The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-23

the two has always led In the past, and will al
ways lead In the future, TO the injury of both.
Labor Is Indispensable TO the creation and
profitable use Of capital, and capital increases
the efficiency and value Of labor Whoever ar
rays the one against the other is an enemy of
both. That policy Ia wisest and best which har-
ponizes the two on the basis of absolute ius-
tice The republican party has protected the
free labor OF America so that its compensation
Is larger than Is realized in any other country
1t has guarded our people against the unfair
competition of contract labor from China, and
may be called upon to prohibit the growth OF
similar evil from Europe. It Is obviously unfair
to permit capitalists to make contracts for cheap
labor in foreign countries to the hurt and dis
para gement OF the labor of American citizens.
Such policy like that which would leave the
time and other conditions of home labor ex-
clusively in the control Of the employer) il in
furious to all parties-not the least so to
the unhappy persons who are made the
subjects of the contract The institu-
tions Of the United States rest upon
the intelligence and virtue Of all the people.
Suffrage is made universal, as just weapon Of
self-protection to every citizen. IL Is not the
interest Of the republic that any economic sys-
tenn should be adopted which involves the re-
duction of wages to the hard standard prevail
ing elsewhere. The republican party aims to
elevate and dignity labor-not to degrade it,
AS substitute for the industrial system which
under republican administrations, has devel-
oped such extraordinary prosperity, our oppo-
nents offer policy which Is but series Of ex-
perlments upon our system of revenue-a policy
whose end must be harm to our manufactures
and greater harm to our labor Experiment in
| the industrial and financial system Is the coup-
try greatest dread, as stability IL its greatest
boom. Even the uncertainty resulting from
the recent tariff agitation in congress has
hurtfully affected the business of the entire
country. Who can measure the harm to our
shops and our homes TO our farms and our
commerce. II the uncertainty OF perpetual tariff
agitation is to be inflicted upon the country2
| we are in the midst Of an abundant harvest
we are on the eve of a revival of general pros-
| perity. Nothing stands in our way but the
dread OF change in the industrial system
| which has wrought such wonders in the last
twenty years and which, with the power of in
| creased capital, will work still greater marvels
OF prosperity in the twenty years to come"
THE CIvIL-sERvICE.
The general character of the civi-service Of
| the United States under all administrations
| has been honorable. In the one supreme test
the collection and disbursement of revenue
| the record OF fidelity has never been surpassed
| in any nation. With the almost fabulous sums
| which were received and paid during the late
| war, scrupulous integrity was the prevailing
| rule. Indeed throughout that irving period,
| it can be said to the honor of the American
name that unfaithfulness and dishonesty among
CIVIL off1cers were as rare as misconduct and
cowardce on the field of battle The growth
| OF the country has continually and necessarily
enlarged the civil service, until now it includes
| vast body of officers Rules and methods of
| appointment which prevailed when the number
| was smaller have been found insufficient and
impractcable, and earnest efforts have been
made to separate the great mass of ministerial
| offlcers from partisan influence and personal
| control. 1mpartiality in the mode of appoint
ment, to be based on qualification, and security
| OF Tenure, to be based on faithful discharge of
| duty. are the two ends to be accomplished. The
| public business will be aided by separating the
| legislative branch of the government from all
control OF appointments, and the executive de-
| partment will be relieved by subjecting ap-
pointments to fixed rules, and thus removing
them from the caprice of favoritism. But there
should be rigid observance of the law which
| gives in all cases of equal competency the pref
| erence to the soldiers who risked their lives in
| defence OF the Union. | entered congress in
1868, and in somewhat prolonged service
| never found it expedient to request OF recon-
| mend the removal of a civil officer, except in
| four instances and then for non political rea-
sons, which were instantly conclusive with the
appointing power. The officers in the district
| appointed by Mr.. Lincoln in 1861 upon the rec
ommendation Of my predecessor, served, as a
| rule until death or resignation adopted at
| the beginning of my service the test of COM
petitive examination for appointments to West
Point, and m iintained it 50 long as had the
| right by law to nominate a cadet. In the case
of many officers found that the present law,
which arbitrarily limits the term of the COM
| mission, off cred constant temptation to
changes for mere political reasons. | have
publicly expressed the belief that the essential
| modihcaton OF that law would be, in many re-
spects, advantageous. My observation in the
| department of state confirmed the conclusions
OF my legislative experience and impressed me
| with the conviction that the rule of impartial
appointment might with advantage be carried
| beyond any existing provision of the civil-ser-
vice law 1t should be applied to appointments
| In the consular service Consuls should be
| commercial Notwithstanding the globe
with watchfulness for their country's interests.
Their intelligence and competency become,
| therefore, matters of great public concern.
No man should be appointed to an American
| consulate who Is not well instructed in the his
| tory and resources of his own country, and in
| the requirements and language of commerce
in the country TO which he is sent. The same
rule should be applied even more rgdly to Sec
retaries of legation in our diplomatic service.
| The people have the right to the most efficient
agents in the discharge of public business, and
the appointing power should regard this as the
| prior and Interior consideration"
OTHER TOPICS
Mr.. Blaine dwes at length on "Our Foreign
| Policy advocating the cultivation of closer
| relations with the nations of the westarn hemi-
| sphere, and efforts to extend our commerce in
that direction. As to 1.-THE Southern States"
| Notwithstanding occasional and violent out
| breaks, he thinks there is greater confidence
and esteem between the North and South the
result in part of the application of republic
can principles. Mr. Blaine concludes his treat
ment of this branch of his subject as follows:
" Any effort to unite the southern states upon
issues that grow out of the memories of the
war will summon the northern states to combine
| in the assertion Of that nationality which was
their inspiration in the civil struggle. And
thus great energies which should be united in
a common industrial development will be
wasted in hurtfnl strife The democratic party
shows itself foe to southern prosperity by
always invoking and urging southern political
consolidation Such policy quenches the
rising instinct OF patriotism in the heart OF the
southern youth; itreyves and stimulates preju-
dice; it substitutes the spirit of barbaric ven
geance for the love Ct peace, progress and har-
mony." The Mormon Question" Our Cur
rency," The Public Lands" Our Shipping
Interests" and Sacredness of the Ballot "
are among the other subjects which the NOM
inee treats at greater or less length