Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-06-27
II WOULD BE SPACE THROWN
A VA Y.

full. Why should we do so :? How much
has our friend ever gathered from a Re-
publican platform of what the Republican
party intends to do or is doing or has done
Why, for instance, should we publish a
platform containing this:
"The reform of the civil service auspiciously
begun under Republican administration should be
completed by further extension of the reformed
system, already established by law, to all the
grades of the serv ice to which it is applicable"
When at the very Convention that adop.
ted it was First-Ass't Postmaster General,
Hatton; Internal Revenue Commissioner
Evans. Register Of the United States
Treasury, Bruce; Territorial Governor OF
Utah, Murray, and hundreds of Revenue
officers and Postmasters from all over the
country. This was "the civil service au-
spiciously begun" with a vengenance.-
Why should we 60 through the mockery
of republishing that plank in the platform
of principles of such a partyY
What reason is there that we should
spend time and type to give to the public
this:
"The public lands are heritage of the people Of
the nited States, and should be reserved as fal
as possible for the smalli holdings by actual set
tiers
When the party that adopted it has voted
away to corporations one hundred and
ninety millions acres of the public lands
worth five hundred millions Of dollars
Why should we, when on the very day the
platform was adopted the Republican
members of the House of Representatives
voted solidly against FORGETTING the land
grant of the Memphis and Louisiana rail
road company, which had been justly for
feited under the law and which the Demo
cratic representatives las far as the House
COULD did forfeit in spite Of Republican
opposition.
Why should we publish any Republican
platform? Do they mean anything3 Have
they meant anything in the last sixteen
years2 Would you have expected the dis
graceful administration of Grant and Col
fax after this plank in the platform OF
1852:
1.-THE Government of the United States should
be administered with strict economy; and the cor
ruptions that have been so shamefully nursed and
fostered, call loudly for radical REFORM"
And yet it came! Would you have ex'
pected the exhibition of 'shonesty, efici.
ency and fidelity" made by Belknap, Bah
cock, and Dick Harrington in Grants sec.
Ond term after this plank in the platform
of 1922:
I'VE favor reform Of the system by laws which
shall abolish the evils of patronage and make hon
esty, efficiency and fidelity the essential qualifica
tons for public position
And yet it came! Would you have ex-
pected the electoral fraud, the star route
service and list Of returning board Off.
GERS in Florida and Louisiana, given gov.
eminent offices for their share in the cleo.
ton of '76, after this plank in the Repub.
lican platform of that year:
"We rejoice in the quickened conscience of the
people concerning public affairs, and will hold all
public officers to rigid responsibility. and engage
that the prosecution and punishment of all who be
tray official trust, shall be speedy, thorough, and
unsparing."
And yet it came. Why should we pub.
Iish every four years fraudulent docu.
ment and which is known to be fraudulent
when it is put forth? What would be the
;nforrootion m tho n,b,;o in 10
'-.Ao- A''''',oD w viz p"'AAo ~ ~
Mr. sbarnan uorrod bis booror. thot
they were about to enter into no
holiday contest; the Republican party
wuuau aa ~ " MeeS .ne SAME lofces tnai
nesed The abolition Of slavery ,"J that a
sought to impair the public credit; that
resisted the resumption OF specie pay
hn dosorteS fron h1ie anu Inere
Sherman. ''
What citizen did not contemn,ate With
fearful concern the possible advance into
power OF party so guided, so destitute OF
tbia ~ro o nontoss tha o t aIu lndn III
votes from that State TVirginia1 nv a con.
stitutional majority OF the people, and de-
spite the bourbon methods OF the sans
G Tto, a !, 'ne snot,gpn, "oulo, ny the
-Mabone. A-'N'- ~ '- ''N s"N'
If there ever vera anv bloodv-shirts in
the South, there are more of them to. day
IMAM ever before. Ii ever bloody-shirt
snoulo nase 1se1 waiVeu ~ Ine Norta Sne
ever. For what Is 40 manifested in Viz.
GINA is actually true all over the South
ern states: There is more bloody and bru-
g 81 ou Wh:a no" 'nan eVef oeiore'-
Tho n ,sY na :,
shorn,o,, ~ ~ e+oto -. ~ IoneSoA
otor Mohono ond h;s o,ean w. y. ~
tho nonooouo+ia ...t., 90 ,,:-a: So
rood;1u oooo,,t .hoa 49, ~ oa.az. W.,
issues on which the republican party might
impair the strength of the Democracy but
they are not contained in the above,
If Senator Sherman has nothing better
than war issues to bring before the peo-