St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-16

of maturing opinion and contending in
terCsts has itself descended into the arena
equipped with all the weapons OF partisanship.
Its myrads Of Office holders, its alliances with or
against vast pecuniary interests, its unlimited
command Of money levied from its defendants
and contractors, have suficed to determine in
every case but one. In that case it collected
military forces around the capital, and by this
and other menaces inundated the congressional
representatives of Il majority of the people to
relinquish the fruits Of their victory and to
render the government to the control of a mi
nority.
No reform of administration is possible so long
as the government i directed by party which is
under the dominion Of false doctrines and ANNA
! ted by immense pecuniary interests in the per
petuation of existing abuses. The first cffectual
step in the reform Of our government must be a
fundamental change in the policy Of its admins
tration. The work Of reform will be difficult
wrought with the whole power Of the govern
ment cXcrted in accomplishing it. ! have such
faith il the benignant Providence which has pre-
sided over the destiny Of this country in every
great tria! that | do not despair of our ultimate
deiiyerance.
Though I can no longer aspire TO be one Of the
leaders in this great worl; bid those upon whom
this august mission may fall, God speed
Signed s. j. TILDET.
To 5. Corning Judd Chairman Of the Political
COIlHillJte, IlOQuOl- cluD.
This was the most direct and pointed public
utterance Mr.. Tilden has ever given relative to
the great fraud of 1876, and when that passage
Of his letter was read the audience again arose
to their feet and woke the echoes with their
cheers. II there was before any doubt relative
to Tilden being the first choice for president in
1884, the greeting given his utterances tonight
by this body of representative Democrats would
settle it,
Senator Pendleton, Of Ohio, was the next
speaker, responding to the toast: ''lteforn OF
the Civil Service He too was greeted with
storm of applause.
SENATOR PEEDLEToE's SPEECH.
Mr. President and Gentlemen: The senti-
ment to which the Kindness of your president
has invited me to respond. opens up wide ield
for reflection. Indeed i'll it, largest scope Ii
cmbodies the whole civil administration Of the
government; it touches every question OF adj
minis trativc reform. ! have known that this
growing and influential organization is composed
III a great part Of the business men Of Chicago.
l am houored by an invitation 10 speak 20 busl-
ness men ON business questions. Surely the
executive administration Of tals great govern
meut is u business matter
We have Il territory OF more than four mil
lions square miles. We have more than fifty
millions of people. We have nearly fifty thous-
custom houses collect SiOO,OOU,OGO Of revenue.
Forty ministers of high Grade represent rs i'll
foreign courts. Seven uHndred aud iifty consuls
attend to commercial! interests. We have
courts and JUDGES and marshals in
every state. We have military and
naval establishments. More than 100000
officers are needed III the subordinate civil ad-
ADMINISTRATION alone These officers Of the govern
m"ut, having neither political power nor choice
Of politics, but routine administration only
touch at some pcnt and in some degree the
material interests of every one Of our fifty
millions people, Is not Il true and faithful adj
ulinistratiun of this great trust Il business mat
ter, demanding the earnest Judgment most con
scirutious devotion TO duty and most approved
methods.
win not argue to this assemblage Of cnlight-
encd men. I feel as if were scarcely justified
in stating the admitted theory Of our popular
government. The officers Of the government are
rustees for the people. The performance OF the
duties of these officers is for the interest Of the
people. There is no excuse for the being Of oae
Office or the payment Of one salary, except that
it is necessary for the welfare Of the people.
Every supcrlUous oli"e should be cut oil.
Every incompetent office holder should be
dismissed. The employment Of two where one
will suffice is robbery. Salaries so large .
that they can submit to the eXtorion Of one or
two per cent assessments are excessive and
ought to be diminished. Appointments should
be made of those best fitted to perform the du-
ties. Capacity, fidelity, honesty. were Mr.. Jef-
ferson's crucial tests. Are not these all
PLAIN, sound Pre- 9ositiCns, applicable alike TO the
conduct of government and private affairs! Do
they not commend themselves to your conscience
and Judgment! If it were possible 10 imagine
that any one of you We're COuduc.i g this GOV
eminent as private enterprise, for private adj
vantage. would you not adopt and put III force
every one rs Il maxim from which there should be
Tl,.,+ L. do. rlann II.
clothe the officers whom you select TO manage
this great public business, which 10 each of YOU
and your fellow citizens at some time become
private, with power and by memorable public
opinion require them to exercise it to attain the
same fidelity efficiency and economy? l. Il not
true, gentlemen, that i'll this greatest concern of
all to the government, its administration exhibits
less economy, less fidelity, less efficiency than
any great private enterprise, unless yOur great
city is a single exception.
Conduct of public and private business presents
a marked and painful contrast. 1t is very true
that no single human being, Of however great in
teligence discrimination, industry, devotion, en-
durance-even if relieved of every other duty
could possibly, unaided, select and return in
official station, those best fitted 10 discharge the
many and varied and delicate functions of the
government. Al the greater is the necessity Of
aid in making fit selections and testing the Gu
pacity Of incumbents, and of placing guards
The power OF removal is essential to secure
efficiency. The absolute necessity of filing
the vacant place with the tittest applicant limits
it sufficiently and wisely.
Under this system which we have attacked,
and hope eventually to eradicate the president
and his cabinet unable personally to chose from
the many applicants have RENTED the question
of fitness to their friends, and they In turn have
RENTED it to their partisan friends. The adj
miuistration has need OF the support OF members
of congress. 1t therefore RENTS to members of
congress the use of its patronage in its various
interests. These members find themselye
under strain and pressure to Sc
cure nomination election, and they use
places to win or TO reward those whose friends
and families and connections and aids and depu-
ties serve their purposes. Thus fitness, capacity,
honesty. cannot be essential qualifications for
attaining or retaining office. Personal fidelity
and partisan activity alone control. The idea
that 100000 offices, purely administrative, at
most absolutely clerical, paving 100000, 900 Il
year. are to be distributed by the president and
his appointees after every election, and as often
during his term the rapaCity OF place hunters
can pursuade or force them
that they shall be reward of
merit for partisan service, to be earned by per-
soual activity or contributions of money, is a
crime against civilization. 1t is the prolific par
ent of fraud and corruption and brutality. 1t
acts upon the elements Of office as the prize
of party strugglcand the stmulant of partizan eff
fort 1t induces furious activity in aid of party
and the pursuit of party success, which is
condition of getting Office and parcel
ing ont salary. Necessarily, by the
logic of the system, which is stronger than the
determination of good men, however good they
may be. 1t awards in its furthest ramiications
the highest comparative prizes to those who have
done the most dirty work of the lowest politics,
and are, therefore, the least fitted for trusts in
public services. 1t makes our presidents and
secretaries peddlers of Office. and directs their
time and attention from the high duties with
which they are charged. 1t creates necessity and
stimulates the eXaction of forced assessments on
salaries, which go TO enrich bosses of high and
low degree, TO compel voters, to prevent free
elections, and to secure dishonest counts, and
and worse still, sadder still, it