The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-10-06
Sound Principles.

Hon. j. V. L. Findlay, Democratic candi-
date for Congress in the fourth district OF
Maryland, in accepting the nomination, de-
livered speech frankly defining his position.
We give below portion of his address and
commend it to the attention of thoughtful
voters of both parties. Mr.. Findlay, it will
be seen, does not contine his utterances to
glittering generalities, but mentions specitl-
cally the abuses he means, if elected, to aid
in reforming. The platform upon which he
has planted himself is that upon which the
entire Democratic party in the country is
found. He says:
The mission of the Republican party is ended.
There is no living force which keeps it IN mo-
ton (unless it be Jay IlubbelD but simply the
momentum which it has acquired from the agi-
tation of old issues which have long ago been
settled The slavery question has been settled
even universal suffrage has been established,
and we hope on basis satisfactory to the Re-
publican party, as it has given the South thirty
more Representatives in Congress than she ever
had before. Now, this being the case, ii is per-
fectly clear to my mind that the present duty of
the Democratic party is TO wage an aggressive
war against all the abuses-both OF principlc and
practice-which have crept into the administra-
ton of the government. 1t is our duty to OPP
pose political assessments but, as more GER
tain cure than that, it is our stronger duty to
reduce the ofiiceholders, and thus contract the
area of taxation. About five millions year Is
paid out as salaries to the different persons con-
nected with the internal revenue service alone.
There is no reason why this relic OF the war
should be permitted to survive. With the ex-
ception of reduced tax on distilled spirits and
much lighter tax on tobacco Gf any would
go in for an immediate repeal of the internal
revenue system. In this way we would get rid
of O vast number OF gentlemen whose only Dusl-
ness it is to work for their party, as they call it,
while they are being paid out of common fund
raised by taxation upon the whole people, ire
spectiye of party. 1t is disgrace to the admin
trative service of the country that heads of de-
partments with host of subordinates are per-
mitted year by year to desert their posts and go
around the State blatherskiting about the great
Republican party, whose only principle seems
to me to be reduced to that of q drunken man
hugginga lampost-it wants to hold on. |
would try and put stop to Mr.. Green b. Raum's
statesmanlike visits to Maine and elsewhere and
teach him that if there is nothing for him to do
but to crate around the country, the sooner his
office Ia abolished the better.
Political assessments are secondary consider
alton. The thing for us to strike at is the
fund out of which the assessments are paid. SO
with civil service reform; it is hopeless to ex-
pect it as long as hundred thousand offices
are put up for sale every four years and knock
ed down to the highest bidder. If your selec-
ZION to-day should pc ratlneu ny inc popular
voice in November, promise you that will do
all in my power to reduce the civil service to
the lowest limit compatible with decent main
tainance of the government will vote against
every wasteful expenditure of the public money,
not only because of its centralizing effects but
because it is not honest will try and never
forget that my office is trust, and | hope also
it will not be forgotten by my constituents that
l am their representative, and not their attor-
ney.
During the war Mr.. Findlay was strong
Union man, but took part in the movement
which restored the State to Democratic con-
troll Many of our readers will remember
the able speech he made in Bel Air in 1875,
advocating the election of John Lee Carroll
for Governor.