0,000 -in six months. Since the 4th 'of March changes have been madfc«irrf>,3o9 of these offices, the Republican: average not haying been maintained while Mr. Hay bad charge of this business, although it ha 3 been much exceeded by Mr. Stevenson during the last few weeks. It is thus clear that in an eighth of a Presidential

term only about an eighth of the offices have been changed. In other words, so far from a “clean sweep," the changes have not been very much more numerous than has been the rule when the same party remained in power. The new appointees have been almost exclusively Democrats, although there have been notable exceptions to this rule outside the cases of Messrs. Pearson and Graves. The Commssioner of Pensions has made changes in about a quarter of the 2,200 examining surgeons, but he has given the minority one member of each board of three, although his predecessor appointed only men of his own party. The high average of the new officials as a class is most clearly shown by the iteration of the bad points of a few, like Higgins, Pillsburv, and Troup, upon which the opposition press perforce eoncentr.tes its criticism.

The check which it has put upon the spoils doctrine is the chief merit of the administration thus far. But while the disposition of the offices has naturally occupied the larger share of their time, the President and his Cabinet have already done enough to establish the character of the new regime in its other relations. Its distinguishing feature is the conduct of public a H airs upon business principles. The various branches of the Government are being overhauled with a view to the suppression of wasteful methods, the abolition of sinecures, the reform of abuses. The wisdom of a change has already been vindicated by the discovery that under the unquestioned rule of one party the public service has fallen into ruts, lapsed into shiftless habits, and even degenerated into corruption, which nothing short of a revolution in control could overcome. In its relations with the Indians, its dealings with the trespassers upon the public lands, its treatment of naval contractors, the administration has introduced new rules of action, based upon adherence to law and regard for the public interests, rather than upon the consideration long shown to political favorites and powerful financial interests. The strongest impression which it makes upon the public mind is that of a body of men who, though strong partisans', are making a sincere effort to redeem all their pledges. The administration has made blunders and been justly criticised for them; indeed, no administration ever found the people in so critical a mood. But the verdict of all candid men must certainly be that it has made a good start in its first six months.

The Facts About Mullen. The Republican papers of the irreconcilable stripe have beeu making a great ado over the pardon by President Cleveland of Lieut. Mullen, of Cincinnati, who was tried and condemned to imprisonment by the Federal (Republican) court. John Sherman, too, howled about it in his speech opening the campaign. Governor Hoadly in an interview gives the facts in the case as follows: “Last election day, 150 negroes were brought over from Covington, Ky., to a place kept by ‘ Hoghead John ’ in Cincinnati, for the purpose of repeating at the polls in the interest of the Republican party. This fact was notorious. Mr. Mullen and his aids grabbed the whole 150, and by this prevented at least 1,500 illegal votes from being cast. The capture of the men was not effected without serious trouble, but it is yet to be shown that Mr. Mullen in any way overstepped the authority with which he was vested. It is true that I signed the petition for his pardon; it is also true that I went to see President Cleveland personally in his behalf, and of both these things I am proud. ”

Republican Blunders in Ohio. The continual struggle of the Republicans has been to accomplish two objects—first, to get that troublesome question (prohibition) out of the campaign ; and, second, by alternate abuse and persuasion to win the Prohibitionists away from the practical indorsement of their own theories at the bal-lot-box. You can not talk with an intelligent Republican on the streets today who does not candidly admit these facts, and we do not refer to them now to discuss them at length, but only to put into cold type our conviction that the blunders of our enemies have made the path of the Ohio Democracy to victory straight and smooth. We do not say that the path is an easy downgrade or even a level. It is an upgrade, and it will take effort to climb it, but Republican blunders are thick along the pathway wherewith to chock our wheels. —Cincinnati Enquirer.

“The Enemies It Has Made.” President Cleveland, in his purpose to keep the public good in his eye, manages to rpn against a large assortment of private interests. The ocean steamship companies cannot have thensubsidy ; the cattle-barons must get out of the Indian lands, and must pull down their fences; the land-grant railroads must not impose on settlers; political bosses are kept from looting the offices, and the army and navy pets must take their share of service." The latest sufferer is the express company, which claims that the Government "is taking fat contracts out of its mouth by transporting coin in a Government vessel instead of sending it as freight. This style of administration may not be popular among those who feel the shoe pinch; but, in the historic words ol Gen. Bragg, the people ought to love it for the enemies it makes.— Washington Star. The difference between John Roach and the Government is only $20,000, and the recent course of the NavV Department, it is believed, will hardly account for the failure. .Perhaps the correct explanation jit •is that Mr. Chandler drew out his interest iii the concern to invest in his recent unsuccessful campaign for the United States Senate.