The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-07-20
LETTER OF GOV. HAYES.

ished last week, is certainly 8 very
weak, and in many respects a dema-
,oguery epistle. The main point of
he letter, as was to be expected, is
he reform of the civil service. Its
refers in strong terms ofcon-
lemnation to the abuses that have
grown up under the party which he
the representative, and makes ex-
promises to reform them.
While these loud professions Of
checking the abuses and corruptions
Of the present administration are de-
to conciliate the friends of
civil service reform, Gov. Hayes
takes care to give no alarm to the
army of Grants ofice-holders to
whom he delicately imparts the as
surance that his election would not
affect their interests, but that they
shall be secure in their tenure SO
long as they do not give aus of of
tense. If this declaration were ac-
cepted as sincere it would be far
from encouraging to the numerous
body of e~xpectants who look forward
to a new distribution of spoils in the
event of the election of Hayes. The
office holders are told that partisan
service is neither expected nor desir-
ed of them, but it will hardly be safe
for a Republican postmaster or Rev
enue officer in Ohio to place too much
reliance on this assurance. Ifwords
were things, nothing more could be
wished than the promises contained
in the letter in behalf of civil service
reform. But the public who put a
just estimate on the professions of
candidates when wooing their suf-
frages, will contrast the promises of
this letter of Gov. Hayes with the
performances of his Democratic OPP
ponent. Even if the declarations of
Gov. Hayes were entirely sincere, the
people will take into consideration
the insuperable difficulties of his po-
sition. With the best intentions in
the world he would find it utterly i'm
possible to extirpate abuses and in
troduce reforms in an administration
owing its elevation to the agencies
which now prevail in the Republican
party. Reform ewithin the party
which is the condensed expression
of all that Gov. Hayes utters on the
subject of civil service, has long since
been abandoned by all sincere re.
formers as impossible. Reformation
of the manifold abuses which Gov,
Hayes admits and deplores mus
come from without and not from
within.
In order to quiet the jealousies Of
his rivals for the Cincinnati nomina'
ton he promises in his letter that his
ambition will be satisfied with a sin.
gle term, all of which is the simplest
bosh and nonsensei in the world, and
as such will be received by those
who recollect that he wrote to Judge
Taft that under no circumstances
would he accept the candidacy fol
Governor, and yet the very same day
telegraphed his acceptance.
In regard to the currency the dec
laratlons Of Gov. Hayes are unequiv.
ocally in favor Of the resumption O
specie payment, and he says that he
stands by his hard money record
and he deplores the irredeemable pa
per currency as Zone of the great OBJ
stacles to a revival of confidence anG
business So that the industrial
pursuits of the country has nothing
to expect from his administration il
elected, but further depression, as
he stands squarely upon the Repub.
iican platform which is pledged a
gainst the repeal of the Resumption
Act.
His allusion to the school fund is
wholly gratuitous and demagoguery.
and unworthy of an aspirant of the
Chief Executive of the nation, as nc
party or set of men ask for any
change in our present school sys.
tenn. This fund is secured to the PEG.
pie by the Constitutions of the differ
ent States, which Gov. Hayes must
have known, but as he made capital
out of this question in Ohio last fall,
he hopes to do so in the Presidential
contest.
Notwithstanding the Republican
party has ruld the South with an
iron rod, robbed and pillaged thu
people by their satraps and carpet
Dagger interlopers, yet Gov. Hayes
in his letter has the effrontery to
profess great love and friendship for
these outraged people, and promises
them reform and the benefits of self
government. How. much confidence
can the people have in the hollow
professions of the representative ola
party that has had control of the
government for more. than fifteen
years, and who inaugurated these in
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