Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1885 — POLITICAL. [ARTICLE]

POLITICAL.

The vote of Massachusetts, with two towns to hear from, is Robinson (Rop.), 112,399; Prince (Dem.), 90,183; Lothrop (Pro.), 4,592; Sumner (Labor), 2,184. The Prohibition vote in Nebraska is more than double the St. John vote of last year. There are gains everywhere except in one county. The Prohibition Superintendent of Public Instruction was elected in Merrick County. Superior gives a Prohibition majority over both Democrats and Republicans on the county ticket. President Cleveland-, in an interview with a member of the editorial staff of the Washington Post, expressed himself as follows in regard to the reorganization of the Civil Service Commission: The reorganization of the commission was made necessary by the resignation of the members of the old board. In such reorganization it seemed to me that friends for the cause could be made in the party to which I belong, and which is at present, to a large extent, charged with the enforcement of the law, by changing the political complexion of the commission. This view was, I think, shared by all the old Commissioners, and the change has thus far progressed with none but the best of feeling, so far as I know, on their part. In the selection of the new Commissioners there were so many different qualifications which I deemed desirable that I have found it no easy matter to fill the position with men who could combine the elements which I consider most useful to the fair, honest, and successful enforcement of the law. Prominent leaders in the civii service movement strongly advised me to select one of the commissioners from the South. This I have done, and the person selected from that locality I am.quite certain possesses all the qualifications for an efficient officer. Mr. Edgerton I never saw until yesterday, and I don't remember that I ever heard of him until Chief Justice Waite urged him upon my attentions as a most excellent man for the place. From my impression of him upon a personal interview, and from representations made by his friends, I am entirely satisfied that no mistake has been made in his appointment. I cannot rid myself of the idea that this civilservice reform is something intended to do practical good, and not a mere sentiment intended for the purpose of affording opportunity to ventilate high-sounding notions and. fine phrases. My plan of giving it the greatest possible usefulness involves the removal of stumbling-blocks from the way of good, honest men who are inclined to its support, and to demonstrate in every public manner its value as adapted to the every-day affairs of the Government. Thus, two Democrats were selected, and I certainly intended to select them for the two prominent positions on the commission, and this was done largely in deference to the sentiments and opinions held by good men in the Democratic party. And it has also occurred to me that it was a plain dictate of common sense that one of the old Commissioners should, if possible, remain for a time to aid the new-ones. The preparation of the report of the commission is a most important matter, affording an occasion to recommend the reform to the people by exhibiting to them all it has accomplished, and the report ought to be very useful, too, in removing misapprehensions and objections. In New Jersey the Republicans have 5 majority in the Senate and 4 in the Assembly, making a majority of 9 on joint ballot. In Virginia Lee’s majority for Governor is about 25,000. In Maryland the majority for the DemocraticJState ticket is about 30,000. The Legislature stands about as follows: Senate, Republicans 6, Democrats 20; House, Republicans 16, Democrats 101; Democratic majority on joint ballot, 99. It is stated that Mr. Edgerton, one of the newly appointed Civil-Service Commissioners, has expressed to the President his belief that the rules need a thorough revision; that they violate not only the civil-service act but the Constitution of the United States in many respects.

Full returns of the New York electon place Hill’s majority at about 11,200. Matthew Quay, Republican candidate for Treasurer of Pennsylvania, has a majority of about 42,000. Complete returns from all Legislative districts in Virginia show the complexion of the next Legislature to be as follows: Senate— Democrats, 30; Republicans, 10. House—Democrats, 70; Republicans, 30. Democratic majority on joint ballot, 60. Returns from all of the ninety-nine counties in lowa give Larral>ee, Republican candidate for Governor, a majority of 8,123. The Legislature, according to corrected returns, will stand: Sixty Republicans in the House to forty opposition, and thirty-one Republicans in the Senate to nineteen opposition. The official returns of the special election held in the Fifth Congressional District of Illinois to elect a successor to the late Hon. Reuben Ellwood show that the Hon. A J. Hopkins was elected by an unusually large majority, he receiving 9,097 out of 12,358 votes polled. The Virginia Democrats most prominently mentioned for Mahone’s seat in the Senate are John W. Daniel, Walter R. Staples, and J. S. Barbour.