The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-05

ccononSy OF lis expendituref iSnink
k0ow your Judgment and feel TIC re-
sp0nse Of your hearts. ~ 50 ~
When you say that corruption per-
vades the public service: that a great
army OF officers eat out your substance,
and that waste and extravaganza in eX-
penditures destroy your resources, Gov.
Morton and his followers denounce your
complaints as "bosh and demagoguery."
But they must excuse You from heeding
their denunciations. They have been ac-
tors in these things, conspicuous, con,
| trolling. responsible. Their conduct and
that of their political confederates is pass
ing under the Judgment of the people.
Corruption is found everywhere, UNI
checked by the men retained in power.
1t Is found in every department OF the
service IL Is proven in Investigations in
reports /; in dismissals in impeachinents
In indictments, verdicts and judgments.
Must this great host OF officeholders be-
come a standing army. fastened perma-
nently upon the industries OF the people !!
And shall the national expenditures con-
tinue as in the past, largely to exceed the
necessities of an efficient public service!
Upon which side do you stand? Are
you for reform. or with the others 10
you denounce reformers? II your judg-
agement and does demand surer. better
and cheaper service. how will you. as re-
sponsible citizens. give that judgment
expression. Your ballots will be the
record of your judgment and purpose.
Are you content that they shall repeat the
| past and intorSe the present as well
| enough.
THE PRACTICAL QUESTION.
now assume that, intelligently and
earnestly, you are in favor OF reform
| that YOU sincerely desire an improve
ment in the public service. so that 1t shall
| become purer, more efficient and less eN-
pensive, The practical question of these
| times is, how can these results be at
| tanned: and how can each man contrl-
| butte to their attainment. Experience
| has taught us there Is but one remedy.
| and that is a change OF administration.
You may hold mass meetings and con-
ventlons, and declare your wishes in reso-
buttons, but your complaints will go TO
the winds if you do not give them force
by the ballot, changing men and policies.
What other reliance have you. Is ii IN
the character and promises OF the candi-
date for president: Four years ago, last
sixteenth of April, Gen. Grant approved
| a system of regulations for civil-service
| reform. He gave assurance. the most
| solemn possible, that political assess
| ments had been forbidden within the
various departments, and that honesty
and efficiency, not political activity,
would determine the tenure OF office.
| The approval and assurance are found in
an executive order" Many of you
| trusted and expressed your confidence
| by voting for Gen. Grants reelection.
| You thought that with the aid OF a board
OF officers he could and would remedy
the growing evils. You trusted him be-
cause you admired him as great ana
successful soldier. And you relied upon
his personal integrity and his iron viii.
| Have YOU been disappointed? Political
assessments, the most pernicious influ-
! ence, have been and are enforced with re-
| lentless eXaction. Collected az tax,
ana expended as a brlbe, manhood.
honor and public virtue are all assailed.
| And has that other assurance been kept
| to the hope? Have "honesty and eifi-
cheney, and not political activity" deter
mined "the tenure of Office = Again the
answer is found in Investigations, reports,
indictments, verdicts and judgments.
| WHOSE FAULT Is 1T
| That there has been no reform, but on
the contrary that the public service has
been drifting from bad to worse : 1t Is
not altogether fair to charge it altogether
upon Gen. Grant. That charge springs
from an unfair motive on the part Of a
class of Republicans who seek Gov.
Hayes election upon the ground that he
can accomplish reforms which Gen.
Grant could not or would not bring
about. Upon this subject Gov. Morton
, expressed the following opinion in his
late speech
, 1.-The administration of any president
? will be in the main. what the party which
elected him makes it. II he breaks away
from his party the chances are that he
will be broken down In government
! of parties like ours the president must
have his choice of officers. The men to
! whom he owes his election, VINO have
defended him from assaults, to whom he
: must look for support in the future, will
5 ordinarily control his action and he will
@ do nothing offensive to them"
5 In large degree that expresses the
/. truth In respect to Gen. Grants admin
a istration. 1t is what its leaders have
! made it. Four years ago, in my open
v ing address as candidate tor governor, |
8 expressed my personal respect for Gen
r Grant in the opinion that the people had
Y from him than from the malign and pow
r full influences with which he would be
. surrounded lou all know that the re
Y suits have more than realized my predc
r tons. Civil service reform is now
sneered at, and has ceased to be even q
pretence. Wasteful expenditures have
/, continued, and official misconduct ha:
! become widespread and alarming. Surely
u the president cannot be relieved of re
: sponsibility for so shameful condition
! OF public affairs, but yet the administra
ton Is, In the main, what
The PARTY MANAGERS
Make it. viii it be otherwise ii thai
, party elects the successor. Do you fine
i The ground of such hope and expecta
1 ton in the candidate himself DO yol
claim that he is person OF higher per
: sonal integrity than Gen. Grant, Ant
r that nc will more certainly keep hi
v pledges to the peopleY Or do you thinl
!. he is man OF stronger will to stand b,
4 his convictions and his pledgesg Gen
\ Grant had four years Of civil eXperienc,
: when he pledged himself and his admin
r istration to reform. Even he was no
:. strong enough to achieve success in the
! midst Of adverse influences which part,
a and party leaders brought about him
!. The failure has been so disastrous a. t
i. cause leading Republican newspape
"A to exciaim
" The Republican party has reache
d the decisive crisis in its history. Within
n short time il will shake itself clear {
ar the rascalities which have disgraced, G
n. 90 down to dishonor and defeat" =
le In every state there are thousands {
| XntaFs WhnEn