Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-08-02

coolie trade in Monaghan women, i'm
ported for immoral purposes, and Mon.
golian men, hired to perform servile la
Dor contracts; and demand such modifl-
cation of the treaty with the Chinese
Empire, or such legislation by Congress
within constitutional limitation, as Shall
prevent the further importation or i'm
migration Of the Mongolian race.
Reform is necessary, and can never be
effected but by making it the controlling
issue OF the elections, and lifting it above
the two false issues with which the Of
ce-holding class and the party in power
seek to smother it, the false issue with
which they would enkindle sectional strife
IN respect to the public schools, of which
the establishment and support being cx-
clusively to the several States, and which
the Democratic party has cherished from
their foundation, and resolved to maintain
without Partially or preference for any
class, sect or creed, and without contri.
buttons from the Treasury to any of them;
and the false issue by which they seek to
light anew the dying embers of sectional
hate between kindred peoples, once
estranged but now united in one indivlsi-
Bile Republic and common destiny.
Reform is necessary in the civil service.
Experience proves that efficient econom-
cal conduct of the governmental business
is not possible if it's civil service be sub
ject to change at every election, be a prize
fought for at the ballot box, be brief re-
ward Of party zeal instead of post of hon
or assigned for proved competency and
held for fidelity in the public employ; that
the dispensing of patronage should neitl-
er be tax upon the time of all our public
men, nor the instrument oftheir ambition.
Here again, professions falsifed in the
performance attest that the party in power
can work out no practical or salutary re-
form.
Reform is necessary even more in the
higher grades Of the public service
President, Vice President, Senators, Rep
reScntativcs, Cabinet officers; these and
all others in authority are the peoples
servants. Their offices are not q private
perqulslte-they are a public trust
When the annals of this country show
the disgrace and censnre of Vice-Pres-
dent; late Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives marketing his rulings as a
presiding officer; three Senators profiting
Charmen Of the leading Committees Of
the late House of Representatives exposed
in jobbery; a late secretary of the Treas
sury forcing balances in pubic accounts;
late Acknowledgement mis- approprating
public funds; Secretary Of the Navy
enriched or enriching friends by percent
ages levied off the profits of contractors
with his department: an Ambassador to
England censured in dishonOrable
speculation; the Presidents private sec
rotary barely escaping conviction upon
trial for guilty completely in frauds upon
the revenue; the Secretary of War i'm
peached for high crimes and confessed
miSdemeanOr the demonstration is COM
plete that the first steps in reform must
be the peoples choice of honest men from
another party, lest the disease of one
political organization infect the body
polite, and lest by making no change Of
men or party we can get no change of
measures and no reform. All these
abuses, wrongs and crimes, the product
OF sixteen years ascendancy Of the Re-
publican party, create a necessity for re-
form, confessed by Republicans them
selves; but their reformers are voted
down in Convention, and displaced from
the Cabinet. The party's mass of honest
voters are powerless to resist the $4,000
oilce-holders, its leaders and guides
Reform can only be had by fearful civic
revolution. We demand change of
system, change of administration,
change Of parties, that we may have a
change OF measures and of men.