The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-09-13
LET Us SERIOUSLY INQUIRE.

Just at this time, says an earnest
and able contemporary, serious 7ues-
lion p, opposes itself to the American
people. 1t is, do they want an hon.
est, economical faithful Administra-
ton of the National Government p
On all sides it is admitted that the
Administration of Mr.. Grant is not
only unsatisfactory, but in every par
ticulSr such an one as conflicts with
the interests of a people burdened
with debt, and a country only few
years removed from disastrous in
ternecine war. Under the present
regime, extravigance has rioted in
every department of national affairs,
corruption has stalked abroad where
ever the Federal Government has
held sway, and the worst abuses have
prevailed in both civil and military
matters. In view of these we'll
known facts is it not important that
the American people who uphold the
Government and pay its expense
should calmly PROFOUND to themselves
the question whether there had not
better be change in the men who
control the collection and disburse-
ment of public monies. There are
few if any of the supporters of the
present Administration, who will have
the hardihood to claim for it either
the ability or purpose to afford such a
change as the present emergency de-
mands in Government affairs. Why
then should the people who pay the
bills hesitate to make a speedy
change. How is it IN municipal o.
local affairs? We all understand
that when a city or county official
proves unfaithful to his trust, the peo-
pie proceed unceremoniously and
unitedly, without regard to party
predictions to retire such person to
private life. Why should 1t be diff.
ferent in regard to officers filling more
exalted positions. Assuredly the
higher the position the greater should
be the qualifications, and the more
exacting the people who employ the
public servant. There is no excuse
for deviation from this rule. In all
such instances the people become the
employers and the office-holder the
employed. The taxpayers of the
country pay the bills, and should rig.
idly exact from their servants an ac.
countability for the trusts they agree
to discharge. Whenever they fail in
the discharge of those duties, they
should be as incontinently dismissed
from public service as the most hum
BILE employe OF private citizen
There should be no other rule, as any
other will prove both detrimental to
the administration of public affairs,
and unsatisfactory to the county
But this matter is altogether in the
hands of the people. and the question
arises, will they apply the curative to
the abuses that exist and under which
the entire body polite suffers. That
there are great many Republicans
who recognise the necessity for a
speedy change in the conduct of pub
lie matters admits of no doubt. We
speak now of such honest, earnest
men of the Republican party as have
held aloof from the Reform move
ment, and not of those who have pub
licly declared against Grant. With
all such it becomes a question whether
they will submit longer to the abuses
which have studded the career of the
present administration to crafty pref
udice or take up arms to combat evils
which affiict them. For the first time
in the history of American politics We
find the American people or more
properly large and respectable ele-
ment marshalling under a common
banner of reform regardless of past
political differences, in a determined
effort to redeem the government from
the corrupt men who hold power
While this is true we find, too, many
who have no less interest and are not
less honest and earnest in their wishes
for reform and purity in public affairs,
who hesitate between duty and party,
and prefer rather to suffer The ills that
affiict them than by determined eff
fort to rid themselves of the evil
With Republicans the bpgbear in the
present campaign is Democracy
against which they have persistently
fought and whose influence they bow
dread. Now where do they find the
hydra-head of this organization and
influence which SO terrifies them? Is
not its platform and that of the Gin
cinnati Convention clear and distinct
upon the great issues of the cam
paign? and do they find in its decla-
tion of principles anything obnoxious
to the most enthusis site friend Of re-