Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-08-16

tne persons ana property ol the whole PEG.
pie, which are proposed, submitted to the
people for rejection or adoption
Make all wilful violations of the Con
stitu'ion capital offense and all Illegal
voting and tampering with the ballot box
a felony, and perpetually disfranchise the
guilty party. Add TO this
A PLATFORM
l. A declaration that competency and
honesty shall be requisites for official posi-
! ton.
g That class legislation shall not be
/ tolerated that taxation shall be equal,
based on property and population that
trade shall be free that all circulating
mediums shall be based on and redeemable
In coin, and the quantity To be issued
shall be left to the law OF demand and sup
| ply, without the incubus of usury laws.
3. That the minority must be repre-
sented, and the free ballot allowed for that
purpose.
With this simple declaration the whole
ground has been covered and enough has
been said. All the rest is matter of detail
in legislation. If strictly carried out there
can be no monopolies, no oppression of
the weak by the strong, no intolerance by
majorities, and no great danger to the lib
critics of the people"
You will observe do not propose
new purity; but new organization, or re-
organization of old ones. | do not under
stand your aim in saying took my pay as
Senator. My pay was about 500; and
the net cash cost To me of my absence was
over $1,000; in extra expenses, actual
loss, etc; caused by absence from nv
business and the necessary disposition OF
matters to enable me TO continue absent;
besides deal of extra hard work for the
public for which one gets more censure
than thanks; and implied charges of selfish
ends when none ever existed.
[ hold that every man who serves i'm
Office should be the most competent one
the people can obtain and should be held
to strict duty and accountability, and
should he literally paid enough to make
the Office respectable To not require the
officer TO be Leggar the pay should be ii
certain salary and all fees or costs should
go TO the government
What merchant would expect his book
keeper to furnish his own books, station
AIRY, or additional clerk hire il the bust.
ness was too large for one man?
What mandatory would expect its
foreman to furnish the machinery or pay
the workmen? And what nonsense it is
to expect county clerk to furnish the
stationary for his office, or depend on un-
certain fees and be required TO pay uncer.
expensesy All offices should be made
respectable; I. by liberal pay: 2. by GER
tain salary to the officer; 3. by fixed du-
ties; 4. by separating the officer from con-
nection with fees; >. by separating linn
from all questions OF expenses of the
Office q by government doing its bust
ness as all wise and prudent men do their
bushes in employing assistants and paying
for services: and thus remove and dimin-
ish all possible Inducements and chances
| for rings" and 'steals" in Office; and last,
by holding TO strict accountability.
Again, rotation" in Office should cease.
The people should be permitted to keep "a
man in Office as long as they find him COM
petent and honest, and desire 10 have him
there; just as much ss n business house is
permitted TO retain faithful and compe-
tent employee.
When an official proves to be incompe-
tent or corrupt he should be removed.
When he insults tire public by immoral
conduct, even though he be competent
and honest IN his Office, he should be re-
pudiated and droppcd and it is the duty
of Republican anu Democrat alike, to see
that il is done. Parties should exist only
for an end; as individuals who want a
| particular thing done by government. or
relating To government acting in concert;
while those opposed, acting in concert,
make the other party. When the thing
has been done or been repudiated. the OBJ
ject of the party has been accomplished,
and the members, as citizens only, and not
par.izans, have only the common good to
consider, until some other public question
arises, to call for the action or formation,
or growth of party. Suppose Plymouth
raises the question of water works. Par
ties form: one for and the other against
IL is decided to have the water works.
There is no further use for either party,
and all the members become citizens hav-
/ ing only the good of the town at heart.
Suppose the question arises of the Holly
system, or some other system or whether
we shall have stand pipe or reservoir;
parties form again, for and against, and
the question is settled by the majority and
the end being gained the party ceases To
exist.
"Democmt" and "Republican' mean
nothing any longer. as they did when each
had clean. distinctive questions of public
] policy affecting the whole people. So far
as the two parties hold together--for
neither acts as unit and the members of
both are divided ON the same subjects
! they do So, as much on the principle of a
neighborhood or family quarrel and feud
as on any thing else. They have been
opposed and neither can see any good in
the other and they will stay opposed be
cause one says he is Democrat and, the
other says he is not a Democrat AMI is
Republican.
As we live we should learn: as we learn
We should act; as we act we should en-
deavor To SO act as TO accomplish the most
good and the least evil
In my way. ana according TO my best
light presented certain questions on this
principle in my speech ut Valparaiso. II
you have better way let us have IL. Ii
you have aot, II avails nothing 10 bring
either fidicule or censure on me or my
propositions. III they are not worthy of
notice you waste time In noticing them.
IL they are worthy of notice, their errors
should be pointed out and the right way
suggested I; or, ifnot erroneous but bet
ter way exists it should be proposed
Ii you can show any other use for a party
than have shown shall be glad to learn
IL and if you can show any higher or
party than have shown 1 shall Ire glad to
act upon it. IL you are wiser than / am |
shall be glad To learn ofyou bat you can.
not be any more honest or sincere than /
am, however may err in the manifesto
ton Of 1t. s c. III. REEVE.
We agree with the Senator on the
uses Of political party. but how he
expects to sustain such a principle in
the Democratic fold is the mystery
that bothers us. A man miSht preach
such doctrine with some show OF hav-
ing IL adopted in the Republican party.
This was demonstrated in Mr.. Reeves
election, 1t being we'll known fact
that largo nnmbers OF Republicans
voted for him. But In the Demo-
cratic party demagguery is the only
thing which wins. The best defini-
ton OF n Democratic politician we