Editing Grover Cleveland (section)

===Reform===
[[File:Cleveland Tariffs (edit).jpg|thumb|200px|Cleveland portrayed as a tariff reformer]]

Soon after taking office, Cleveland was faced with the task of filling all the government jobs for which the president had the power of appointment. These jobs were typically filled under the [[spoils system]], but Cleveland announced that he would not fire any Republican who was doing his job well, and would not appoint anyone solely on the basis of party service.<ref>Nevins, 208–211</ref> He also used his appointment powers to reduce the number of federal employees, as many departments had become bloated with political time-servers.<ref>Nevins, 214–217</ref> Later in his term, as his fellow Democrats chafed at being excluded from the spoils, Cleveland began to replace more of the partisan Republican officeholders with Democrats;<ref>Graff, 83</ref> this was especially the case with policymaking positions.<ref>Tugwell, 100</ref> While some of his decisions were influenced by party concerns, more of Cleveland's appointments were decided by merit alone than was the case in his predecessors' administrations.<ref>Nevins, 238–241; Welch, 59–60</ref>

Cleveland also reformed other parts of the government. In 1887, he signed an act creating the [[Interstate Commerce Commission]].<ref>Nevins, 354–357; Graff, 85</ref> He and [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[William C. Whitney]] undertook to modernize the [[United States Navy|Navy]] and canceled construction contracts that had resulted in inferior ships.<ref>Nevins, 217–223; Graff, 77</ref> Cleveland angered railroad investors by ordering an investigation of Western lands they held by government grant. [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Lucius Q. C. Lamar]] charged that the rights of way for this land must be returned to the public because the railroads failed to extend their lines according to agreements. The lands were forfeited, resulting in the return of approximately {{convert|81000000|acre|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="rrgrants">Nevins, 223–228</ref>

Cleveland was the first Democratic president subject to the [[Tenure of Office Act (1867)|Tenure of Office Act]] which originated in 1867; the act purported to require the Senate to approve the dismissal of any presidential appointee who was originally subject to its advice and consent. Cleveland objected to the act in principle and his steadfast refusal to abide by it prompted its fall into disfavor and led to its ultimate repeal in 1887.<ref>Tugwell, 130–134</ref>