The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-11
THE REPUBI1oAN cAMrAraM
A Pnngent and Pithy Letter from Hon. Ed
ward Mcpherson.
Boston Special.

ward Mcpherson.
Boston Special.
In letter to the journal Edward Mcpherson
eriticises the statement made by President
Eliot of Hazard, in his speech Of June 20, at
lacking the history and purposes of the Hepub-
Ican party. After referring to some of the
sweeping charges by President Eliot, Mr.. Nc
Pherson says:
But this general rashness Of statement is not
the most offensive part of President Eliot's
speech. The specific charge which he makes re-
spectfng Mr. Blaine's attitude on civil service is
even more open tocritieism. / quote the SEN
tence as reported in the journal on June 80:
when men like Blaine and Logan, whose whole
lives show they do not believe in it, place them
selves on platform with the (civil
servicet principle, they commit an act
the public mind. This purports to be state
ment of a fact; yet it is not a fact. President
Eliot ought to know that as early as the spring
of 1882 Mr.. Blaine committed himself to re-
form in civil service, as is testified by United
States Senator Mitchell, of Pennsylvania, then
chairman of the civil service reform committee
of the Senate, and as publicly stated by Mr..
Curtis in Harper's Weekly of Sept %, 1882, in
which MIR. Blaine was credited with having
outlined in his campaign in Maine q plan by
which security and moderate tenure could be
obtained for an persons in public employment.
Furthermore, it is, well known to those ordin-
aTily informed in public affairs chat Mr. Biaine's
previous views on this subject were materially
modified by the ofice-hunting pressure which
marked and cfouded the brief months Of Gar
fields administration.
President Eliot can, IN this matter, be spared
the proper eensure which attaches to an incor-
rect representation alone by pleading an ignor
ance which, teacher of others as to theirpub-
lie duties, is incoHsie*enS with instructions
President Eliot is sadly dissatisfied not only with
the present aspects of political life but with all
we have had fol. twenty years: In a spirit Of
hippant criticism he proceeds with an air Of au-
thority to say that there was time When every
young man knew how he could honofably save
his country, but we have not felt that to be
since the close of the war" and that we have
not had for many years that political action
which Is high education full of moral principle.
1t is fitting that such men should be promptly
and publicly challenged. Since tss war our
Constitution has been reliegstr of the faint of
slavery, our laws Of the stain of caste and real
republic created Not only have slaves been
freed and made as citizens, but they have been
made sharers in political power-a revolution of
prodigious import, which called forth all the he
roic qualities Of the generation which carried it
forward. Besides; thevast issues Of paper money!
made for the war. have been funded; the debt
itself has practically disappeared; the remaining
treasury notes have been made convertible into
coin; public faith has been scrupulously kept;
the wounds Of the greatest Of civil strifes have
been healed and regenerated nation has arisen,
mighty in the resources of intelligence industry
and achievements In all this Massachusetts,
has had a conspicuous and in some features
distinguished part
But for all this great service to the cause Of
human rights, of national honor, of cemented
and indivfsibie union, hefpresident of Harvard
has no word ct praise, no sign of enjoyment
not even a c0ndescending word Of tolerance for
fanaticism bHwisely directed; nothing but the
scornful sentence that mall Theses controversies
with selfishness and dishonesty and greed, and
in these signal victories over each and ALL there
has been nothing to stir the principle or arouse
the ambition Of q high education
I invite President Eliot to a review Of his
opinions Of the, political history Of the country
since the close Of the war of the rebellion, in
the light Of the actual events which, for the
strength and majesty Of popular movement they
invoked, for the inherent excellence Of the re-
suits attained and for the exaltati0n IN our pub
lie life which accompanied and succeeded Msem.
have been without parallel in the history Of
invite him to do so.