The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-06-01

1t is the application of the same prin-
ciples to public affairs that wise busi-
ness man does to those of his counting
house. IF good man be in place, let
it be said that he shall not be removed
without cause. If vacancy occur,
let the fittest man be brought forward
to take It, and let not the choice be
dictated by any one man or faction.
have given this subject much
thought, and am convinced that the
time has come when Civil Service
rules should be adopted i'm the ap.
pointment of all minor officers under
the State and National Governments.
1 would be glad to say that the Gov
ernment at Washington is anxious to
adopt such a system. I do not know
that the present Administration may
yet adopt it. | trust it may, for If
there is to be a future of the Republic
can party in this country it must
stand upon practical system of reform
I'm the matter of appointments. Once
let the test of fitness be applied to all
appointments for minor places, and
the question of removal will take care
of itself. lApplause.] Civil Service
Reform does not require that the rules
shall apply to the high places where
the opinions of appointees would
affect the policy of the Administration
l deeply regret that what the people
achieved at Chicago for the cure of
evils in the Civil Service has not been
carried forward by the present Adj
ministration, as it would have been
mad the man there nominated-whose
memory is too sacred to mention here
been spared to the country. [Great
applause I knew that grand and
good man. that type of the true Ameri-
can citizen, which the Republican
party placed in power as the President
of the United States. I know that
his heart and soul were in the move
ment. [Applause.]
We are here to see what we can do
to manumit the Republican party of
Pennsylvania, to protect it against the
methods by which that organization
has been controlled i'll past years, and
force the recognition of free independ-
ent thought and action by those who
have controlled the party; to say, by
the voice of the people. that the Re-
publican party shall rid itself of these
barnacles and raise itself to higher
plane above the murlly atmosphere of
corrupt management. We ask tn .
people to stand with us not only this
year but from this time on. Our duty
is to make this great party what it
really is-a progressive party, wise
enough.and good enough to meet
every occasion with the proper
remedy and to overcome all opposi-
ton. [Great applause.
The Republican party is composed
of free.thinking men, and was never
made to run like a railroad is run, by
Il paid engineer or boss. Cries OF "hit
him again."] L have come to be
pretty well understood on this ques
ton through the press. The press is
a grand thing, a glorious engine for
the right when it is free. l see before
me a number of young men of the
profession, and / say to them, never
take any Office if it trammels your
pen as u newspaper man. Applause
and cheers A free press is the glory
of free country, but press suborned
by a political leader is great threat
ening danger to any country, and
especially to this country of ours.
have seen so much of this in Pennsyl-
vania. In case i'm this city it would
have been well if the editor of o news
paper had declined to accept posi-
ton, the acceptance of which gave
people the opportunity to sneer at the
opinions expressed in his paper. The
President refused to rename the man
selected by his predecessor, the
lamented Garfield for the position of
Surveyor of the Port of Philadelphia,
not holding the same views in regard
to such appointments.
| wish to be understood from this
time forth as being earnestly in accord
with this movement and all it means
for Pennsylvania and the whole coun-
try, that the Republican party may be
raised up and go OH with its mission,
for | consider it to be the best instru-
ment for the people of this country to
administer its affairs with. When |
have done all in my power to see this
line drawn clearly before the people of
the State, | shall devote my time to
the duties of the great Office which has
been conferred upon me by this great
Commonwealth. / do not mean to be
straggler, but he who represents
Pennsylvania in the Senate of the
United States has more than one man
can do, and | think that he who serves
IL.