The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-05-27
DAVID DAVIS.
THE ILLINOIS sTATEMAN'S SEN
TIMENTS ON LEADING QUES.
TIONS.
N-
Civil Service, the Third Term, Capitalization,
Corporations, Public Lands, subsi-
dies, Revision Of Tariff,
Economy Etc.
DAVID DAVIS.

Washington, May % The following CORE.
spondence between o, H. Browning, formerly
Secretary Of the interior, and Hon. David Davis,
United States Senator from Illinois, will be pub
lished.here to morrow:
Quincy, ILL.,, May 6.-MY DEAR JUDGE The ap.
preaching close of the present session of Congress,
will, 1t Is to he feared leave questions unsettled
which are of large public interest and which ma
terIslly affect the peace and prosperity OF the
Union. Many of your friends in this State and
throughout the West had hoped, and indeed had
expected, that the opportunity would have been
offered in the Senate by which your views on
these matters could have been made known TO the
country. 1t unfortunately happens amidst the
distraction OF party and the Btrifes OF rival amb
tions, that the voice OF the statesman Is hushed
too often when wise counsel is most needed. This
was never more true than at the present time
The country is Just emerging from long period
of trial and suffering. The people seek rest from
the angry dscords, and desire TO avoid the repe.
litlOn OF perils through which they have passed.
They crave good government statutely and per-
feet reconciliation between the sections. The
statesman who can achieve these great objects
will be public benefaClor. have ventuTed 10
embody in the form Of inquiries appended TO this
letter, some OF the subjects upon which your
opinions are desired If 1t be agreeable to you to
comply with the request Of large body OF voters
and friends without distinction of party
Truly your friend,
o H. BROWNING.
Hon. DAVID DAVIS, U. Senate.
Washington, May Amy DEAR sIR:-I have
had the pleasure to receive letter of the sixth
instant. AS constituent, friend and an hon
orable citizen of Illinois, you have perfect right
to ask for my views on public questions and
have no hesitancy in expressing them, taking the
INQUIRIES in the order presented.
Peace In the Union Permanent prosperity and
fraternsl fellowship are only to be attained by ST.
lencing sectional strife, A faithful adherence to
the Constitution and ell the amendments, strict
observance OF the 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, The
people are weary Of agitation and want peace.
Capitalization The Constitution wisely defines
the respective limits Of the Federal and State
Governments under happy and harmonious
system, wherein each Is independent in its ap
propriate sphere and both operate concurrently
to protect the integrity and stability Of union
Any encroachment Of one on the distinctive do.
main Of the other necessarily dislocates the ma
CllleEy VI Lu6 OUublltuuUu huu luNOlNOb uhuBCI
to the whole body polite, Iu fact departure
from the great charter Of liberty and law ia at.
tended with peril The demand made by the ad.
herents OF one Of the great parties for strong gov
ernment, means substantially centralized Govern.
ment, destructive of home rule In the states, and
the very reverse Of what Mr.. Lincoln well de-
scribed as a Government of the people, for the
people and by the people. Carried to It's logical
conclusion such change would eventually over
throw the Republic.
The Third Term-An innovation upon the
sanctlfed traditions of the Presidency first estab
lished by the example OF Washington, is urgently
demanded by powerful interest in the Republi
can party. II the limitation Of two terms, hereto
fore universally accepted, be destroyed, the way
to a self.perpetuating Presidency will be opened
by the use and abuse Of enormous public patron
age. Break down this barrier and an end OF the
experiment Of Republican Government looms up
darkly at the cost Of fatal concession,
Great COrporatiOns-The rapid growth OF corpo'
rate power and the malign influence which 1t
exerts by combinations on National and state
Legislatures, is well grounded cause of alarm
struggle is impending In the near future be
tween this Overgrown power, with its vast rant
ficatous all over the Union, and hard grip on
much Of the political machinery, on one hand
and the people in an unorganized condition on
the other hand, for the control OF the Government
1t will be watched by every patriot with intense
anxiety.
Civil Service Neither the laws or the commits.
slons created under them will eheCtually reform
the many and glaring abuses OF civil service, The
former have been col stantly evoked and the lat
Ter are pOWerless for good. An honest Executive
bent on real and simulated reform, has abundant
authority to make 1t effective everywhere, If he
has the capacity to see his duty and the courage
to perform it,
Subsidies Experience has demonstrated that
subsidies in any form are sources Of corruption,
and ought to be forbidden Private enterprises
that depend for success upon legislation procured
hxy uanal aUnnnipg d0 mt dngpfVn DuOltp favor.
Public Lands More than hundred and htty
millions of dollars, with interest, have been voted
by Congress to railroad corporations, The re-
naming lands should be saoredy reserved for
the culivatOrs Of the soil, so that the laboring
man shall have chance to improve his condi'
tion and to open up a future for his children
away from the seductions Of the great cities
Revision of the Tariff-Tarif practically means
taxation, and all.taxatiOn not equitably adjusted
is Odious. While the interest on au oppressive
public debt the pensions earned with the blood
of the soldiers and sailors who fought for the
Union and the regular expenses Of carrying on
the Government are TO be met, duties on imports
must continue to furnish one Of the sources Of
revenue. So long as those duties are levied man.
ufacturers will be benefited according to the de
gree or mode In which these duties may be dis
tribued. The existing tariff Is regarded as a con-
fused mass of inCOngruities and mOnopolies, ere.
ated by special legislation and open to constant
fraud on the revenue It taxes the consumer
heavily Oh those articles especially that are most
uGbuGu ny lut NOllluB uhbotb' " lhAGh every
newspaper, every school b Ok every bible and
the salt Of the working men, with gross Injustice
because the poor pretense OF revenue does not
exist to cover the wrong. revision, therefore,
which shall be at once searching and fair, is de-
manded and should be promptly and efficiently
made.
The Public D.bt-The debt OF the United States
In round numbers Is two thousand millions, de
ducting the boarded coin in the Treasury The
interest upon It last year was one hundred mil
lions Thnpn pnnpllinp HpuFnu The TaOid
extinction Of this debt is to be desired, hrst be-
cause II diminisheS present burdens and the ad-
ditional reason that one of the effects OF person
al National debt is to create preferred class to
live on incomes and free from taxes under our
laws, Having the protection OF the Government
at home ard abroad, they would contribute moth
ing for Its support
Economy-It is practicable BY co operation be
tween the Executive and Congress TO reduce the
public expenditures many millions annually
without impairing the efficiency Of the public
service. Retrenchment is needed for the reduc.
ton Of taxes. but 1t is also needed because, If
properly administered II would become potent
factor In reforming the civil service.
ElectiOns-The ballot box should be the safe
guard Of the Republic for 1t is intended to express
the free will Of free people. Therefore, the
elections ought to be exempt from the presence
OF any menaclng force, and to be free from the
contamination OF corrupt returning boards No
party deserves confidence that seeks ascendenCy
by striking down honest sufTages, either by the
use of troops, by fraud or by Intimidation. 1t
would not be proper for me to express any opin.
ion upon the measures pending or proposed in
Congress MY votes will speak for themselves at
a fitting time,
Having thus freely answered your inquiries,
may add In conclusion, that my support will be
freely given to any candidate for President who
in good faith will strive to carry out this general
line OF policy, which, In my Judgment is Of far
more Importance than the ambition OF any man
or even the success Of any party,
As ever Your Friend,
nAvrD n1