Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-19
B. B. B.

Boston Banquets Bristo,c aud Bristo,c
Joins With the Bondholders Who Feed
Him--Liketcise Reformer.
BosroS, Mass, Jan. 1s.-The banquet ten
derei to Hon. B. h. Bristow by Gov. Rice and
1900 leading citizens took place tonight.
Martin Brcmmer presided, and about $50 gem
tlemen were present. Gen. Bristow was hearth
ly received, and in the course of his address
said: Tt is an elementary principle of politi-
cal economy that a stable currency is
essential to substantial prosperity. 1t
is even of greater Importance to the
producing AID laboring classes than to
owners of accumulated capital The most
mischevious and dangerous idea that has been
advanced in this country in the discussion of
what is called the currency question, is the one
which attempts to delude the people into the
belief that there is an antagonism between
labor and capital; that the accumulated wealth
OF the older States is the enemy of the
laborer and producer of newer and growing
States. The West and South require the aid of
the accumulated capital of the East to open
mines, plant and gather crops,
build Cities and in thousand
ways to develop the latent wealth of the vast
and fertile part of our common country. He
who attempts to aleniate sections by appeals to
passion or fallacious arguments on currency
questions Is the enemy of both sections and
should be trusted by neither. The nearest pos
sible approach to absolute stability in standard
value is best for the interests of all. Depart
ures from such standard and resort to currency
OF varying and unsteady value works q general
injury to all sections and interests but the
greatest loss at last falls upon the producer for
In that use capital will be diverted from its le-
gltimate employment in aid of production and
used In specializing margins and fuctu-
atoms which such currency inevitably creates.9
The use of currency of unequal value effects
more injuriously the laborer and producer of
raw material. Ragged and mutilated bills and
the laborer and producer, while gilt-edge pa
per lies snugly away in the vaults of bankers
and capitalists. If the currency be coin of
two kinds and of unequal value, the cheaper
will always find its way into the pockets of
labor. Not only the best interests of all classes
the preservation and prosperity of our common
country require that the nation shall keep faith
with all its creditors. Having promised dol
lars it must pay dollars. But the promise does
not attach alone to interest bearing obligations
OF the government. 1t applies equally and
alike to treasury notes. In time of great pub
lie e1igency to fail of full and complete per-
formance i'll either case, would bring discredit
and dlshonOr on the government, and disgrace
upon us as people. Every device or scheme
whereby 1t IL sought to discharge the public
promise to pay dollar by delivery of anything
less than dollar, is practical reputation, and
merits and will eventually receive the condem-
nation of the majority of the people.
Civil service reform was the other topic dis
cussed. In brief address Gen. Bristow said
the organized movement for reform may be
said to be in it's infancy but there is much to
complete success. But first of all we know
we are right. The great Republican par
ty of the country at its national convention in
1876, adopted and engrafted into it's platform
resolution in favor of the principle for which
we contend. The first thing to be accomplished
in this movement for reform is the abolition of
an abuse of administration which has been the
growth of years. This clearly seen and
plainly declared by the representatives of the
Republican party at Cincinnati. They de-
manded a restoration of the just constitutional
powers of the executive branch of the govern
ment. They declared that Senators and Rep
resentatives in Congress who may be judges
and accusers, should not dictate appointments,
and that the chief executive of the
nation being responsible under the con-
stitution and answerable to the representatives
of the people for the proper performance of his
duty in this regard, should be wholly untram-
meled by the vicious practice which bad hith-
erto prevailed. This blow at the root of the
evil was followed by bold, manly, clear letter
of acceptance from the nominee for President.
Gov. Hayes. There was no lowering of the
standard which had been lifted in Cincinnati;
on the contrary, it was still higher advanced.
Having succeeded in electing their President,
friends of reform everywhere rejoiced at the high
stand taken by him in his inaugural address.
In view of those significant facts surely re-
formers have reason to despair of final and
and absolute success. The charge that reform
ers are mere doctrinaries and impractical in
politics. is fully met by the declaration of the
Cincinnati platform, that the party in favor
should have those places where harmony and
yigor Of administration require its policy to
be represented. The party which is able to
elect president can always furnish, for such
places, men who fill the highest requirements
of true civil service, but in the choice of these
the Executive must be left free and untram-
melled by dictation from those who have been
chosen to represent the people in the legisla-
tive branch of the government. Let us re-
member that where principle is involved con-
cessien is dangerous.
Addresses were also made by Mayor Pierce,
Speaker Long, Richard Fl. Dana, jr., Gen. Jo-
seph R. Hawley, Marshal Jewell, Joseph Ropes,
Prest. Chadburne, Of Williams college, Profs
Everett and Thayer, of Harvard college The
speakers were decidedly enthusiastic in com
mendation of the public services of MIR. Bris-
tow, and his informal nomination for the Pres
idency was greeted with the heartiest applause.