Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-20
AND WHAT If THE DEMOCRATS SH0ILD
C0MEyN.

In our comments on the Chicago nomina.
tons on the day after they were made VIC
said that the FREE PRESS would support Mr..
Blaine Tor the reason, among others, that
almost anything would be preferable to the re-
turn of the Democrats to power in the nation.
To-day we invite our readers to an cxamin.
ton OF some of the results that would follow
such return. For one thing, there would
be an immediate ana sweeping change of all
| the Federal offices. No exception would be
made for efficient and satisfactory service
but from highest to lowest the present incum,
bents would be discharged. To the victors be.
long the spoils, has always been the motto Of
the Democratic party-a party held together
principally by the cohesive rover of nub.
lie plumber" The result would he a n .
mentabe popular decentralization a depro.
dation OF our politics from which the conn.
try could hardly recover for at least n gen
Grafton; and incalculable injury TO the pub
lie service. Accompanying this change in
the ofhces would be the absolute blotting.out
OF everything that has thus far been done in
The way OF reforming the civil service. This
reform has been plant of slow growth. Be
gun nearly generation ago. many Republi.
cans have had to be educated up to it and il
has always encountered the active and steady
opposition.of the Democracy as a party. After
long and wearisome struggle the reform
mas gained foothold, 1t is now In the OK.
perlmental stages, but it has worked admir-
aoly ana Its operation has fully indicated
the claims OF its supporters. But if the
democrats come into power the whole thing
VIII be swept away-no sensible man can
entertain the slightest doubt of it-and NOT
only will the labor of years Gene to naupht
Dut the reform, which is more imperatiyelv
necessary than any other, will be act back
Tor years and perhaps generations And
great number of new offices would probably
be created by the Democrats, in order TO Sc
cure political power. In view of all these
facts-and we believe they are facts which
can not well be questioned-we fail
10 see now any unprecedented man can vote the
Democratic ticket who favors administrative
reform and the stability of the public service.
anu who wishes the government to be con.
Quoted efficiently, smoothly and econ,mj-
cally.
Another result that would follow Demo |
cralic return to power would be the complcto
ana absolute suppression of the Coorcd Re- |
puollcans OF the South. The country is fam.
Z ;,u .,..I
liar with the extent to which the Southern
Democrats, with the aid and comfort of their
Northern allies, have by fraud and violence
perverted the wish of the majority, even
while that majority had the National admin.
lstra'ion ON its side. With the Democracy in
power in the Nation, the shotgun and
the tissue ballot would be supreme at the
South and there would be a COMPLETE sim
preston of freedom of speech and of the
elective franchise. Such condition of
things would be not only shame and dis
grace but monaco to the perpetuity of our
and this constitutes powerful
reason why no Republican should vote
against his party ticket and why all Rcpub.
licsns should vote for the standard bearers of
their organization. And the arguments we
have cited should prevail, no matter whom
the Democrats nominate for President The
Independents and dissatisfied Republicans
say, Before we decide upon our course, let
us sec whom the Democrats nominate" But
mark our words Whoever may be the Dem.
ocratic nominee, even their cleanest, strong.
est man-whom we take to be Senator Bay
a'd-he will be absolutely powcrless to
resist the demand of the party and that
lemand will be for complete change in all
he offices, for the immediate abandonment of
he principles of civil service reform, for the .
'reation OF new aud unnecessary offices to |
5ratlfy the hungry horde and to assist in ]
claiming power land the party as party {
would encourage its Southern members in
heir fraud and violence SO long as /
raud and violence conducei to party h