The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-09-24
Political Questions.

At recent republican rally in Massa.
chusetts, Henry Cabot Lodge directed the
attention of his hearers away from the
personal issues of the canvass and fixed
it upon some questions of interest polite
ally. Among other things, he said:
"This sinking OF issues, this dropping out OF
sight all political questions, and bringing the
campaign down to the level of mere personali-
ties, Is already having its effect upon the other
side The republican party is holding ten
meetings to one the democratic party is hold
ing What is the reason? 1t is that the people
are tired of listening to the continual reitera-
ton of old charges which make up.the speeches
of the democratic orators. The people are in
terested in something else. There are princi-
Piles at stake which the people want to hear
discussed. The republican party stands for
these principles. 1t stands In defence of the
protective system in the tariff it stands In be-
half of the civil-service law which 1t passed,
and for its extension as declared for in its
platform. These are the two great questions
which the people OF this district wish to con-
slider. Now on the great question OF the tariff
am not going to speak when / am to be fol-
lowed by the distinguished senator of this
state. But on the civil service | wish to say a
few words. The great principle OF the civil.
service act was to destroy the evil OF patronage,
to relieve the public men Of the country OF what
is only burden to them. We are told there Is
a vast amount OF corruption in the government
rs now administered by the republicans, and
Mr.. Hendricks intimated what he thought by
by that charge, that we ought to leave out
about fifty thousand office-holders Now
know of no test to apply to the government
efficiency and faithfulness but the money test,
and will entertain you with few figures for
few minutes. Under Franklin Pierce the loss
NhA AtsNNa 49,
was 81. % on $1,000; under Buchanan it WAS
S3,16; under Lincoln, 50 03; and it continued
to decline till under Hayes 1t was only 90 and
under Arthur it has declined to .006 on 81 900
Another point in addition to this is this Under
Buchanan the total receipts were $184, 000, 900;
under Lincoln, 1906, 100000 under Arthur,
$435 900, 600, or three times as much as under
Buchanan, Now let us turn to the disburse-
ments. Under Buchanan, In total Of $780,
600, 600, the loss was 80 81 on 81, 900; under
Lincoln, in total of So, 900, 000, 900 ard during
all the confusion of the civil war, the loss av-
eraged only rs on 1000, and that decline in
in the loss continued till under Hayes, 1t was
only .003 on 81 900, and under Arthur it is but
.00t $40 on $1,000 That shows to business
men how faithfully the republican party has
administered the government since 1t came
into power The loss is so trifing that 1t may
be regarded as nothing. Yet there is a demand
for change, to turn out fifty thousand
officers. What was the effect OF such whole
sale change under Andrew Jackson The loss
was almost doubled. Putting in thousands
of new men was the cause OF great loss to the
government The total amount WAS small, but
In Buchanans time 1t amounted to $500, 900
or 100000, The administration of the govern
ment by the republican party shows 1t to be
one Of the most economical governments In
the world What business man would think Of
turning out cashier or clerk on such show
ing as that ? The civil-service bill has come
only from one party, from the fact that that
party has in it the liberal and progressive SEN
timent of the country. What you want Is to
keep that party in power. Nothing will tend
so much to break down ciyil-service reform as
to throw the republican party out of power at
this stage"