The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-10-13
To the young Men.

All young men, VINO. this year, will
cast their first vote, should consider well
their action, and be careful to ally them
selves to the party that is struggling for
honesty, economy and better administra-
ton of public affairs. They should avoid
association, politically, with the party of
which Cameron, Chandler, Morton. Bel
KNAPP, Butler, Boss Shepard, Babcock,
Avery, Jake Rehm. Blaine, Robson,
Logan, Mckee, and that class of corrupt
and dishonest men are leaders and man.
ayers, and join hands with Charles Francis
Adams, Francis W. Bird. Prof. Sumner,
Prof. Shaler, Geo. w. Julian, Lucias
Robinson, Dorsheimer. Kerner, Trumbull,
Farnsworth, Doolittle, Gov. Palmer. Judge
Davis, Seymour, Bayard, Thurman,
Hendricks, Gov. Curtin. Gen. Hancock,
Gen. Corse, Gen. Denver, Gen. Sigel,
Gen. Mcclellan, Gen. Hooker, Gen. Bart
lett, Gen. Newton. and thousands more OF
the purest patriots in the land in carrying
ULcle Sam Tilden into the presidential
chair, and controlling the incoming party
in the interest of good government. The
young men should startwith view of help
ing good government and putting down
bad men md corruption and extravaganza.
They will not regret, 10 after life, that
they helped elect the man who broke down
the Tweed Ring, the Canal Ring, reduced
taxes 10 New York one half and compelled
honesty and economy in every department
Of the state. The young and rising men
of the country should feel pride in help
ing place Mr. Tilden where he can, on a
larger scale, do for the whole country
what he has done for New YORK. Mr.
Charles Francis Adams iu writing to the
Young MeL's Democratic Club of New
York said
The experience of the last eight years of shame
ful profgacy Ia the direction of public hairs, be
ginning with the history the Credit Mobilier ard
concluding with the exposures made during the
last session o. congress points to but one safe re-
suit TO be arrived at III the present election That
result is a thorough change of adm nistraton and
for one am tired of compromises with Corruption
and pledges OF future amend ment, while the same
fatal influences that have brought to disgrace
Continue in the ascendant Unless the people
speak this yer In an unequIvocal manner there
Will be no thorough reform possible hereafter
The last sentence is specially significant
Governmental ref orm cannot be put
of to more convenient season. We
must have it now or never. And it is a
fact which honest and patriotic citizens
ought not to forget, that the Republican
party, which from 1860 to 1872 was pro-
fuse in its professions of reform, has drop
ped them altogether in the campaign of
1876. Neither in the platform adopted at
Cincinnati nor in Hayes's letter of accept
ance, nor in his previous career as public
man, can there be found single unmis-
taxable and emphatic promise that, in
event of Republican success, reform will
be promptly inaugurated and persistently
maintained, On the other hand. we have
only to read Republican newspapers and
Republican speeches to see that the re-
form mask has been dropped altogether,
and that the organs and leaders of the
party are opposed to any and every
movement in the direction of reform.
Mr.. Adams tells US most solemn truth
when he says: Unless the people speak
this year in an unequivocal manner, there
will be no thorough reform possible here
after" The reason is plain. The ques-
ton submitted to the country is reform.
1t the people declare by their votes that
no change for the better is necessary, be-
cause things are we'll enough as they are
is it likely the Republican party will force
upon the people something they have just
said they do not want? When was there
ever party that was more virtuous than
the popular pressure compelled it to be
When was there ever a party that vent
right when the popular voice encouraged
it to go wrong?
If Hayes is elected, we shall have bet
ter president than the present incumbent,
but the party to which he belongs will be
vastly worse. Republican victory will
stamp reform into dead issue. If it is
ever resurrected, it will be when too late.
The current of national corruption can be
stemmed if taken now. Give it four more
years to gather strength and momentum
and no human instrumentality can arrest
its headlong course The government has
reached the crisis Of its fate. 1t canno,
stand still. 1t must grow better, or ii
must grow worse. 1t must be reformed,
or it must pass from one graduation of de-
cay to another until decentralization ends
in destruction. NoU is the accepted time;
noa0 is the day of salvation. This oppor-
tunity lost and no other will come, Though