The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-04-22
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
speech of Senator George I'll. Pen.
dlet0n ut the Brooklyn Dinner. Il
At the dinner given by the Young
Mems Democratic Club OF Brooklyn,
On the 9th inst, Senator PENDLEroN was
called upon. and responded to- the toast,
"Reform OF the civil service, truly
democratic measure" as follows: 7sm
Mr., PRESIDENT AND GENrLEMEN: Il
came at your invitation with no inten-
ton Of making speech. l intended
merely to ackuo wledge With due respect
the courteous and polite attention of
your invitation, and scarcely to say a
word on the several topics which / know
chiefly command your attention and in
terest, Nor shall I attempt to do more.
| came 70 testify by my presence my in-
terest 10 the pressing questions OF adj
ministrative reform OF importance to
this association Twenty-Five years Of
continuous and continued agitation Of
questions involving tho issue. Of arms.
the perpetuation of the union, the ad.
justment Of the relations. OF wsrring
states and embittered communities.
aroused deep seated passions and per
milted no calm consideration Of the
abuse which surely and almost inevita.
bly, were springing up on all sides. The
days OF the war are happily over, and
whatever stalwart politicians may say or
strive to do, peace and fraternal barmo.
ny pervade the entire land. Applause.
The work Of reconstruction, too, is done
The days of amendments to the consti-,
tuition are past. The constituent con-
vention gives place to. the legislative as
sembly, and now the duty Of sperfecting 2
and honestly administering the laws
which that constitution warrants presses
on the consciences Of all true men and
all parties { Applause I Ispesk in no
partisan sense, In no sense of crimina-
ting complaint, in no terms OF exagger-
ation, when l say that many and crying
abuses crept in upon US, are seen and
known of all men, and that no word
touches go deeply the hearts and con-
sciences Of the people as reform, and
that none opens up Q wider field for q
just, discriminating, and thorough aps
plicatiou. We have q system OF taxa
ton which last year gave to the govern
ment q surplus of S134,000, 900, which
this year gives il q surplus Of SS5 .000,-
600, and which next year, according 10
ths estimates OF the treasury depart
ment, win yield SlO6 100000. Need I
say more to point out an abuse which
requires thorough resormf 1t will be
better, more economical to honest adj
to borrow for deficiency
than to have this excessive surplus toI
tempt the government to lavish, waste
ful expenditure, the officers to corrupt
the people to luxurious and
enervating indulgences. That surplus
is collected by a gigantic robbery OF the
people. It will be spent in corruption
The life of the republic depends on sim
Pile frpgality and The honesty of its ad-
That administration must
be the reflex of the habits and aspira
tons Of the people. Applause. These
sturdy qualities Of people and govern
ment can not co-exist with taxation
which is conf cation, and expenditure
which is pref gacy. Tne present tariff
is the remnant of war iime,-the haleyon
days OF a redundant currency, of infa.
ted prices, OF fenz'ed speculation. OIL
enormous expenditures. 1t is The prod.
uct Of the competing and compromising
and combining aelfishness OF private in.
terests, seeking protecting houuties at
the expense of the people. Applause.
No wonder. then, that master hand has
thus truthfully described it: at has i'm
povsrisbed many.indnstries TO snbsidiE
q few. II prohibits imports that might
purchase the pro iucts of American la
Dor. II has degraded American COM
merce from the,Hrst to an inferior rank
on the high seas. 1t has cut down the
scale OF American manufacturers at
home and abroad, and deplsted the re.
turns of American agriculture, an indus
try followed by half OF our people. 1t
costs the people five times more than il
produces to the treasury, obstructs the
processes OF produesiou, and WASHES the
fruitssof labor. 1t promntes fraud, fos-
ters Smuggling, enricnes dishonest offi
cials, and bsnkrnpts honest mechanIcs.n
+ GApplause. Evidently that svstem
mnst be RADICALLY amended or it must GO
sltogether. ~
Two rules and two only are the need.
fol and sure guides In this branch of sd.
ministra,ive reform: First, 10 reduce the
expenditure OF The federal government
70 tbe lowest possible point consistent
with the effective ,exertion OF the limited
posers With which it is endo we'd; and,
second, TO adius, taxation that every dol
lar collected from the people .haR 90
in,o tho auhlic treasury to provide the