The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-08-25


REFORM AND REPLACEMENT.
The speaker then commended and
defended the civil service policy of
the President. He said: "The Presi
dent has not and never did object to
the most active men being appointed
to and aspiring for Office.
He would naturally select from
among the most active men in pri.
vate life those who are to hold public
offices, and other things being equal
would select one of his own party
rather than one of the adverse party.
But where any one has attained office
either by appointment or election he
ought not to consider that he is
therefore to be the ruling, guiding
manager ofconventions and caucuses.
In regard to retrenchment in the
civil service he said:
"This has been done in all the de
partments, but mainly in the Treas
ury Department, which, from the
magnitude Of its operations, employs
throughout the United States about
| twelve thousand persons. In one
bureau alone, that of engraving and
printing, the force was reduced 500
person, making an annual saving of
100000. In New York there has
been saving in the custom-house Of
S255.020, Baltimore S47 ,297, New
Orleans $685. 400, San Francisco S73,-
440, Philadelphia $50, $50, Boston
$122,740, and other ports of the
United States S70,654, marking a re-
duction in customs service since
March 4. 1877, Of S72l 1856 year.
This process will be extended to all
the internal revenue offices of the
United States, with a very large
saving of expenses"
The speaker went on to show
further saying by reductions in rents
contracts, shutting down on old
claims, d., and added that d close
and careful readjustment Of the civil
service upon basis Of current bust
ness principles will bring our nation
al expenditures within the amount
of such moderate taxes on whisk cy.
tobacco and beer, and a reasonably
moderate duty on imported goods
as while furnishing protection to our
own industries will not cripple our
commerce or place our industries at
a disadvantage in foreign competi-
ton.
THE HARD TIMES AND THE STRIKES.
The speaker in speaking of the
hard times said "And so it happens
that under any government, what
ever may be its form. ifpanic or
hard times, or over production, or a
pestilence, famine or plague comes,
the men in office are made the scape-
goats for trouble, which it is far
beyond their power to produce or
remedy He dWelt at length on the
depression of trade in all parts Of the
world, and referred to the recent
railroad and labor strikes as follows ::
"Every man Of you is deeply in
terested in the strength and power Of
this government, though its opera
tons may be far from you. This
was shown in the impartial service
rendered by the general government
in the recent wide extended strikes
! by the employees Of railroads, which
reached from Philadelphia to New
7 Orleans, and effected all the great
trunk lines of the country, and for a
time paralyzed several powerful
States. For a time it threatened civil
war and anarchy, and caused a large
destruction oflife and property. The
administration was called upon by
a the governors Of West Virginia and
Maryland, two democratic States, to
I aid in putting down domestic yio-
lence. ,f fn ' .a. n. }ff.w
"Our small army was scattered
over the western country. The last
I House of Congress had refused to
appropriate for pay or supplies for
the armies lest forsooth it might be
used in State to put down domestic
violence. These calls. We're promptly
met by President Hayes, and by a
judicions use of the small force at his
command and by the skiIlful action
4 ofthe officers in command the regu-
u Lar, army was the chief means OF
suppressing domestic violence ex-
tending to many States, and which
could almost be classified as civil
war. 'f2N'D
'"'No just man viii withhold from
the administration fair praise for Il
difficult task we'll done. The strikes
bring prominently into America
politics the contest between capital
and labor that fpr many years dis
turbed Great Britain and was the
foundation of scenses Of the region OF
!. terror during the French revolution