Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-10-02
The Work Before the Republican
Party.

Assuming, as the indications seem to
warrant us In doing, that Gen. Grant viii be
reelected President, and will commence bis
second four years with a Republican Congress
to work with him, il is not TOO soon to call
attention to the duties which will devolve
upon the party, considering this contingency
the New York Times recently very forcibly
said
With the reelection of Gen. Grant, the
questions directly involved in the reconstruc-
ton of the Southern States will be practical
" withdrawn from the legislative field. The
political and civil rIght6 of all are clearly de-
fined by existing laws and with execution OF
those laws by wise firm and friendly hand
assured for another four years, the rights re-
ferred to may be regarded as established.
The questions which will take their place
will be those OF general administration, and
while scarcely less important than those
arising out OF reconstruction, they will be
even more complicated in detail and more
delicate in their relations to the prosperity
of the country. Included among these ques-
tions, and the one of the most radical i'm
pOrtance, will be that of civil service reform
in it's widest sense. The duty of the next
four years will be to remove from our politics
the many anu NdEitu evils Oub VI
the distrlbu ion of civil offices as rewards for
political servces-a reform in which the
President has done so much that he deserves
the cordial support OF Congress.
Another OF the questions affecting the
material prosperity OF the country, will be
the adjustment Of the revenue. The teaching
Of the last four years Is conclusive that our
system Of taxation will be the subject of con-
tlnual discussion and of probable modification
until some OF it's more Extraordinary features
are gradually removed. Still another ques-
ton which must arise is the relation OF the
General Government to the gigantic corpora
tiOns growing up in our midst-corpOratIons
whose extent, influence, and power were
Constitution, and the development of which
constantly presents new and important prob
lems to the National Legislation,
1t is a hopeful sign when papers as widely
circulated as is the Times, and recognized as
that paper is as influential, both in the
party and in the country, even in the
midst of a heated political canvass pauses
to suggest the measures of reform to
which the party must give its attention as
1t continues to control the policy of the
rational administration. Prominent among
these topics we are glad to see civil service
reform recogn zsd; and a thorough and radi-
cal reform in the adm inistration of our civil
service we agree with the Times in ranking
as of first Importance. The people must not
lose sight Of this for moment they must
not cease to demand it, Through such a re
form it is possible to do much to purify poll
tics: without it politics will grow worse
and worse until it becomes lite better than
a scramble, like hungry pigs at a trough, for
the drippings Of the treasury.
The Tins, also, is quite right in demand
ing the earnest consideration Of the relations
the general government sustains to the gigan-
tic corporations growing up all over the
country. Next to the evils OF the civil ser
vice, is the evil resulting from the general.
~ successful efforts Of these corporations
to control national legislation in their in
terest.
In the last session of Congress a great
railroad corporation carried triumphantly
and defantly through both Houses bill
giving to the corporation portion Of the
public grounds at Washington for depot
In the House no debate was al
lowed upon the bill, and in the Senate it was
forced through at a single sitting. This only
shows what great railroad has been able to
10; it ought to BE warning to the people
against the growing power and insolent die
ations Of the powerful corporations that not
,nly control states, but have such power in
.he Congress of the United States.
Tae Republican party has protested to be,
md Is, 50 far a. it has any right to be called |.
Republican, the party of the people, and
should stand by the people against rings of
N sorts. Railroads are valuable servants, /
)ut they are without conscience as masters. ;
They and all combinations should be fully 7
u bordinated to the public good, and especial
y should the Republican party refuse at all /
lines and in all places 70 lend itself as the
agent Of these already too powerful combina a ,
ions to give legislative sanction to their ,
chemes Of self aggrandiz ement.