Marshall County Republican., 1876-08-10

borrow. Consumption has fallen be- !
low Il e natural limits of reasonable |
economy. The prices of many things I
below their range. In the frugal specie /
paying times before the cival war vast |
masses of currency laid in the banks |
unused. A year and-a-half ago legal ]
tenders were at their largest volume, /
and S11 100000 since retired have been !
replaced by first issues of 100000. 900 |
of bank notes. In the meantime the !
banks have been surrendering about /
S4,000,o0O month because they can
not find profitable use for so many
of their notes. The public mind will /
10 longer accept shams. 1t has suffered |
enough from illusions. An insincere
policy Increases distruSt. An unstable /
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 it
is doing SO through prudent, safe and
conservative methods which will be
sure to intlict no new sacrifice on the
business of the coun ry. Then the in
spiration of new hoi.e and a we'll
founded confidence viii hasten the re-
sperity will begin to return. The st.
Louis convention concludes its express
sion in regard To the currency by a de-
caration of its convictions as the prac-
tical results of the system of proper
alton il demands. 1t rays: "We
believe such a system, well devised and
above all. intrusted TO competent hands
for eX, cution, creating at no time AZ
artificial scarcity of currency, and at
no time farming the public mind into
Il withdrawal of that vaSter machinery
of credit by which 95 per cept. of all
business transactions are performed, II
system open. public. and inspiring geii
eral confidence, would from the day of
/ its adoption bring healing in its wings
! to all our harassed Industries. set in
motion the wheels al.c0mmerce, manu-
/ fac; uring IN d mechanical arts, restore
employment to labor. and renew in all
/ its natural resorces the prosperity of
the people. Tile government of the
! United States, in my opinion. can adj
vance TO a resumption of specie pay
ment on its legal-tender notes by a
/ gradual and safe process. extending To
relieve the present business distress.
If charged by the people with the ad-
ministration of the executive office, |
should deem it duty to exercise the
powers with which it has been or may
be invested by congress as best, and
soonest to conduct the country to that
beneficial result. The convention Justly
affrms that reform is necessary TO its
publication. necessary to its economy
and its efficiency. necessary in order
that the ordinary employment of public
business HAY not be a prize fought for
at the ballot-box-a brief reward of
party zeal, instead of posts of honor
assigned for proved competency and
held for fidelity in the public employ.
The convention wisely allowed that
reform, is necessary even more in the
higher grades of the public service
the president, vice-president. judges,
senators, representatives. and cabinet
officers. These and all others i'm au-
thority are not private perqusite.
They are a public trust. Two evils in
fest the official service of the federal
government. One is prevalent and de-
muraliZing. the notion that the public
service exists not for the business AMI
benefit of the whole people but for the
interest of the oilice-holders, who are
, in truth but the servants of the pee pie
Under the il fluence of this perEicous
error. public employments have been
multiplied. the numbers of those gath.
cred into the ranks of the otiice-hOlders
have been steadily increased beyond
any possible requirement of public
business. while Inefficiency, specula-
ton. fraud. and malversatior of public
funds from high places of power to the
lower have overspread the whole SER
vice like "a leprosy. The other evil IS
the organization of the official class
into "a body of mercenaries. governing
caucuses and debating the nominations
of theii own party and attempting 10
carry the elections of the people by un-
due infu nee and by immense corrup-
tion frauds, Systematically collected
from the salaries and fees of Office
holders. The official class i'm other
countries, sometimes by its own weight.
and sometimes in alliance with the
army, has been able To rule unorgan-
lied masses even under universal suf-
/ frage. Here IL has always grown into
a gigantic power capable of sitting in
sprants of sound public opinion and
| of resisting any easy change of admin
istration until nlisgoyernment becomes
intolerable and public spirit has been
stung 10 the pitch of "a civic revolution
The first step in ieform is the elevation
of the standard by which the appoint
ing power selects agents To execute
official trusts. Next i'm Importance is
"a conscientious fidelity in the exercise
OF authority 10 hold to account and
displace untrustworthy or incapable
subordinates. The public interest in
an honest, skillful performance of
official trust mist not be sacrificed TO
the opinions of an incumbent. After
these immediate steps which will in
sure the exhibition of better examples.
we may wisely go on the abolition
OF unnecessary officers, and finally To
the patient and careful organization of
a better civil service system under "A
test. wherever practicable. of proved
competency and fidelity. While much
may be accomplished by these methods,
1t might encourage delnsive expacta-
tiOn IL l withheld here the expression
of my conviction that no reform of the
civil service in this country will be
complete aud permanent until its chief
magistrate is c0nstitutionally d;squali-
ell III reelection. experience having
repeatedly exposed the futilty or self
imposed restriction 10y candidates OF
incumbents. Through this solemnity
only can be effectually delivered from
his greatest temptation 10 misuse the
power and patronage with which the
executive is necessarily charged. Edu- /
Gated In the belief that il is the first |
duty of citizen of the republic 10 take !
his fair allotment. The care and trou-
bic IN public affairs. have for forty I!
years as private citizen fulfilled that !
duty. Though occupied In an unusual I
degree during all that period with the 4
concerns of the government. have I
never acquired the habit of Official life. /
When year and half ago | enteTe
upon my present trust IL was in order
To consummate the reforms to which |
had already devoted several of the best
years of my life. Knowing as l do,
therefore. from fresh experiences how
great the difference is between gliding
through an official routine, working
out "a reform of systems and policies,
II Is impossible for me To contemplate
what needs to be done in the federal
administration withaut AN anxious
sense of the difficulties of the under
taking. If summoned by the suffer
ages of my countrymen to attempt this
work | shall endeavor with Gods help
to be the efficient instrument of their
n eRfs