The Mask Off Again

The Democratie party is led by a combination of sly old politlcians who are always very busy in thinking up some new sctiemc to deceive the voters and catch the votes. In 18S1 the leaders in Ohio thought a neat dodge would be to declare lor civil service reform, whereby "offices shall be held as public trusts, to be adniinistcrecl for the public good ; not spoils to be enjoyed as the reward of partisan 7.eal or service." This sounded well, and many thought they meant it. So they jid - when there was no occasion to use it. ' However one of thelr leaders, a man who evidently clid mean it, was Senator Pendleton, of Ohio. He became the exponent of the doctrine ; Introduced into Congress a bilí to tliat effect, and was mainly instrumental in its passage. . The Democratie party, so far as Ohio .was concerned, was tlms ptedged to carry out the reform. Tliis beïntr so, party usage as well as good faith, woulcl expect the endorsemetit of the Senator's measure by bis re-election to the U. S. Señale. But the mask bad to come off this week, and Senator Pendleton was overwhcliningly defeated by his own party siiiiply for carrying out their professions of civil service reform. In connection with tliis same movement in Ohio they committcd another llunder. For, in 1882 tlie Deiuocracy of Ohio resolved : Tliat the growth of monopoly is such as to seriously threaten the rights of individuals and the public welfare, and ought to be provided agalnst by proper legislalion. Now, liow do they go to work to show their earnestness in this matter ? Do they seek for "'proper legislation" in tliat direction by electing men known to stand tor the rights of the people as against monopolies? That wonld be the natural way, but it is evidently not the Democratie way. To prove tliis, we have but to point to the election of Mr. l'ayne as Senator in Ohio. He was openly backed by the Standard OU uvujiany, the moet gigantic monopoly in the country, and as th exponent of tliat monopoly be will be very apl to work for "proper legishitioti" in the halls of Congress. So these hollow pretensión?, one by one, are being shown up. Actions speak louder than icords. The words are in favor of civil service reform ; the actlons deal it mortal blows. The words oppose monopolies; the actions put theni into power and help tbem. When will voters cease to be gulled by fair words and falsepromse8? Never, entirely, we fear. But one tliing is certain. Recent actions of the Obio Democracy are so glaring that it will make the state pretty safe for the Republicans, if strong men are put in nomination. The blunders and inconsistencies of their opponents give them good animunitlon for a lively light.