The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-06-19

| UiIC SIOtbU DllLC.
9 They place but little reliance in the in
| fiuence OF journals which idollzed Garfield
IN 1880, praised his administration until
the hour Of his death, and are now making
ready to assail Garfield'S Secretary of
State and the mainstay of his atlministra-
|, tion.. Senator Mitchell, of Pennsylvania,
called the attention of The Press cores
pondent to-day to a fact that is of interest
to the friends of civil service reform in
New ! DIRK and Massachusetts, and par
ticularlylto George William Curtis and
Henry Cabot Lodge. ~, g.5
early in 1882 said Senator Mitchell.
81 had a talk with Mr.. Blaine relative to
the necessity for the passage of law to
reform the civil service. At that time
was q member of the Civil Service Com
mittee, and | had the same deep interest
in the subject that I still feel. 1 saw i'm
pending trouble for the party in Pennsyl-
yania, growing out of the deliberate at
tempt Of the politicians to thwart the will
OF the people, and felt convinced that the
enactment of q law placing the appoint
iment OF subordinate Government officials
beyond the. power of the favorites of the
Administration was essential to the main
tenance of the supremacy of the Republic
can party. 't''.~ Hti' 'ie
SAT this time you could have counted
upon the fingers of, one hand all the sena-
tors who would have voted for the passage
OF such a civil service law as we now
enjoy. Then it was that talked with Mr..
Blaine on the subject, and to my gratifioa-
tion he expressed himself in the strongest
terms in favor of the enactment of law
regulating appointments to office. 1t was
not until the political earthquake of 1882,
when the people expressed their emphatic
disapproval OF machine methods, that the
Republicans were aroused to, the necessity
for passing a civil service bill. Mr.. Blaine
was then far in advance of the great ma
j0rity of the Republican senators in favor
OF this reform, and it is fact that think
the independent voters of the country
should understand.
. PERSONALLY / am greatly pleased with
the ticket. [ was not delegate to the
Convention, and ] did not attend it, feel
ing that there was no necessity for going.
Mr.. Blaine's nomination was brought
about, however, by the opportunity given
to the people in the election of delegates,
under the district system, to express their
free choice. To those who nominated him
can be entrusted the duty of electing him.
On the day that the news of his nominal
ton reached Washington j telegraphed
Mr.. Blaine these words: .s{s. -,
AIG6r MANY Gays the people triumph, Your
honor is their reward, and it will assure the
continued welfare of the republic"
The only element in the presidential con-
test which the party leaders consider a
doubtful quantity, and one that may have
a marked effect upon the result, is the
prevailing stagnation of business and the
unsatisfactory condition of the working
men, The Democrats on the stump will
epdeaYor to place upon the party in power
the responsibility for this condition of af-
fairs. Fortunately arecOrd has been made
at the present session of Congress to which
every Republican can point for an answer
to this argument. i 1t is that the Demo-
cratic party, with seventy majority in the
/ House, has not passed a single bill to at
tempt to assist the class of whose griev-
ances it proposes to make campaign cap
ital. 80, Il ,g.ss s.,,a ll,. {.., III,
Granting that Tilden lis out of the race
on the Democratic side, and the opinions
of the best Informed Democratic mana
gers agree that he will not take the nomi-
nation, Bayard. at present seems to be
fOrgingtO the front with a fair prospect of
d1stanc1ng other competitors, regardless
of the Tilden influence. If the old man
would take the place it would gladly be
given him but there Isl disposition among
the Democratic leaders todecide for them
selves on second choice rather than accept
MI. Tilaen's dictum. The growing feel
ing in favor Of Bayard s nomination grows
out of the hope that Blaine cannot carry
New Y DIRK. The Democrats know that
the vote of New, X ork is not essential to
Republican success and their present
dilemma is to geta candidate and platform
upon which they can be sure of victory in
Newt Jersey ana Connecticut
.nt The DfOblAmiiSl iffrnH to SO1Vn The
1 Republican ticket and the Republican
platform are popular with the masses in
these states. The Democratic candidates
may be held in high esteem in both Con-
lnecticut and New Jersey, but the platform
of the party, q Free-trade platform, will
be abhOrrent to the masses of Democratic
working men in those states. Bayard has
"a good anti Chinese record, but he could
not cope successfully with Blaine on the
Pacific Coast. Senator Mel herson, whose
name is often mentioned as q likely Dem
ocratic dark house, could probably poll a
larger vote in New Jersey than any other
Democrat, and he would run well in New
York and Connecticut, but it is doubtful
if he would conseptlt to accept the nomina-
tion on. Free trade platform.
iA'Nhe idea Of linking a California Demo-
GRAFT for gice-presidentl to the nomination
of an Eastern man for president has been
suggested in the hope that, the Pacific
States might be made debatable ground,
but it seemed to be impracticable The
Democrats are. hunting far and wide for
AN available man, and the anxiety they
display is the best possible proof of the
wisdom of the choice Of the Republican
Convention. ipi "aaii NJ 'e"i ia"i''
Senator Frye. of Maine, said to-day :
"Of course, Blaine is strong in Maine. and
Logan is, too, The latter has made
speecheslin the State and is very popular.
Now, as to Massachusetts,, I have no fear.
Blaine will carry the State by 100000 The
Independents growl, but they always make
trouble'as much as they can, unless they
have their way. Besides, the Massachu-
sets independents are nearly all Demo.
Gratis. New York is the battle ground.
Yes, it is a Democratic State. The city
makes it Democratic, but the enthusiasm
that Blaine will arouse will carry him
through He will carry Ohio in October
by a rousing, majority, and that, together
with the enthusiasm his canvass will ex-
cite, will save New York. He will carry
the whole of New England. ~, :.
II have. no fear as to the result in any
Of the New England States. Yes, sir
Blaine is as strong in, New York as any
man the party could have nominated and
he is stronger than others outside of New
Y ork. !, The Convention had to nominate
Blaine. 1t could not escape from it. Y on
see, eight years ago Blaine was beaten by
the unit rule and four years ago we had tt
make our fight against the unit rule. 1t
was the bitterest. | was ever in, but when
we got district representation we opened
the way to Blaine's nomination. He is
the ehoicelof Republicans of the Republi
can States.'' ~ }aRs VII an
Can the ticket be elected without New
Y ?'' ~
: II doubt it very much. But we shat
carry New York with hard fight.''
h. Senator Pike was asked if the assertion
that Blaine may lose New Hampshire had
any foundation in fact, and he replied
sWelf, you know we haven't much margin
hin New III anancla ibauo f,,lx, ~