Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-07-31
CLEVELAND Boolns.
The Independents VIII Vote for Cleye-
land and Hendricks.
THEIR PLATFORM.

which is as follows:
The paramount issue Of the presi-
Dental election Of this yearis moral
rather than political. 1t concerns
the national honor and character and
of the administration, rather
than the general politics of the gov
ernment, upon which the platforms
of the two parties do not essentially
differ. No position taken by one
platform is seriously trayersed by the
other. Both evidently ,,ontemplates
a general agreement Of public opin-
ion upon subjects which have been
long in controyersye and Indicate an;
.unwillingness u to dsclar, upon other
and cardinal questions, views which
in the present condition Of opinion
might seriously disturb the parties
within themselves. Parties, indeed,
now eohere mainly by habit and tra-
dition; and since the great issues
which have divided them have been
largely settled, the most vital politi-
cal activity has been the endeavor Of
good citizens in both parties to adjust
them to living issues, and to make
them effective agencies Of political
progress and reform. An indispensi-
BILE necessity to this course has long
been apparent. for in time of pro-
found peace at home and abroad, the
most threatening national peril is the
insidlous political corruption, q mer-
cenary and .demoralizing spirit and
tendency, the result Of which is well
described by Senator Hoar of Mas
sachusetts as "The shameless doc
trine that the true way by which
power should be gained in republic
is to bribe the people with Offices
created for their service and the true
end for which it should be used when
gained is the promotion of selfish am
bition and the qualification of per-
sonal revenge" But this doctrine
naturally has produced results which
are still more alarming; the corrupt
spirit and tendency have so rapidly
developed that they seek political
power not only to crafty ambition
and revenge, but to promote private
gains. They deride appeals to pub
lie conscience, defend the soiled rep.
utations of public men by bold asser'
tions that all public men are equally
guilty; declare that success IN OBJ.
tanning an eminent position disposel
Of every imputation and suspicion o.
wrong doing; and despising all pi &C
ticed measures to the reform system
of official patronage which foster'
dishonest politics, makes great party
nominally responsible for prolonged
and monstrous fraud, and proclaim'
its duty to every citizen who for grea
and benifcent ends has habitually
supported the party, to regard th'
success of party at all election with
out regard to the character of thos'
whom it selects as its executive
agents, to be supreme national ne
cessity. A tendency more fatal tt
the public welfare cannot be con
ceived, and when by public indiffer
ence or misunderstanding this cor
rupt spirit is able to demand that th
country shall approve it by according
to it the highest honor in its gift
every patriotic citizen must perceiv
that no duty could be more pressing
vital and imperative than that OF BAT
fling and defeating the demand. !
the Republican convention had pre-
/ sented a candidate whose characte
and career were the pledge of resc
lutte contest with the tendencies tbs
we have described; if they had fol
told stern dealing with political col
ruption and vigorous correction G
the vast abuses which long and ur
disturbed tenure of power by an
party is sure to breed if the succes
of the candidate had promised infle,
ible honesty Of administration, pur
] fication of government and elevatio
of the party standard, every Repul
llican voter would have gladly SUI
ported the nomination.
But these are precisely the antic
pations which the nomination forbid
1t offers a candidate who Is an uni
leader, shown by his own. words an
his acknowledged acts, which are
official record, to be unworthy Of r
spect and confidence; who has trade
, upon his official trust for his pee
MARY gain a representative of me
y methods and conduct which the pu
lie conscience condemns, and Will
illustrate the very evils that hone
s. men would reform. Such nomin
ton does not promise, in the exec
ID tive chair, infexible official lntegrit
calm and wise judgment, sole !
I. gard for public 'relfare and an
. shrinking determination to promo
, reform in the civil service, and ceai
lessly to pursue and punish pub
robbers of every kind and degree.
Independent voters have genera
} supported the Republican nomil
= Itions as more surely promising refo
!, than thCss Of the Democratic par
g Independents, however, cannot 81
port nomination which is the G
limitation OF q tendency that Il
would correct; Republicans cam
- j. IL T. Il.