The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-04-17
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Speech OF senator Geo. II, Pepdioton at the
brooklyn Dinner.


called upon and responded to the toast,
Reform Of the civil service, q truly
Democratic meaBlre," AZ follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN: !
came al your invitation with no inlen-
tlOn OF making speech, Intended
merely TO acknowledge with duertspecl
tho courteous and polite attention OF
your Invitation, and scarcely say u .wOTh
on the several topics which know
chiefly command your attention ahd IN.
terest, Nor shall attempt 70 do more, J
came to testify by my pl e'ence my in
terest In the pressing questions OF Ad
mInistratiye reform Of importance TO
this association. twenty-five years Of
continuous and continued agitation OF
questions involving the issue Of arms,
Che perpetuatlOn Of the union, the nd
luatment OF the relations OF warning
States and embittercd communities
aroused deep seated passions ana per
mltted no calm consideration OF the
abuse which surely and almost lneylla'
bly, were springlng up on all sides. The
DAYS Of war are happily over, and what
| ever stalWaft politicians may say or
strive 20 DO, peace ana iratefnal mar
mOny peTylde the entire land' Ap'
plansp.i The work Of reconstruction,
loo, ls done. The days Of amendments
"a Che constitution are passed. The con
atltuent convention gives place TO TIE
legislative assembly ana now the duly
0f peTfecting aud honestly administer
inQ the laws which that constitution
warrants presses on the cOnsclences Of
all true men and all parties lApplan3e,l
speak In no partisan sense, III no sense
OF eliminating complaint, III no terms
Of eXaggeratl0n, When say thhl many
and crying abuses Crept III upon Nv are
seen aud known OF all men, and tnal no |
word touches 80 deeply the hearts ahd
COnscenCes OF the people as reform, ana |
that none opens up u wider Aold for
Just, discriminating, ana thorough ap'
plleatiOn. We have system OF taxation
which lust year gave TO the government
a surplus Of $i3l0O0,000, which thia
year giyesit q surplus Of $50 OOO 900, and
which next year, according TO tho esll,
mates Of the treasury department, VIII
Weld &l0GOOO000. Need say more 40
pOlDt out an abuse which needs thorough |
reform? Il Will be better, more ecOnOm'
zeal 10 honest administration, to borrow
Tor u deficiency than 70 have this excess
siyc surplus t. tempt the government to
lavish, wastelul expenditure, the Clllc'
efs 10 corrupt practices, the people 10
luxurious aud enerYallnR lndulgenceS
That surplus IA collected by q gigantic
robbery OF the people, II viii be8pent In
corruption. The lli0 Oi the republic
leppuds on simple lrugallty, aud
the honesty Of itH administration,
That administration must bB tho To-
lloX OF the habits aud aspirations Of the
people lhppnufp.l these sturdy QuNll'
ties 0i people and government cdnuOt
ca eXis, with taxation, when d. cOnlll'
cation, ana expenditure, WHEN Is IiuI
ilgucy, The present igllll 10 the trm'
uant OF war tlmc., the halcyon days OF o
redundant currency Ot Inflated prices,
OF lTpu2.ad speculation, OF enormous +
expenditures, lt 10 The product Of the
und compromising anl con-
hlu.ng geAsnUC7s Of private Interests,
seeking protecting b0untips at tno oX- /
pcuse ul the people, lApplGu7ol No &
wonder, then, That "a master hama has
thus truthlully described il' "lt has im'
many industries 10 nubsldi2H (
d few, II prohibits imports that might
purchase the products Of American Ia
lOE II has degraded American COm' q
nerep from the llrst ~ an inferior rank 4
in the high seas, " has cut down Tho d
lalO Of American manufactures No q
home aud abroad, aud depleted the fc'
urus ~ American agriculture, an lu
iusIfy followed 10y half Of our people
II costa The people il'r times more than NJ
Z produces TO thu treasury yObatrucla The y
Of production, aud wastes the y
rails OF labor. II promotes fraud, fOs' d
eTs smuggling, onrlches dishonest OIL. q
,iall, and bRnBTupts honest mechanics
Applausel Evidently that aysten must
le radically amended or must 20 otto o
yether VI
Two rules aud two only are the need, y
ul and sure guides In this branch Of y
reform: First, TO reduce u
he expenditures Of the'iodOrnl govern
uOnt TO the lowest possible point con-
latent with the effective eXeftlOn Of the
United powers with which II ~ endow- h,
d aud second, to UdIuet taxation that nj
very dollar collected from the people q,
hall 20 Into tAe public treasury 10 pro n
.idu the necessary revenues, Can any =
aup, ungrllgh man object ~ Of hcfY
heir lust application will complete the
work.. As 10 the latter The Supreme
'unrl 0t the United states snld' "T0 lay
With one hand the power Of the govern q,
ltut nm the property of The citi2u,pnd N
yth tine othpr lustUw IL on favored iu tJ
iNlduall % ana private enterprises. ana tu
ulll mp private fortunes, " none lhc 70
n.B a robbery because " ~ done under No
hp forms Of lQw, aud iH cniled taxation, pI
THIS ie not Legislation, u IL decree an
udpr legislative tOtms. Nor Il IL tax W
ilUn, there eau bpUU TAX which IN moi oV
IId ior public purpose Siatelmnn' O'
mo- Is the science OF opportunity and NJ
XptdlpurY Having steadily In YIow d'
nh establishment 0t tptluoiplp Or lhN nts 10
ipmpUt of areftllnroHult 10 VIII take
s atppB wisely aud cautiously aud pro, Va
rpsllycly lll along the pathway IN I"
.ubiug ihn lpuat possible injury and
ilyiug room for the groOin possible ~
pyplupWDutul property SilOhy Side M
'iih IpfOrm Of lhp methods 0l taxation. a.
.anda appropriately me reform Of me "a,
lyl service lfiH perhaps, the most tA
upUrinnt and fHr reaching in W. CON de-
1uuonrp. IN it largest scuue Il IN. 81,
Owe The pur.GrlUu OF lhp whole byH' Y
I'M of administration, ] 'pnllnN myself da
b tho narrower view, ln the presence w
/ thig enlightened company | viii on. lo
,f into ~ elaborate statement VI ilH
ecvssily Uf its methods, The existence
an office can not he Justified except
j. the ground that u las work 10 DO, un
hirh must hp done for the honpht 0l M
ne pprOple. An appointment 10 That OF v,
90 can not Up Justified except on thn wi
found that tho nppOln'ce Will do the -,
ork Of the people better than another or
hia IN "a lrnlem which scarcely one out
ll Of 5000 people will be bod It
lough 20 c0ntfoyeft IN words, aud ~
b, II had come 10 pnss that Offices were or
lllcd 'spolA," that they did, IN fact,
,etole iuiorlously % The public gu'