Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-30
WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 80, 1882.

pupiioan party is going the same way, seek
ing to sustain itself by the aid of the money
OF corporations, and levies upon the salaries
OF government employees. Neither party
has the courage TO meet the live issues that
now press for solution, and therefore both
are doomed. We are proud to think that
aprinted record testifes TO the fact that for
twelve years and upwards we have urged the
oncoming and the Importance of the new is
sues which press so closely to-day. Now the
journals are full of the matter. One of the
foremost of New England presses, the Spring
feh Republican, says on the topic before us
" The situation which gave birth TO the re-
publican party appealed directly TO human
ity, to sentiment; but to-day it is industrial
and economic problems that press. This
country is vast farm and factory, employ
ing 5O,000,000 hands. II needs its affairs
looked after on business principles. 1t needs
to have servants who shall serve it, and not
somebody else. 1t wants its revenues col
lected and administered for the benefit of
the 50,000,000, and not of few cliques and
coteries. IL wants all its members made fit
for their rights and secured in their rights
II wants universal education and fair suf-
frage. Government on business principles
that is the pressing need. The first step
toward that is civil-service reform. 1t is
time to stop putting that reform to nurse to
its enemies. Hubbell on the civilservice
reform committee of the house is a pretty
instance of baby farming. Looking to the
old parties for that reform is like looking to
the pope for religious liberty. What the
republicans will do about it has been pretty
well seen. As for the democrats Imagine
democratic president elected, and a notice
posted at the White House NO offices
given for party servicesr 7 Only new party,
with this object in view from the start, can
be trusted to have the spirit and intelligence
Of this advance"
And again it says, in tones that are fa-
miliar to readers of these columns: "The
power of monopolies, the relation of capital
and labor-in word, the whole tremendous
problem of the division in society of this
worlds goods,-is pushing to the front
throughout the civilized world, and America
cannot escape. Our immediate problems,
grave as they are, are superficial in compari-
son with those that are coming up within
twenty-five years. 1t is these fundamental
questions of property that are going to call
for craftsmanship, and now is the time to
be training our statesmen and educating
our people,"
Our young friend, then, ought to fit him
self for citizenship and the exercises of its
franchises by careful study of the princi-
pies Of our government, as found expressed
in the writings Of its founders and admin
istrators in times when they were most ex-
posed to attack. There never was time
when they were more insdiously or more
dangerously attacked than now. The poison
of aristocratic ideas has spread even more
rapidly than the growth of that wealth upon
which such ideas seek to base themselves.
Right in our country villages we find many
men, and more women, disloyal at heart to
the institutions of the country that gave
them birth. The young politician who is
also patriot will find that he has this to
fight even within his own doors. As the
Republican truly declares "The new party
must have principle at its heart and solid
backbone of patience. 1t must expect to
labor and to wait. Its proposed abolition of
patronage would be self-denying ordinance
for its members. Its work would not be
done, would even be hindered, could it hope
TO sweep the autumn elections as did the
know-nothings in 1854. 1t must rely not
on hurrah but on education, patient and
long.continued. A party of
intelligence, of reform, of business admin
istration, of national sympathies-for this
the time is ripe. For this, the country's
need appeals to its men of business, that
they will amid their money-making look to
that large interest of the whole community
without which private prosperity is poor
and fleeting. 1t appeals to young men that
they will ennoble their lives by enlistment
in good cause. 1t appeals to the good
men and true among the old party leaders.
1t appeals TO all the rightful citizens who
see that under our modern democracy it is
the arena of politics in which at last the
most sacred interests of mankind must fight
their battle"