The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-08-17

value OF the old, would alike provoke de
! rision.
The st. Louis platform denounces the
failure for eleven years 10 make good the
promises OF the legal-tender notes; IL de.
nounces the omission TO accumulate any
reserve for their redemption; IL de.
nounces the conduct which during the
eleven years Of peace has made no ad.
vance toward resumption, no preparation
for resumption, but instead has obstruct-
ed resumption by wasting our resources
and exhausting all our surplus income.
and while protesting to intend a speedy
return 10 specie payments. has annually
enacted fresh hindrances thereto, and,
having first denounced the barrenness Of
the promise Of q day Of resumption, il
next denounces that barren promise as q
hindrance to resumption. IL then de-
mands its repeal, and also demands the
establishment Of a judicious system Of
preparation for resumption. IL can not
be doubted that the substitution Of a sys.
tenn Of preparation without q promise Of
a day for the worthless promise Of a day
without a system Of preparation would
be the gain Of the substance Of resump-
ton in exchange for its shadow. Nor Is
the denunciation unmerited Of that inn
providence which in eleven years since
the peace has consumed S4.5OO.OOO 900.
and yetcould not afford to give the peo-
pie a sound and stable currency. Two
and half per cent. on expenditures Of
these eleven years, or even less, would
have provided all the coin neediul TO re-
sumption. The distress now felt by the
people in all their business and indus
tries, though il has its principal cause in
the enormous waste Of capital occasioned
by the false policies of our Government,
has been greatly exaggerased by mis-
management Of the currency. Uncertain
~ is the prolific parent Of mischiefs in
all business. Never were its evils more
felt than now. Men do nothing because
they are unable to make any calculations
on which they can safely rely. They un-
dertake nothing, because they fear loss
in everything they would attempt.
They stop and wait The merchant dare
not buy for future consumption of his
customers. The manufacturer does not
make fabrics which may not refund his
outlay. He shuts his factory and dis
charges his workmen. Capitalists can
not lend on security they consider safe.
and their funds lie almost without in
terest. Men of enterprise, who have
credit or securities TO pledge, will not
borrow. Consumption has fallen below
natural limits Of reasonable economy.
Prices Of many things are under their
range in the frugal specie payment times
before the civil war. Vast masses Of cur
rency lie in banks unused. A year and
a half ago legal-tenders were at their lar
gest volume, and the millions since re-
tired have been replaced by fresh issues
Of $4,000 900 Of bank notes. In the
the banks have been surren-
dering about 100000 a month, because
they cannot find a profitable use for so
many Of theiri notes. The public mind
will no longer accept shams. IL has suf-
fered enough from illusions. An inse-
cure policy increases distrust, an unsta-
ble policy increases uncertainty. The
people need to know that the Govern
ment is moving in the direction OF ulti-
mate safety and prosperity, and that il is
doing so through prudent, safe and con-
methods, which will be sure to
infiict no new sacrifice on the business
Of tide country. The inspiration Of new
hope and will.founded confidence will
hasten the restoring processes Of nature,
and prosperity will again return.
The st. Louis Convention concludes its
expression in regard to currency by
practical results OF the system Of prepa-
rations il demands. II says I'VE be-
lieve such q system well devised, and
above all, intrusted to competent hands
for execution, creating at no time an ar.
tIfcial scarcity OF currency, and at no
time alarming the public mind into q
Of that vaster machine Of
credit by which ninety.fiye per cent Of
al business transactions are performed |
4 system open TO the public and inspir- |
ing general confidence from the day Of
is adoption, will bring healing on its /
wings to all our harassed industries, set I
in motion the wheels Of commerce, man |
liactures and mechanic arts, restore en- |
Dloyment to labor and renew in all its |
sources prosperity Of the people.
The Government Of the United States, |
IN my opinion, can advance to a resump- |
lion Of specie payments on its legal-tend. |
r notes by gradual and safe processes |
lending to relieve the present business /
distress. If charged by the people with /
The administration Of the Executive Of |
ice | should deem il a duty to exercise |
he powers with which it has been, or |
nay be. invested by Congress as best and |
Ioonest to conduct the country to that |
oenefcent result.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Convention Justly affirms that re- |
iorm is necessary in the Civil Service
necessary TO its publication, necessary 10 |
Is economy and its efficiency. necessary
hat the ordinary that the ordinary EN- |
Dloyment of public business may not be |
! prize fought for at the ballotbox, a re- |
ward OF party zeal, instead Of posts Of
honor assigned for proved competency,
lnd held for fidelity in public employ |
The Convention wisely added that RE |
Form is necessary, even more in higher !
grades Of public service, President. Vice |
President, Judges. Senators, Representa- |
tives, Cabinet officers. These, and all |
others in authority, are not a private |
perquisite; they are a public trust" Two |
evils infest the official service Of the Fed |
eral Government. One is a prevalent |
and demoralizing notion that public ser |
vice exists not for the business and ben /.
eft of the whole people, but for the in
terest Of oifice-holders, who are, in truth,
but the servants Of the people.
Under the influence Of this pernicious
error, public employments have been
the numbers of those gath
tired into the ranks OF office-holders have
bteu hltanlll lntNtArfh gthA aAl Ioar
sible requirement Of public business,
while inefficiency, peculation, fraud and
OF public funds, from high
places Of power to the lowest, have over.
spread the whole service like a leprosy.
The other evil is the organization Of the
official class into a body Of political mer-
cenaries, governing caucuses and dictat-
ing nominations OF their own party, and
10 carry elections Of peopie
by undue influence and by immense cor.
ruption funds. Systematically collected
from the salaries Of fees OF tfice-holders.
The official class in other countries.
sometimes by its own weight and some
times in alliance with the army, has been
able 10 rule unorganized masses even uu.
der universal suffrage. Here il has al
ready grown into a gigantic power capa.
ble of sitting the inspirations Of a sound
public opinion, and Of resisting an easy
change OF administration, until misgov-
ernment becomes intolerable and public
spirit has been stung 20 the pitch Of a