The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-10-11

great work that was entrusted to it
saving the life of the Nation
when the party could look in upon
itself, take careful survey of the
errors which had grown into abuses
during those years OF objective war
fare, provide for the purification of
itself and a remedy for whatever
might be wrong in methods or man
agement.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM IN THE STATE.
take it for granted that the plat
form. So far as it relates to the ques-
tion of civil service reform and the
use of political influence for the at
tainment of personal ends, refers
rather to the National Administers
ton than to that of the State, and as
| am restricted in what | am to say
wholly to what concerns our State ad-
ministration, | am bound in candOr
and good faith to say that, having
been somewhat familiar with the
workings of our State government in
all It's departments, the rules laid
down by our last State convention,
governing the appointment of men
to official position on the ground OF
merit and fitness alone, have in the
main been observed by those who
are now at the head of the several
executive departments. | cannot
stop to enumerate individual instan-
ces, but those who are familiar with
our auditor Generals office, the
State treasury management, with
the offices of the attorney general
and acknowledgement, the State Ii
brary, with the insurance depart
ment, that of internal affairs and
with the Office of the secretary of the
commonwealth can recall numerous
instances in which places in one
or more Of these departments have
been filled by men of opposite polit-
ical views to the party in power
chiefly because of their fitness for
the places to which they have been
appointed. | recall now a gentleman
who has filed a place in the Office
of the secretary the commonwealth
for perhaps thirty years, who was
appointed under a Democratic ad-
ministration, and has held under
Governor Curtin and all who have
succeeded him as the executive cf
the State, and simply because of his
I fitness and eyueriaurp
The declaration of principles up
on this and cognate subjects con-
tanned in the platform Of the Repub-
lican party and that of the so-called
| Independents are identical the only
ground upon which any so-called
Republicans can justify a revolt in
this contest is that the platform is
| lie, and the candidates who stand
upon it are liars. Ia accepting the
nomination which was rendered me
by the unanimous voice of the 257
representatives of the Republican
party of the State. 100 of whom
were elected by the direct vote
of the people, | pledged myself TO
carry ont the principles of the party
as they were that day enunciated in
the platform. My colleagues upon
the ticket have each and every one
of them done the same thing. We
have sworn fealty to duty as well as
to party in promising to give honest,
full effect to that platform and to all
the principles and improvement in
methods it suggests or demands.
Our declarations are delusions and
snares, our oath Is violated in adj
vance and the party we represent
must be wholly corrupt toafford any
excuse for desertion or rebellion in
this war.
THE POPULAR VOICE.
| might take up each distinct ut |
terance Of our platform, SO far as it
relates to principles and methods, |
and, after andyzing them, declare |
that | gave to each an unreserved |
and unequivocal assent. If this |
platform, then, expresses the senti- /
nents of the Republican party, and !
if the men who stand upon it are In
sympathy with it, one question yet |
remains: Were they fairly nomina-
ted by the Republican convention, |
and did that convention register in |
their nominations the will of the |
majority Of the party? | said on the /
day the nomination was made, /
have said so every day since that !
time, and | unhesitatingly say so
now, If that nominatian did not /
voice the popular will. so far as | /
am concerned, I want none of it. /
Ny colleagues, each and every one
of them, have severally said the .
same thing. have endeavored ev
er since the nomination, not only to
ascertain what the popular viii was
in regard to my election, but what
it had been at and previous to the
time of my nominatian. Ny obser-
vation and inquiries have only con-
firmed my belief entertained at the
time / accepted the Republican
standard that the people desired me
to take it and would Join with me in
carrying it to a successful issue. The
question of men is one of little i'm
portance; the generations to come
will little heed nor long remember
who may be elected to fill the sew
eral places in our State government
at this coming election, but the prin-
ciples for which and upon which
they stand are as indestructible as
the everlasting hills.
THE CAMPAIGN AND NATIONAL ISSUES.
There is a practical phase to this
question of State politics to which
desire to call your attention before
closing my remarks, and that is the
effect which the election of our State
and Legislative tickets is to have in
the future upon the National Legis-
lation, which will directly afiec: all
our interests as Pennsylvanians, de-
voted as we are TO that question Of
national economy dear 10 every I
Pennsylvania heart, protection to
American industry Aside from the {
fact that upon our State ticket we
have a candidate for Congressman
at-Large, upon whose single vote the
organization of the next House Of !
REPRESENTATIVE in CONGRESS may de-