National Republican., 1883-01-06
THE POCKET IN POLITICS.
Rev. Joseph Cook Entertains Large Audience
With His Views on Civil Service,
Examination, Probation Prohibition, and
Political Assessments
TIE Civil Service Bill ndors9d as an Entering Wedge
10 Much Needed Reform.
Some Points In Politics In which the
Chinese Excel us.

Some Points In Politics In which the
Chinese Excel us.
The attendance at the CONGREGATIONAL church
last evening to hear Dr. Cool, was quite large,
and was composed mostly ofascnators, repre-
sentatives, and chief citizcns-oiHcc holders
The doctors subject was Civil Service Re-
form." He was introduced by the Hon. Jo-
soph r. Hawlcy, Of Connecticut. The doctor
opened by saying that" since the overthrow of
the rebellion and the resumption of specie
payments there has, according TO my iudg-
ment, no more au'pciOus event occurred i'll
our history than the passage OF The civil service
reform bill by the house of representatives
yesterday by the overwhelming muiority Of
three TO one"
He then stated that during the eight years
from 1883 to l107) that Washington occupied
the presidential chair there were only nine
men turned out Of Office, and mono of them
for political reasons; that John Adams from
1877 TO 1901 turned ont five; that Jefferson
lirom is0l TO 1s0J) tu ned out thirty-ninc;
that Madison from 1909 TO 1917 turned out
nine, and that John Quincy Adams from
1895 20 lS29l only turned out two,
(which facts show u.s. said he, THAT
in the first half of our existence
as an independent nation, we were
not subjected to the scheme of giving of
spoils to the victors in partisan politics"
He then called attention 20 what he con-
sdcrcd fact, that the bitterness Of party
contest was diminished. lie said that we had
during the latter portion of this stretch Of
forty or fifty years what is commonly known
as
AN ERA OF GOOD FEELING.
though there was an abundance of vigor in
tod 1fg
favor" Said he, "docs any man believe that
the first forty years of our history showed
that the system of putting into Office only the
able men and removing only the incompetent
and dialoyal worked an i'll in any of the re-
spccts in which the enemies Of civil service
reform think will follow this bill, If it is
carried into eflect?n Then, contrasting
The first forty years of the history of
the government with that which followed the
administration OF John Quincy Adams, he
said, "We must all admit that with the in
auguration of Gen. jackson a change occurred
which has not worked we'll IN the experiences
of modern timcs.p klc said, while the
younger Adams turned ont two, the opponents
of Gen. Jackson state that he turned out two
thousand. Hesaid that jackson was the pupil
of Van Burcn and Aaron Burr.
Aaron Burr, he said, was actuatcd by that
accurscd military principle that soldiers are
TO be inspritcd by promises of pillagc and
applying this principle to civil life, Burr
thought that sp0ils were TO be used to stimu-
late political parties to vigor. Said he, Burr
thought that few men should govern N
party Just as n few men govern an army"
THE spoil system in military atlairs," said
he, suggested the spoil system in the gov
crnment of civil atlairs--tho son is worthy of
the father
He then proceeded TO say that the thunder
which burst ont in congress ON Thursday lust
he heard gathering for five or ten years past,
and that he felt the day would come when
1T WOULD Re HEARD AMONG THE PEOPLE
in congress. Gen. Grant, he said, intro
duced the subject in one of his messages to
congress in 1870, and here, after twelve years
of agitation, we find tho people de-
manding it. The last elections, said he,
disastrous in many particulars, was
nevertheless n victory of the people over
party, the destruction of corrupt organiza-
tions in both parties. They were," said he,
"a victory of the serious masses of men over
interested partisans; they were n triumph OF
the interests of the country over those OF
political organizations" Said he, 81 find
that the people have made up their minds tO
have something substantial in the way OF
civil service reform, and think members oi
congress understand that very we'll"
Said he, In New York the question is
show much are you worthY In Chicago, how
are you getting onY In San Francisco, 'whc
owns you, the railway monopoly or the Sand
LotsP And in Washington are you likely
TO be clectcdY" Laughter lie said, 1t is
"A matter of supreme concern in congress ut this
moment to know what the people think on
the subject; and ! think ii is time all men
should think that the experience of the last
fifty years has been enough to arouse the
keenest anxiety as to our practice, and as tC
whether the spOilS system Is to continue the
rule ofour practice"
Then, taking up the subject of the growth
of our country, lie said, when we speak o
two hundred millions we do not understand
what we mean. said he: " Europe, stOrmcd
over by war; after war, from Charlemague Il
Napoleon; EurO.e, sending out of her borders
gr at numbers Of emigrants has yet eight in
we have moro square miles Of arabic
soil in North and South America
more acres through which the plow may be
passed for agricultural purposes than tn,
whole of Europe" lie then proceeded Il
compare the United States with Europe, say
ing, while we had low mountain ranges Eu
rope had high. In speaking of our form o
government he quoted Herbert Spencer aS
authority that the republican form of gov
ernment was the best, and that al
nations were tending that way. Said he
"we have set precedent that the whole civ
ilizcd world will follow" Then returning tC
corruption in politics, he said that it was
studied by the best intGllects in the land
that it is a topic to be taken into our closets
and made the subject Of prayer. "Thesc arC
the thoughts" said he, "in the masses of thC
people and l am the interpreter only"
He then referred to the presidential election
in 1876, saying: Il suppose you know wht
was elected president when Mr.. Hayes tool
his seat2" Failing to get any manifestation
of opinion from the audience either one way
or the other, he said My democratic irienC
republican friend thinks the democrat is no
right but there are twenty millions Of peOpl
who have
THEIR WAY OF THINKING
on the subject" He then inquired what Tam
many hall means in the city of New Yorl,
Answering he said, ait means a ring within
ring" He then took up the subject Of tn
illiteracy of the people lie said we were il
great peril, because of this fact. Afte
stating the character Of the competi
tive examinations in China and England
and arguing that those countries got tn
very best services thereby, he proceeded +
consider the bill passed by the house o.
Thursday last. Said he, "Three great word
arc to be found in the bill examination
probation,' and prohibition" lie asked
,"What does examination meanW "a iai
test of the ability Of the Candidaten "Wha
does probation IncunY "a trial Of the exec
outiye and moral character through
number of months" "What does prohibition
mean" "The entire abolition of politica
ussts ments; and for this we arc indcbte
20 the gentleman who sits with us Tonight
Mr. Hawley." [Great laughter.l Said he