The Writings of Carl Schurz/To Lucius B. Swift, August 25th, 1885

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Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz and others, edited by Frederic Bancroft

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New York City: G. P. Putnam's Sons, pages 406–407

3483412Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz — To Lucius B. Swift, August 25thCarl Schurz and others

TO LUCIUS B. SWIFT

110 W. 34th St.,
New York, Aug. 25, 1885.

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I have attentively read the papers which you have sent to me from time to time. As you know, I earnestly sympathize with you as to the main question. But it seems to me that the criticism passed by the [Indianapolis] Evening News upon the Eastern Mugwumps, as represented by the New York Times, is too severe. We have gone through all sorts of experiences here. There have been many things done by the Administration [which] at first sight [were] extremely displeasing, but many of them after a while put in such a shape as to mark, after all, a movement in the right direction. Thus we have become accustomed not to see in every occasional lapse a complete abandonment of the whole civil service reform policy. I myself look at the failure at Indianapolis, deplorable as it is, in the same light. It indicates that there is still a great deal to be struggled for, but it does not indicate that our struggles so far have been in vain, or that our struggles in [the] future will be hopeless. On the contrary you will find that, whatever disappointments we may have suffered, the disappointments on the other side are infinitely more severe. I do not think the News is just when it says the Eastern Mugwumps have virtually become Democratic partisans and sycophants of the Administration under any circumstances. I know that it is not so.

I think, if you have further charges against Jones, they ought to be communicated to the President—of course in such a way as to avoid all appearance of persecution. I have no doubt he means to do right, even if he is sometimes ill advised.