The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-05-25
U. s. SEELrE, WASHINGTON,

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| May IA, 1880.
Ny Dear Sir-IhGve had the pleasure
to receive your letter of the 9th instant
As constituent, friend, and an honOreo
citizen OF Illinois, you have perfect
| right 10 AJAX for my views on public
questions, and l have no hesitation 10
expressing them, taking the inquiries in
the order presented. Peace in the Union,
permanent prosperity and fraternAl fell
! lowship are only to be obtained by silen-
cling sectional strife A faithful adhsr-
enee to the Constitution and all Amend
ments; Q strict observance Of laws In
conformity Herewith and equal rights
and equal protection for every citizen In
every part Of the republic will soon end
the discords that have too long Vexed the
| country and injured its material welfare.
People are weary Of agitation and want
peace.
Capitalization: The Constitution wisely
defiRes the respective limits Of federal
and state governments, under that happy
and harmonious system whsrsiu each is
Independent in its appropriate sphere,
and both operate coDcurrently to protect
the integrity and stability Of the Union.
Any encroachment on the distinctive
domain Of the other necessarily dillOcates
the machinery of the Constitution, and
involves danger to the whole body polite.
In fact, every departure frem the great
charter of liberty and law is attended
with peril The demand made by ad-
herents Of one Of the great parties
for strong government means substan-
TALLY q centralized government, destruc-
tive Of homo rule in states and the very
reverse of what Mr.. Lincoln well de-
scribed as q government of the people,
by the people and for the people. Car
ried to its logical conclusion, such
change would finally overthrow the Re-
public.
The third term: An innovation upon
the sancIi6ed traditions of the presidency
first established by the example Of WISH
ington is urgently demanded by power
fLl interest in the republican party. II
the limitation of two terms heretofore
universally accepted be destroyed, the
way to 8 -perpetuatiDg presidency
will be opened by the use and abuse Of
the enormous public patronage. Break
down this barrier, and an END of the sx-
pertinent of q republican government
looms up dsrkly as the cast of u fatal
concession.
Great corporations: The rapid growth
Of the corporate power and malign infu-
ence which it exerts by combinations in
national and state Legislatures, is we'll
grounded cause for alarm. A struggle il
impending In the near future between
this overgrown power, with its vast ram
iications all over the Union, and hard
grip on much of the political machinery
on one hand, and the people in an unor-
ganized condition on the other, for the
control of government. 1t will be
watched by every patriot with intense
anxiety.
Civil service: Neither laws nor COM
missions created under them will effect
ually remove the many and glazing
abuses of the civil service. The former
have been constantly evAded and the
latter are powerless for good; an honest
executive, bent on real and not simulated
reform, hiss abundant authority to make
it effective everywhere, if he has capacity
to see hiE duty and courage 10 perform it.
Subsidies: Experience has demon
strated that subsidies in any form are
sources Of corruption, and ought to be
forbidden. Private enterprises that
depend for success upon legislation
procured by venal agencies do not deserve
public favor.
Public lands: More than Sl50,0O0,-
600, principal snd interest, have
been voted by Congress to railroad cerpo-
rstions. The remaining lands should
be sacredly reserved for cultiYators ofthe
soil, so that the laboring man shall have
a chance to improve his condition, and
open a future for his children away from
the seduCtions Of q eat cities.
Revision of tariffs: Tariff practically
means taxation, and all taxation not
eauitably adjusted is oppressive. The
pensions earned with tbs blood ofsoldisrs
and sailors who fought for the Union,
and regular expenses Of carrying on
government, are 20 be met, and duties on
imports must continue to furnish one of the
sources of revenue; go long as those duties
are levied manufacturers will be bene-
fitted according to the degree, or mode in
which the duties may be distributed.
The existing tariff is regarded as = con-
fused mass Of incongruiiies and monop-
olies, created By . special legislationI
and open to constant fraud on the rsve-
nue.. 1t taxes the consumer heavily on
those articles, especially those that are
most needed by the toiling masses, taxes
every newspaper, every school book,
every Bible, and the salt Of the working
men, with gross injustice because Of the
poor pretense that revenue does not exist
TO cover the expenses. A revision, there
fore, which shall be at once searching
and fair, is demanded and should be
promptly and efficiently made.
The public debt: The debt of the
United States in round numbers is
81 600, 900 900, deducting the hoaEded
coin in the treasury. The interest upon
it last year was over 800, 000, 900. These
are appalling figures. The rapid extinc-
ton Of this debt is to be desired, first be-
cause it diminishes the present burden,
and for the additional reason that one
effect OF 8 personal national debt is to
create the preferred class to live on in
comes free from taxes under our laws,
having the protection of government at
homo and abroad; they would contribute
nothing to its support.
Economy: Is practicable by co0pe-
ration between the executive and Con-
gress to reduce public expenditures many
millions annually without impairiRg the
efficiency Of the public service. Retrench-
ment is needed for the reduction oftsxes,
but it is also needed, because If properly
administered, it would become potent
factor in reforming the civil service.
Elections: The ballot box should be
the safeguard of the republic, for It
is intended TO express the free will
of free people. Therefore elections
ought to be exempt from the presence of
any menacing force, and to be free from
the contamination Of corrupt returning
boards. No party deserves confidence
that seeks ascendADcy by striking down
honest SURFACES, either by the use Of
troops or by fraud or by intimidation.
1t would not be proper for me to express
any opinion upon the measures pending
or proposed in Congress. Ny votes will
speak for themselves at the fitting time.
Having thus freely answered your in
uuiries / may add in conclusion that my
support will be oheerfully given to any
candidate for president who, in good
faith, will strive 70 carry out this general
line Of policy, which, in my Judgment, II
| of far more importance than the ambition
of any men, or even the success Of any
party. Ever your friend,