The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-09-25

UItes.
3. An abatement OF tho robbcrics In
nicted upon the people under the guise OF
tariff taxation.
uron these issues e,erv man mho took part IN
your three conventions u cordially united.
Let US then consider these issues.
!. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
II IL . sad state Of things when the servants
of the people become their masters; when
those selected 10 perform subordinate duties,
for which they are well paid, band together
to control tho community, and perpetuate
their own lease Of office. It produces In the
country = class Of active, intelligent, cum
ming, selfish and reckless men, who, while
others sleep, are plotting and scheming who
stand ready, at all times, for their own base
ends, 10 fan popular passions to white heat;
and array the people into two hostile camps,
ready To drop their ballots and seize their
rifles, and plunge all things into the gulf OF
civil war.
SAMUEL J. TIIDES.
Every man knows that eight years ago we
were brought to the very brink OF chaos by
the struggles Of the otliee-seckcrs; and but
for the patriotism and forbcarance Of that
great statesman, samuel J. Tilden, the streets
Of every city In the land would have run red
with fraternal blood, and the republic have
gone down In disgrace forever. Great APP
plause.
GrlTEAu.
And four years ago we saw one who was
the worst type Of the American oiiice-secker
and professional politician, -Guiteau-mad-
dened by disappointment, and sharing In the
passions Of his faction, send down 10 dark
ness and dust, by the bullet of the assassin,
one Of the broadcast and brightest intcllects
the new world has ever produced. Long
continued applausc.l
WHAT WAS ATTEMPTED ny THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
Good men Of all parties have recognized
these great dangers, and tried to avert them
Laws have been passed to lessen the clamor
of tho hungry hordes, BY providing for gov
ernmeutal competitive examinations. An
other law has been passed to prevent public
officials from requesting contributions from
office holders, under penalty Of discharge
and fine, aud, under this law, Gen. NJ. N.
Curtis, special agent OF the treasury depart
ment, was convicted, In 1882, In New York,
and fined $500. And President Hayes, to
his honor be 1t remembered, issued
an order against office holders TAX
ing part In political conventions,
under penalty of dismissal; and
| my Dakota county friends can remember how
one or two conventions were held ut that
| time In old Dakota, that were not Frightened
| by the face OF q single official; even my old
| friend, Major Kennedy, now dead, then
| postmaster Of Hastings, and an Unborn poll
| tieian, being compelled to sit In his office,
| gnawing his finger nails, while the people
attended to their own affairs. Applausel.
CIVIL sERvIcE-oRDgR NO ONE.
The order of President Hayes, to which
have referred, was known as Civil Service
Order No. l, issued June %, .s17. 1t said:
mo officer shall be required OF permitted
to take part in the management OF political
| organizations, caueases conventions, or
election campaigns. Their right 10 vote aud
to express their views on public questions,
/ orally or through the press, Is not denied,
provided II does not interfere with the dis
charge of their official duties. No assess
ments for political purposes on officers or
suhordinates shall be allowed. This rule is
applicable to every department Ut the civil
service" lApplause.l
| Both the Democratic and Republican ma
tional parties in their platforms, in 1876,
took strong ground In favor Of civil service
reform; and for u time the office holders
kept their hands out of politics.
But all this Ia sadly changed.
rESDLEroN's DEFEAT.
We have seen the great champion Of
civil service reform, that eminent Democrat
and accomplished gentleman, United States
Senator pendleton, retired to private life,
and his place given to one whose sole claim
was that no had built up an immense for.
tune by monopoly Of the oil that lights the
dwellings Of tho people. And we have seen
the order Of President Hayes treated with
contempt, from one end Of the nation to the
other.
Pm PICTURE OF MAJOR STRAIT.
Look at the condition Of things In this
district:
We have a gentleman mentally not the
superior Of the average citizen Of the district;
far inferior Intellectually to scores Of men In
his own party, with no especial fitness fo,
public life; incapable OF making himself
heard. In even the humblest fashion, upon
the floor OF congress, no matter what grea,
interest Of his constituents might be- al
stake; We find him by the mere machinery OF
politics, surrounded by body guard Of Office
holders, the jaaisaries Of public life, control.
ling county aud district conventions, and
forcing himself into nomination, time after
time, year after year, to the infinite disgust
of the better elements Of his own party
tApplause.)
THE OFFICE HOLDERS CONVENTION.
III the eoapsataoa that aoa.iaatod him las
spring THERE WE'RE SIXTEEN OFFICE HOLDERS.
tApp'ause.)
Aud it Is well-know fact that the mai
agents ON the several railroad trains. VIII,
owed their appointments to Major Strait
left their places and risked the safety Of tn,
public service, to rush wildly around from
county TO county. hunting up delegates ant
packing conventions. And SO eager wer,
they, aud SO fearful lest the people did no
want the Major renomiuated, that they pre-
cip!tated action and put him in the field 81.
moaths bsrar. The day Of sl.rt.oa.
II the Major WAS anything of a public
speaker II might be thought that this grea
interval was 10 enable him to speak in ever,
hamlet Of his district. But rs the Major Il
not an orator, aud rs congress remained
in session for mouths after the nomi
nation was made, 1t follows tina
the sole object Of this unusual and un
natural haste was TO deprive the Republican,
Of tue district of the right Of nominating
some man they really did want. Applause.
Lest ii may be thought that do not fairl,
state the facts as 10 this convention, quot,
the following from a paper, not Democratic
the Earmisgtoa Tribune, OF August T.:
"Mr Strait got his nomination by sprin g
Ing his convention upon the people months
before any one had right To suspect II, at
time when farmers were particularly bus,
and could not attend eaueuses without grea
Inconvenience; by overriding the will o
the Republicans who did not attend the eau
/ L.