Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-07-15

the independent State chairman, l. D. Nc
Kee, and Wharton Barker, Joshua L. Baily,
Samuel W. Pennypacker and others, of Phil
adelphia The Citizens Reform Committee
of 100 is represented By its chairman, Phillip
c. Garrett, and the chairman of all its finance
and executive committees, all of whom sign
the following address
July IL, 1884
The undersigned republicans of Pennsyl-
yania. relying for the proof Of the earnestuess
Of their convictions upon acts OF independ-
ence, which in 1881 and in 1882 received the
support Of $4,000 voters. venture TO present
some considerations to those republicans Of
other States who NAV be in doubt as TO their
duty with reference to tho nominations made
BY the national convention.
In order that the views of those who adyo-
cate the right of separate and independent
political action should have weight with
their fellow men 1t is important that this
right should only be invoked in cases of
we'll ascertained necessity. They who take
an interest in watching the political fold
become wearied with the cry Of wolf, If II
be uttered lightly or with too much frequen-
CIV. The greatest wrong of which the indie
pendents have had in the past to complain
has been the use Of the party machinery in
such wav a. m tbwart the wishe. Of the
peonle Time and AGAIN has the public
nre ference been act aside by men who were
able IN maninulate conventions and TO utilize
the various devices known to the skilled
politician. The independents of Pennsyl-
vania have felt that they could justify their
action in opposing nomination, even for
40 high an office as that Of governor of the
State. if able 10 show plainly that il was the
outcome of the schemes of the few. success
fnl at the exnense ot the many To great
extent this wrong has been remedied and
yerv largely bv their exertions. By the over
throw Of the unit rule and tn. establishment
Of district represent,tion. il became posi-
biz. Ia hold a national convention that was
commemorative in the true sense. The ex-
preston of the will of the members of the
repubIicau marty and they were enabled to
express their will because of the exertions of
the indeDpndants has resulted in the nomin-
alton of Mr.. blaine II cannot be gainsaid
that Mr.. Blaine is the choice of the masses
of The dominant marty in the limited States
and that the late convention. better than
most of its predecessors CAV. heed to the
demands of its constituents II is an evidence
Of the nersonal STRENGTH of Mr. blaine that
his snpDort came from the farthest East and
the farthest West-from Iowa. with her
manufactnrars-andiD these widely sena-
rated localities with their diverse interests.
was exceptionally earnest and enthusiastic.
To oppose his election would then seem to
be an attack unon the results of iudepepd-
ept work II would seem TO be an accent
ance of the theory against which we have
been coptending. that the few are more en-
titled To consideration than the many. and to
4; ~ 10 a tha
machine men mainly in RESPECT 10 the per.
sonalitv nj the individuals who narticipate in
the effort. IL assumes a yery assailable. if
not an indpfensible position. in that il enables
oDponents TO charge that independents are
never content unless their own prefprences
a. to candidates have been successful. Such
an opposition would not only be difficult to
defend upon theory but would, we conceive,
be most disastrous in its results, since 1t
involves the proposition of surrendering the
control of the country TO the democracy,
party which has been on the wrong side OF
every important question settled IN the most
eventtul period Of American history, and
which has 10 look back to the time of jack
son for its achievements. to the time of
Jefferson for its virtues. The annals of
human affairs show no instance of reformers
relying for support of their measures upon
an organization which has exhibited such
extreme conservatism.
Even If 1t be true that Mr.. Blaine has not
beena pronounced advocate OF civil Ser
vice Reform that cause has. in our Iudg
ment. tar more to hope from the republican
party. which has embodied the principal in
its platform, than from the democrats, who
are avowedly hostile to 1t, who dismissed to
private life its democratic sponsor in the
Senate. and who are eagerly awaiting a dis
trhution of partisan rewards. We believe,
'u''her' that II "oulu De more reasohaoie 10
expect support 10. inns measure from man
WIZ" '"e N'so' anu 'l'eI''eence Vi MT nlalhe'
te"" from any nominee VI t'ie uT'nocra,s'""o
II ne shou'u pt tlec'eu ana MAKE an eno,t IN
,'s 'aNor' "ouio nave tne "hole s'rength Oh
MS party uSeu against "i'h'
Nor would such an opposition be justified
by the fact that charges are made against MIR.
Blaine which those who make them saw affect
his personal integrity. That he must be de-
Tended may, perhaps. be a good argument
against nomination, but it certainly has no
relevancy at this time. If it should be once
established that a man ought not to be elect
ed To the presidency because accusations nave
oeen msde against MN, the aDiest men would
De Always excluded. In the neat or contests
these accusations spring up ana iuxurlate.
IheS are ike the parastlc plants that cover
an OAK, out i've on air and need no roots. 1t
shOuld not De forgotten That these charges