, 1885-03-05

1
because this bounds the right Of the gov
eminent to exact a tribute from the earn
ings o. labor or property Of citizens, and
because public e~xtrayagance begets ex-
travagance among the people. We should
never be ashamed of simplicity and pru-
dental economies which are best suited
to the operation Of a republican form of
government, and most compatible with
the mission Of the American people.
Those who are selected for a limited
time to manage public affairs are still of
the people. and may do much by their
example to encourage, consistently with
the dignity of their official functions, hat
plain way Of life which, among their fell
low citizens. aid integrity and promote
thrift and prosperity. The genius Of our
institutions, the needs of our people in
their home life, and the attention which
is demanded for the settlement and the
development of the resources Of u vast
territory, dictate scrupulous avoidance of
any departure from that foreign policy
commanded by history, tradition and the
prosperity of our republic. II is the
policy OF independence, favored by our
position. and defended by our known love
Of Justice and by u power. 1t is the
policy Of peace, suitable to our interests;
il is the policy ofneutrality; rejecting any
share in foreign broils and ambitions on
other continents, and repelling their in
trusion here; It is the policy Of Monroe,
Washington and Jefferson Peace,
commerce and honest friendship with all
nations; entangling alliances with none
A due regard for the interests and
prosperity Of all people demand that u
finances shall be established upon such a
sound and sensible basis as shall secure
the safety and confidence of business in
t~erests, and make the wage of labor ure
and steady, and that u system of
revenue shall be 50 adjusted as to relieve
the people from unnecessary taxation,
having a due regard to the interests of
capital invested, and workingmen en-
ployed, in American industries, and pre-
venting the accumulation Of a surplus in
the treasury, to tempt extravagance and
waste.
Care for the property Of the nation and
for the needs Of future settlers require
that the public domain should be pro-
tected from ~purloining schemes and UNI
lawful occupation.
The conscience of the people demands
that the Indians within our boundaries
shall be fairly and honestly treated as
wards Of the government, and their edu-
cation and civilization promoted, with n
view to their ultimate citizenship, and
that ~polygamy in the territories which is
destructive of the family relation and
offensive to the moral sense of the civil
lied world, shall be repressed.
The laws should be rigidly enforced
which prohibit immigration Of a servile
class to compete with American labor,
with no intention of acquiring citizenship,
and bringing with them and retaining
habits and customs repugnant to u
civilization.
The people demand reform in the adj
ministration Of the government, and the
application of business principles to pub
lie affairs. AS a means to this end civil
service reform should be enforced in good
faith. Our citizens have the right to
protection from the incompetency of pub
lie employees, and those who hold their
places solely as a reward for partisan SER
vice, and from the corruption and in
huences of those who promise, and the
vicious methods Of those who expect
such rewards, and those who worthily
seek public employment have the right to
insist that competency and merit shall be
recognized instead ofparty subserviency, or
the surrender ofhonest political beliefint the
administration of a government pleged to
do equal and exact justice to all men.
There should be no pretext for the
anxiety touching the protection of freed
men in their rights, or their security in
the enjoyment of their privileges under
the constitution and its amendments, and
all their discussion as to their fitness for
the place accorded to them as Ameri-
can citizens, is idle and Improbable, x
cept as il suggests the necessity for their
improvement. The fact that they are
citizens entities them to all the rights
due their relation, and charges them with
all its duties, obligations and RESPONSE
bilities.
These topics and the constant and ever
varying wants of an active and enterpris-
ing population may well receive the at
tention and patriotic endeayor Of all who
make and execute the Federal laws. Our
duties are practical, and call for their in
dustrious application, an intelligent per
ception of the claims of public office, and,
above all, a firm determination of united
action to secure TO all the people Of the
land the full benefits Of the best form Of
government ever vouchsafed TO man.
And let Us not trust to human effort
alone, but humbly acknowledge the power
and goodness Of Almighty God, who pre-
sides over the destiny Of nations, and
who has at all times been revealed on our
country's history. Let us in-oke His aid
and His blessing upon our labors.
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