Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-20

LIGENCER, WEDNES
is tho custodian of the peoples money
the auditor general, who is tho chief &C.
officer of tho commonwealth and
the inspector of every draft drawn against
the treasury /; the secretary Of internal
affairs, who has general supervision of
the corporations of the state and her busi-
ness and material interests the attorney
general, the superintendent Of public in
the secretary of the common
wealth-all are subject to the inquisitiOn
of the chief magistrate of the people,
charged with the faithful execution Of the
laws.
THE JUST EXECUTION OF LAW.
The Just execution of criminal law, also,
is in his keeping. BY the inordiDate cx.
ercise Of executive clemegcy the prison
doors may be opened and the transgres-
sors of the law allowed to escape just pun
ishment. 1t is mistake to suppose that
the favorable decision of the pardon board
is conclusive upon the executive. The
of that board are ad-
visory merely. By tho fundamental law
the final power to grant partlOns is vested
in the governor, who alone is responsible
for the exercise Of this grave duty.
l take advantage of this opportunity to
say that, IL my Judgment, the issues of
the coming election are confined within
the four corners of our state. Between
Lake Erie and the Delaware and from the
Northern tier to the Southern border is to
to found tho reason for every question
uorvs fnl nj
ANY attempt to import issues is an effort
to detract public attention from tho real
questions involved in the campaign. This
occasion would not justify me in making
a lengthy speech. 1t may be fitting, how
ever, that briefly state one or two thoughts
upon matters that impress me as import
ant for present public consideration.
One Of the gravest evils in our political
system is the low estimate of duty held by
public functiOnaries. This arises from
their failure to recognize this fundamental
idea Of our government: That public
office is public trust, to be executed for
the benefit of tue whole people, to whom
alone officials owe responsibility and of
whose will they should be the faithful OK.
poDents. When this conception of duty is
lost sight of or modified, the way is open
for an immediate, certain and constant
degeneracy of the public service. A merely
mechanical and negligent performance of
official functions follows the ObliteratiOn
of these standards of duty. This results
from the long continuance in power of
selfish political leaders, and is a most
serious evil in the public service. No
one can estimate the injury aud loss the
people suffer from this cause alone.
THE BOSS SYSTEM.
There is q widespread discomfort ut
what is forcibly called boss " govern
ment. This is not without much reason.
Popular discomfort has generally good
cause, for the people have no advanta GO
in unnecessary agitation and disorder.
The great evil of boss government is
that the interest Of the official is made
;nimical to faithful public service. His
interest is not on the side of fidelity to tho
public veal, but ON that Of aIject obedi.
ence to tho orders of the machine -
and he follows his interest.
A wise economy must 10 enforced in
tho public expense. Profuss expenditure
by government is not only burdensOlne in
itself, but generates in officials a spirit of
protligacy which permeates even private
life. Extravaganza breeds Extravaganza.
Every useless expenditure creates an OK
cuse, if it does not cause q necessity, for
further waste. This is true in many ways
not always pclceptible to tho public, but
which become apparent upon an investi-
CATION of systems. POPULATION may be
gross, but can be detected. Mere financial
extravaganza eau be measured and cor
rected. The usual and ordinary "leaks"
ut last discover themselves aD,l can bc
stopped. But there is a prOiligacy that
invades systems, that is wrapped up in
statutes, that has tue protection Of law
and the warrant Of long usage. 1t is tue
growth Of years, has been limo upon limo
written into your Legislation, represents
the concentrated ingenuity Uf 4 succession
Of public b!underers and extends from the
highest department in the state to tho
lowest in tho municipality.
Ono manifestation Of this abuse may be
designated by the term place-making." :"
The numerous multiplication of Offices,
the creation Of useless and extravagant
boards, trusts and commissions is broad
channel Of waste through which tho poo
pie are yearly ,lespOilcd of millions. A
serviceable politician is out Of place and
must he provided fora recorders office
is Immediately created. A juntO Of
leaders determine TO pool their designs
upon the treasury--a dependent Legisla.
ture inilicts delinquent tax Office upon
the community. The "spoils" still being
found insufficient, some vast public i'm
prOvement is suggested and q scheme. for
public work il designed, big enough to
take in soino Of the needy Of both parties.
AN URGENT AND PRACTICAL REFORM.
Tho aINOlit; nf p,n,,ocnSSarv s,fTiooS tI,
reduction of the number of public de-
peDdents, the narrowing of responsibility
and economy in the public expense, con-
The would bo q substantial benefit to the
people. To lessen the cost Of government
lightens tho burdens of labor. The authors
aud abettors Of the evils under which the
people suffer arc now on their trial in this
commonwealth. After long stewardship
they will be judged by deeds and not by
declarations. Professions are easily made :;
but the people have been fed on such dry
husks 50 long that they have resolved to
determine who shall be their servants, not
by what is promised for tho future, but
by what has been done in the past.
again thank this organization for the
kindness Of this reception and the OppOr-
tunity it has afforded me of saying these
brief words.
The controllers earnest, eloquent, de-
livery, not less than the sentiments con-
tanned in this, his first aud in all prOba-
bility his last speech of the campaign, ex-
cited unbounded enthusiasm, and the pro-
longed applause echoed far up aud down
Broad street.
This ended tho speech making, the re-
mainder of the evening being devoted to