Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-07-29

tai habits fit him clearly to distinguish on
the political field good from evil, not only
in the abstract, but in the confusing null
tiplicity and variety of forms in which
things appear in reality; whether he will
be sufficiently equipped to penetrate, re-
strain, and battle the wiles of political in
trigue and the conflicts of faction among
the friends, which always surround the
chief magistrate of great commonwealth;
whether he will show himself fitted to
move on that field of civil action and duty,
where forces are handled and directed not
by mere rule of command and obedience,
but by finding the just measure of frmncss
and moderation in the pursuit of great OBJ
Iects and resistance to evil influences. L
cannot impress it too strongly on your
minds that there can be no greater differ
ence than that between the handling of
troops in campaign and the handling of
the political forces of a great people and
the handling of the political affairs of a
great government
What have we to expect from a demo-
cratic victory? Is it the maintenance of
our public faith? While there are promi-
nent opponents of Reputation in the dem
Ocratic party, it is a notorious fact that all
the elements hostile to the constitutional
discharge of our national obligations, have
also gathered under the same banner
Nearly..all, if not all the states that have
repudiated or speak of repudiating their
own debts, are democratic states, with
heavy democratic maiorities, furnishing
democratic electoral votes and congress
men, Who will tell me that it is certain
they viii be more conscientious with re-
gard to the national debt than they
showed themselves with regard to their
own? Have we right TO expect a sound
financial policy? While there are many
good, sound money men in the democratic
party, it is equally well known that the
democratic party has irresistiblY attracted
to It's fold a very large majority of the
greenbackers, infationists and fat-money
men. 1t has, indeed, in its national plat
forms of late declared for sound money;
but i'll 1876, while it pronounced for re-
sumption it demanded at the same time
the repeal of the resumption law. | ask
what would have become of resumption
had the resumption law been repealed?
But while thus speaking of sound money
in their national platforms, is it not equal
ly true in large number of the states the
most prominent intationists are put for
ward for the highest hOnors followed by
the masses of their party? So General
Ewing, In Ohio, so General Butler, in
Massachusetts, so Mr.. Landers, in Indiana
while in Maine democrats and green
hackers fuse, in cordial embrace, and while
in many of the western and most Of the
southern states the democrats almost en-
masse represent unsOund financial ideas
Is it not true that, to the very last, re-
sumption was opposed in congress by
democratic congressman? Why, when
General Hancock was nominated the at
traction for the greenbackers seemed to be
so strong that the venerable Peter Cooper
and Generel Sam Cary, of Ohio, were
among the first to pay their devotion and
wish him success.
Now, can anybody foretell what will hap
pen III these respects
IN CASE OF A DEMOCRATIC VICTORY?
In fact we do not know whether the advo-
Gates of the public faith or the repudi-
ationists, whether the hard-money men or
the inliationists, are the strongest element
in the democratic party throughout the
country, and which of these elements will
control its policy. | appeal to you as bust
ness men, am | going too far in saying
that all this is dark, and that in voting the
democratic ticket you will take a gambling
chance, and that chance being rather
against you? Are YOU prepared, tax-pay-
chance under such circumstances?
But one thing is certain, that the demo-
cratic party, in its fashion, will reform the
civil service. That it will certainly do; it
will do it according to an old democratic
principle, ito the victOrs belong the
spoils." That principle is of democratic
origin, and the democratic party has adj
hered to it with fidelity worthy of the
best cause. Other parties were infected
by it, but the democratic party may claim
the glory of its paternity and its most I'M
swerving advocacy. 1t may abandon any
other principle, but not that. If there
ever was a democrat, either ut the head OF
the organization or in the ranks, who has
proved recreant to that great doctrine, and
made proclamation of his opposition to it,
| do not know his name. 1t is so closely
interviewer with the traditions of that par
ty that | doubt very much whether it
could be abandoned without destroying the
party's existence. That great word, the
cohesive power of public plumber" had its
first and most pointed application to the
democracy. And, indeed, when we look at
the heterogeneous clements to-day, it is
not easy to imagine any other cohesive
power which could hold them together.
If General Hancock, or any other leader,
should signify his intention to abandon ii,
every democrat in the land would receive
the news with an ironical smile, and SIM
ply say that that leader knew a trick or
two. If such an intention were debated,
and the declaration believed, it is not I'M
likely that their hosts would disband at
once. When the democracy, therefore,
speaks of
4 REFORM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE,
the meaning of that term, in the light OF
history and of the tendencies at present
prevailing, can be nothing else than that
the reform shall consist in putting out all
the republicans and putting in all demo-
Gratis in their places: What a reform that
would be. How the north and south would
| shake over the bloody chasm filled with
such good things, What host of men
would be marching upon the capital from
all parts of the compass, each one feeling
that he was born to serve the public, and
| that the government cannot get on without
him. 1t is said that at the present mo-
ment, when the democracy feels sanguine
of success, as it always does, the most pop
ular work of literature with democrats,
even with those who never read a book be-
fore, is the Blue Book" being the reqis-
ter of offices under the government, with
salaries attached, each active democrat Sc
| lecting his, and many the same.
Now let us see what that sort of demo-
cratic reform in the civil service really
means and what its effect would be- Look
at the present condition of the service. |
have already admitted that the reform of
it was not gone so far as was intended and
was desirable, but l may say also that
more has been accomplished than has
been generally known and believed. | re-
| peat, it is an almost universally acknowl-
edged fact that at present the business is,
on the whole, well and honestly conducted
in the government Offices. The revenues
are collected with remarkable fidelity, and