The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-01

The Republican Party. Mission.

AT the recent conference of Republicans
and Independents in Brooklyn the following
letter from President White of Cornell Uni
versity was read:
PRESIDENTS Room, CORNELL UNIVERSITY, I
ITHcA, n. Y, II Feb, 1884.
Gentlemen, i have the honor to receive
your very kind invitaton to join you In ceIe-
braing Wsshington's Birthday by q social
gathering Of members of the Republican par
ty. Your purpose seems 10 me excellent aud
YOUR plan cacuaed to encourage that ex-
change OF indeD+ndent thought regarding po-
litical questions without regard to per
sJnal considera Ions, which is one Of the main
necess ties of this tune in this country. 1
trust that there may go forth from your meot-
ing an utterance bold and clear regarding GER
tain great reforms about which vast numbers
OF men IN all paris of the country ara thinking
quietly bat very earnestly; and, among these,
municipal reform and the reform In the civil
service, both state and national.
Let II be insisted that the Republican party
has not yet accumulated its mission and is not
prepared to wither, decay, and give place to
another party which shall take up these and
similar reforms and accomplish them; that the
same party which has saved and rsgenerated
the nation in the past quarter of a century il
determined to do just as great things in the
coming quarter of a century; that it has the
ability to devise reforms for the country earn
estly, and the strength to fight them through
conrageouslyi that, though the opposing party
may waver, ialter, sicken, and turn back low
lngly to tue old abuses, and cast out of high
places in its gift those who by timely reform
would give that party a new lease Of life, and
though some strong men who have done great
service IN our own party IN the past are evil
IDENTIFY blind to the future, that you propose to
go on in this matte to meet the wishes and
asnirstions OF the generation throughout the
whole country.
You heed have no fears as to the result.
There Is a vast fund OF quiet, strong, patriotic
commen sense in our people, which is crystal
izing around these IDEAS aud on this yon may
count against all the petty temporary issues
which demagogues can raise. More and more
the people of this country are making up
their minds that certain abuses must be reme-
died, aud better order OF things begun. Jug
CLING, trimming, evasion OF issues, delay CT nc-
tlon will not build up any party. Every party
which has achieved success In the history Of
the United States, has done so by giving voice
and effect to some good aspiration OF the eoun-
try. Aud the real, deep aspiration OF this
country at this time Is not that this or that
man shall mold this or that Office, bat that our
government. in all its branches, shall be made
more and more worthy Of the principles upon
which it is founded.
This State has given one lesson to the coun-
try ON this subject, and it will yet give more.
The interests of this nation and of the Renub-
licaE party concur in two parts OF one policy:
first, tn stimulate The demand for reform, to
make it coherent, and to shape il; secondly, to
show, not by platforms but by works, by hold
iIg firmly to reforms already begun, and by
pressing forward to new reforms, that the Re-
publican party eau, better than any other meet
this demand.
IT any OF our old aud honored leaders have
looked so long into the old time that they cam
not see their way TO the work required by the
new tune, let them retire from the leadership
and God bless them; but let tae men in active
life, who do see the necessities of the future,
stand fast by the work already begun, deyelop
il. aud press on in all parts Of the country, con-
fident of victory.
1t is with sincere regret that am unable to
be with you ON account of du.iss else where.
remain, very respectfully and truly yours,
ANDREW ID. WHITE.