Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-03-12

cipal, State and Federal-and this
is the price of our liberty and the ia
spiration of our faith in the Republic.
1t is the duty of those serving the.
people in public places to closely linn
it public expenditure to the active
needs of the Government to exact tri-
butte from from the earnings of labor
or the property of the citizen, and be-
cause public extravaganza begets ex-
travagance among the people. We
should never be ashamed of the sim
plicity and prudential economies
which are best suited to the operation
of republican form of government
and most compatible with the mission
of the American people. Those who
are selected for limited time to man-
are public affairs are still of the peo-
pie and may do much by their exam.
pie to encourage consistently with the
dignity of their official functions that
plain way of life which among their
fellow citizens aids interigity and pro-
notes thrift and prosperity.
OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
The genius of our institutions, the
needs Of our our people in their home
life and the attention which is de-
nanded for the settlement and devel-
opeinent of the resources of our vast
territory dictate the scrupulous avoid
ance of any departure from that for
eign policy commended by the history
the traditions and the prosperity Of
our Republic.
It is the policy of independence,
favored by our position and defended
by our known love of justice and by
our power. 1t is the policy of peace,
suitable to our interests. It is the
policy of neutrality, rejecting any share
in foreign broils and ambitions upon
other continents and repeating their
intrusion here. 1t is the policy of
Monroe and Washington and Jeffer-
son-"Pesce, Commerce and Honest
Friendships with All Nations; En-
tangling Alliances with None"
SAFE FINANCE-No PoLYGAAY.
A due regard for the interests and
prosperity of all the people demands
that our finances shall be established
upon such sound and sensible basis
as shall secure the safety and conf
dence of business interests and make
the wage of labor sure and steady, and
that our system of revenue shall be so
adjusted as to relieve the people from
unnecessary taxation, having a due
regard to the interests Of capital in
vested and workingmen employed in
American industries; and preventing
accumulation of a surplus in the Treas
ury to tempt extravaganza and waste.
Care for the property of the nation
and for the needs of future settlers re-
quires that the public domain should
be protected from purloining schemes
and unlawful occupation. The con-
science Of the people demands that the
Indians within our boundaries shall
be fairly and honestly treated as wards
of the Government, and their educa-
tion and civilization promoted, with a
view to their ultimate citizenship and
that polygamy in the Territories-de-
structive of the family relation and
offensive to the moral sense of the civ
ilized world-shall be repressed.
The laws should be rigidly enforced
which prohibit the immigration of a
servile class to compete with American
labor, with no intention of acquiring
citizenship and bringing with them and
retaining habits aud customs repug-
nant to our civilization.
REFORM IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The people demand reform in the
administration Of the Government and
the application of business to public
affairs. AS a means to this end civil
service reform should be in good faith
enforced. Our citizens have the rigt
to protection from the incompetency
of public employees who hold the
places solely as the reward of partisan
service and from the corrupting influ
ence of those who promise, and the vi
cious methods of those who expect
such rewards. And those who worth
lily seek public employment have the
right to insist that merit and compo
tency shall be recognized instead Of
party subserviency or the surrender
Of honest political belief.
In the administration of a govern
ment pledged to do equal and exact
Justice to all men there should be nc
pretext for anxiety touching the pro
lection of the freedmen in their rights
or their security in the government O.
their privileges under the Constitution
and its amendments. All discussion Al
to their fitness for the place accorded
to them as American citizens is idle
and Improbable, except as it suggests
the necessity for their Improvement
The fact that they are citizens entities
them to all the rights due to that re
lation and charges them with all it
duties, obligations and responsibilities
OUR DUTIES ARE PRACTICAL.
These topics and the constant ant
every-varying wants of an active ant
cnterprising population may we'll re
ceive the attention and the patriots
endeavor of all who make and execut
the general laws. Our duties are prac
tical and call for an Industrious appli
cation, an intelligent perception of tn
claims of public office, and, above all
firm determination, by united action
to secure to all the people of the lam
the full benefits of the best form o
government ever youch-safed to man
And let us not trust to human effor
alone, but, humbly acknowledging th
power and goodness of Almighty God
who presides over the destiny Of na
tions, and who has at all times bee,
revealed in our. country's history, lie
US invoke His aid and His blessin
upon our labors.