Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-09-27
From Speech Of Senator Harrison Of
Indiana, at Des 1oines, Iowa.

tective views. He said there were two sub
jects Of general legislation that chiefly en-
crossed the attention Of Congress at the
last session-the tariff and the civil service
The first is a very old question, but il is again
fairly on trial. The second is young but ro-
bust issue. Upon both these issues the Dem
ocracy is hopelessly divided, and is only able
to keep together by consenting to subordi-
nate these important matters Of government
al policy to the question Of getting the
Democrats into Office. What an honorable
alliance it is--as if two hostile armies
should combine to loot city. The Demo-
cratic view Of civil service seems to depend
on the assumed distance between a Demo-
crat and the presidential chair. If the chair
Is thought to be near, the "spoils doctrine"
prevails; if il is regarded as remote, then
civil service is adopted rs possible means
Of getting nearer TO it. The nearer Dem
ocratic politician gets TO the chicken coop.
the smaller his voice grows in the song Of
reform. You can measure the strength Of
his expectations by the pitch Of his voice.
II is strung inversely to his hopes. When
he gets the chicken. his song will cease, and
the song of the chicken will begin. The
civil service bill passed at the last session
dleton bill. but. in fact. the bill prepared by
the Civil Service Association of New York
embodied this idea, that appointments to
clerkshps in the departments at Washing.
ton and the larger postoffces and custom
houses of the country should be upon the
basis of merit and not Of favor. The Dem
ocratlc national conventions and many Of
their state conventions have for years in the
most emphatic way declared in favor of civ
il service reform. The country has been
represented by their orators as standing on
the
GIDDY VERGE or GENERALIZATION.
as delivered over to the corrupting control
of an army Of Office holders, who, as tie
henchmen Of party leaders, override the will
and disregard the welfare Of the people. In
the Democratic national platform Of 1876 il
was declared that reform is necessary in the
civil service. Experience proves tina, ef-
hcient economical conduct of the govern
ment business is not possible il its civil SER
vice be subject to change at every election,
prize fought for al the ballot box, brief
reward OF party zeal instead Of posts Of
honor assigned for proved competency and
held for fidelity in the public employ
that dispensing of patronage should not be
tax upon the time Of our public men nor
an instrument of their ambition" This
emphatic platform declaration Was still fur
Their emphasized in the letters Of acceptance
Of the candidates who were placed in nom-
nation, and yet, in this good year of 1888,
we see the action Of that Democratic sena-
tor whose name is connected mos; prom-
nen,ly with the civil service legislation Of
the last Congress repudia,ed by the Demo
cratic Legislature of his state and by the
state convention of his party. Mr. Pendle-
ton occupies position in his party conspic-
uous for its lonesomeness. His offence is
that be acted as If the platform declarations
OF his party were the expression Of sincere
convictions. No Democratic candidate for
Presideu, would rally his party If he were
to proclaim as the rule Of his administra-
ton that public Office should not be re-
ward Of party zeal. The fate Of ,hi. reform
is in our hands. Democrats have mas
queraded civil service reformers IN their
conventions, but they drop the mask now
that their hands are extended to clutch the
booty. The only hope for the permanenc,
Of this reform is that il shall in the future
grow under the friendly hands and nurture
Of Republican administration until i, has
become rooted and substantial thing. We
may then expect that the Democratic party
will again praise lis comeliness
THE TARIFF
The tariff question is another subject on
which the last Republican Congress legisla,
ed. and the Law passed by il is the subiec,
Of severe criticism on the part of Democrat
ic speakers. ! hope YOU have not forgotten
that the project Of constituting tariff com.
mission. to consist of persons familiar with
the subject by reason Of practical relations
10 the industries TO be affected.
WAS or DEMOCRATIC ORIGIN.
Senator Eaton OF Connecticut introduced
the bill, | believe, and il was reported back
favorably from the finance committee of The
Senate, Of which Senator Ba,ard of Della
ware was then chairman. You have not for
gotten. | hope. either. that this aborti,e al
tempt to institute q tariff commission VA,
absolutely all that was accomplished b, the
! Democratic party IN the direction Of tariff
reform while i was IN the majority in Con-
gress. For slx wears from December. 1873.
the democratic party had a majority in the
House OF Representatives, and for two wear.
from March, 1873, majority IN the Senate.
The entire subject Of tariff revision was alb
! soIutely and exclusively within lis control
! for SIX years. If the duties which the form
er tariff law levied were onerous and oppres-
slve, II was completely within the power Of
the Democratic majority IN Congress to have
removed these burdens. They were no
sooner IN the minority than they became
fierce advocates Of revenue reform.
In speech in the Senate, Mr. Voorhees,
sharply criticised the inconsistency and in
sincerity Of his party He said who de-
layed them in former Congresses Who
obsructed their efforts when they controlled
the committee of ways and means. and had
a majority in the House? Who held them
back and quenched their fiery zeal for tariff
reform when the entire machinery for that
kind Of work was in their own hands?
am weary of false pretences on this subject"
When the Republican party again secured a
majority IN the House in December, 1881.
ii addressed itself promptly to the question
of tariff revision. Ii had before reduced the
numerous internal taxes made necessary by
the war to very small list. and il proposed
at once to abolish all remaining internal rev.
enur taxes, except those on liquor, tobacco
and the capital Of banks. This bill was de-
ieated at the first session by the persistent
flibustering tactics Of the Democracy, but
at this first session Of a Republican Con-
gress the tariff commission bill, which the
Democrats had consumed six years in pre-
pairing. was passed and became law, while
commissioners were directed to report at the
beginning Of the next session of Congress,
and undertake to say. in spite Of MELON.
AIDS sneer while he was here in Iowa at a
commission that could spend but single
day at Indianapolis. that the duty assigned
to this commission was pursued with an in
dustry and diligence which rarely character
lies such bodies. The report to Congress,
| while
PRESERVING THE PROTECTIVE PRINCIPLE
IN orr tariff, recommended reduction of
duties on many articles and the placing Of
many others on the free list. Immediately
on the receipt Of this report, Congress took
up the work Of maturing tariff bill This
work vas pursued unremittingly until the
bill was finally passed. One of the oldest
| applav.s ahnnr the Sepase da,lar.d ~, -,