The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-25
TELEGRAPHIC.
CARL SCHURZ' ADVICE.
Summary of His Remarks at a Re.
publican Reform Banquet.
He Puts in a Plea for Civil service
Reform. and Denounces the MA
chine"--- Cause of Folger's
Defeat.

New YORR, Feb. 24-With brimming
champagne glasses in their hands and the
wine-light in their eyes, 800 Republicans well
coined home Carl Schurz when he appeared
in the hanquet-room of the Brooklyn Acad-
envy of Music. The enthusiasm aroused by
his presence was hearty and genuine. The
banquet was given by Republicans who, in
the main, are opposed to the nomination Of
Arthur as a presidential candidate,
and who claim to be independent" !"
Schurz sat at the right of the chairman,
Frederick Cromwell, gentleman largely in
terested in railroad monopolies. Among
those present were the Hon. s. B. Chittenden
the Rev. C. C. Hall, the Hon. Julius H.
Seelye of Amherst college, Gen. Henry
Heath, Assemblyman William T. ONeill
Joshua NJ. Van Cott and the Hon. Sigismund
Kaufman. Mayor Low declined an invita-
ton to the banquet, as did also ex-Attorney
General Wayne MacVeagh.
Chairman Cromwell made few remarks,
and then the ex-Secretary of the interior was
called upon to respond to the toast of "The
Day We Celebrate" Mr. Schurz said:
You certainly do not expect me in response
to this sentiment to add one more to the
number of elaborate eulogies on Gen. Wash
ingt0n which have been pronounced since the
revolutionary war l understand this to
be convivlal meeting of Republi-
cans especially young Republicans -
earnestly interested in the cause of
administrative reforms and desiring to
exchange views on the relation of that cause
to the Republican party in the coming cleo
tlon. Washington was the embodiment of
ciyil-service reform, and he never expected
his principles to be departed from. This is SO
true that even the most licentious fancy can
not imagine the picture of George Washing
ton using the spoils of Office himself or per
mitting anybody else to do so, to take care OF
the "boys," or make himself solid with the
workers, or to grease the machine. Ap-
plause. From these principles American
politics had in the course of d century
gradually drifted away, until the con
test between and within political parties
| acquired largely the character oi
| scrambles for spoiis, until the management
of the patronage threatened to become the
| principal business of American statesman
| ship. Now at last the reaction has set in and
| the American people becoming sensible of the
| mischief and degradation are beginning tG
work their way back to the Washington
| rules. This is the real meaning of the civil
service reform movement.
| The speaker next traced the progress of the
| civilservice movement, and claimed in The
course of his remarks that the Republican.
permitted Folger to be defeated by Cleve
land Continuing he said:
! The Republicans were disguised with ma
chine methods, and suspected the interfer
| ence of the national administration with party
affairs in this state. They chose this drastic
| way of declaring their determination tha
these things must stop. Applause. 1t il
supposed by some that such a thing coulC
not happen in presidential election on ac
| count OF the greatness of the stake. Ordin
arlly this might be so but the Republican
party is at present in a precarious position
| Inc advantage of situation is on tht
Democratic side. Any presidential nom
inatlon brought about by machine worl
or by even the appearance of trick
cry, or the nomination of any man with al
mclean or doubtful record will stand an ex
ceedingly slim chance of being ratified at tht
polls. A good many Republicans may re
member that the Republican overthrow o
1882 was followed by the passage of civi
service laws and sundry good things, ant
they NAV say to themselves that as a lessor
was immediately fruitful of very good results
and as it was too quickly forgotten, it hat
better be repeated to bring forth anothe
crop of good results, and to be remem
bered longer. [Sensation.l There are som
things the party must be careful no
to do. 1t must not rely upon bargains to b
struck Dy tne machine. Sucn cOntrlVanc6
would create disgust and prove positive ele
ment Of weakness. Neither must it rel,
on the "bloody shirt" and sectional agitation
> To deny that there has been Improvement il
the south, and to degree that "the rebel
are rs bad now as they ever were" may prov
twO-edged weapon. The people are tired Q
| the bloody shirt.
In closing Schurz spoke of the confidenc
of the people reposed in the Republican part
Of old, and said:
The best response l can make to the toas
r on "The Day We Celebrate" is tho expressio
= Of the earnest hope that the precious legac
: of precept and example which Washingto
left to his countrymen will in the comm
contest find 4 new and faithful embodimen
in the creed and candidates of a great ms
tional party.
President Scelye, William T. O'Neill, job
Foord Roger Wolcott, Ex-Governor Pott.
Of New Jersey, and II. l.. Carson, of Phils
delphia, delivered short addresses and letter
of regret were read from George Williar
Curtis, Andrew d. White, and others.