The Russellville Democrat., 1876-08-17

ttN VI NoisiiCitlai Cfeutt, dlIu tusht these reforms, together with the of a pure government will restore general confidence, useful investments of capital, furnish employment for labor and relieve the country from the paralysis of hard times.
 With the industries of the peo- pie there have been frequent in references. Our platform truly says that many industries have been impoverished to subsidize a few; our commerce degraded to an inferior position on the high seas; manufactures have been diminished; agriculture has been embarrassed, and the distress of industrial classes demand that these things shall be reformed The burdens of the people must also be frightened by 8 change in our system of public expenses. The profligate expenses which increased taxation from s per capita in 1860 to SIS in 1870, tells it's own story of our need of fiscal reform.
 Our treaties with foreign pow CTS should also be revised and amended, in so far as they leave citizens of foreign birth, in any particular, less secure in any country on earth than they would be if they had been born upon oar soil.
 The iniquitous coolie system, which, through the agency of wealthy companies imports Chi nese bondsmen and establishes . species of slavery, and interferes with the just rewards of labor on our Pacific coast, should be utter ly abolished.
 In the reform of our civil ser vice, I most heartily endorse that section of the platform which de- clares that the civil service ought not to be subj ct to change every election, and that it ought not to be made a brief reward of party zeal, but ought to be awarded for proved competency and held for fidelity in public employment. l hope never again to see the cruel and remorseless prescription for political opinions which has disgraced the administration of the last eight years. Bad as the civil service now is, we all know it has some men of tried integrity and ability, such men, and such men only, should be retained in office; but no man should be re- taincd, under any consideration, who has prostituted his office to purposes of partisan intimidation or compulsion, or who has fur nished money to corrupt cleo tions. This is done and has been done in almost every county of the land. It is a blight upon the morals of the country and ought to be reformed.
 Of sectional coctentions and Tn respect to our common schools, 1 have only this to say, that in ny judgment the man or party that would involve our schools in po- litical or sectional controversies is an enemy to schools. The common schools are so far under the protecting care of all the peo- pie, and not under the control of any party or sect. They must be neither sectarian nor partisan, and there must be neither divis- ion or misappropriation of the funds for their support. Like wise 1 regard the man who would arouse or foster sectional animos- ities and antagonisms among his countrymen as a dangerous enc my to his country. All people must be made to feel and know that once more there is an estab- lished purpose ana policy under which all citizens, of every condi- tion, race and color, will be secure in the enjoyment of whatever rights the constitution and laws declare 'or recognize, and that in controversies that may arise the government is not a partisan, but within it's constitutional authori- ty a just and powerful guardian of the rights of safety. All strife between sections and between races will cease as soon as the