The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-08
Logan i'm Boston.

The democracy of Boston having
dined Vice-President Hendricks and
developed his views on the political
questions that now interest the coun-
try, or occupy its attention, the republic
cans of that city seized upon the pres
ence of Senator Logan to give him
taste of their hospitality and an oppor-
tunity to free his mind. After bestow-
ing great deal of well-merited praise
upon Massachusetts and her distin-
guished men, and advocating adequate
national appropriations annually to sup
plement state aid for free public schools,
he got down to current national politi-
cal matters, and said:
"Mr. Chairman, am not sure but this is
good place and proper time to touch
upon one or two phases of our present po-
litical situation. If So first let me say of
civil service reform that it is the child of the
republican party, but unfortunately has
been put out to nurse with a stranger and
if not dead now it looks sick unto death
When the law was passed, the intention
was to put into the positions to which the
law applied such persons as were found to
be best qualified to perform the duties re-
quired, and also to retain in position such
persons as We're well qualified and found to
have faithfully performed their duties.
The law is now being construed, however,
to the effect that person who voted the re-
publican ticket at the last election com
mitted a crime against the peace and dig
nifty of the democratic party-a new offence,
heretofore unknown to law or politics, to
wit, offensive partisanship.' In the pro-
ceedings against persons who are supposed
to have committed the offence, the secret
accusation, the testimony and trial proceed
ing the conviction and execution, SAVIOR of
the star chamber. A man may have re-
belled, or. being in the North, may have
! sympathized with rebellion against the gov
eminent. He may have sought to negotiate
with foreign powers for its overthrow He
may have striven to ham-String it at the
most critical moment of it's desperate
struggle for existence. He may have at
tempted to destroy its beneficent influence.
He may have tried to make our institutions
a by-word and mOckery among the ma
| tions He may have terrorized voters. He
may have suppressed or destroyed the bal
lot, or fraudulently perverted its true in
tent and meaning. He may have assisted
in enacting laws under whose fell opera
ton freedom became delusion and per-
| sonal liberty a snare. But these do not
seem to prove him to be an offensive par
tisan,' provided always that he voted the
democratic ticket Shall a man who has
been true, even at the risk of life, limb,
health and fortune to the Union, to free
dom, to the sanctity of the ballot, and to
that spirit of progress which is acceptable in
the sight of God, be amenable to the charge
of offensive partisanship for exercising
his right as an American citizen? Is this
the character of man who is offensive to the
democratic party? Mr.. Chairman the
offensive partisan is the republican; the
effective partisan is the democrat. He is
to be appointed as a reward for his politi-
cal zeal. His appointment will not improve
the public service, fancy, but is made for
partisan reasons only. Do we not see the
civil service principle twisted warped and
most wretchedly deformed, in place of the
service being, as was promised, reformed?
/ object for one to the prostitution of the
public service in the name of REFORM in
sist that there should be candor and fair
dealing in the matter of making removals
from office. If our political opponents pro-
pose to make removals from all the Offices
/ pray that instead of trumping up frivolous
and unjust charges against republican in
cumbents as justification for their re-
moval, that they will announce that they
are to be turned out because they are repub-
licans, and their successors are to be APP
pointed because they are democrats. Sir,
tear away the mask of reform, and let the
face of democracy come forth! During the
| canvass of last year our opponents de-
manded that the rascals should be turned
out, and insisted on examining the books
and counting the money They have
counted the money which was collected and
cared for by the republican party, and have
found it all there except two obstinate pen
MES that seemed bent upon proving our
rascality, until they themselves were found
out l regret exceedingly however, that
the republican party did not have the pleas
ure of counting the nations money, when
they came into power, that had been col
| lected and cared for by the democratic
party. The needs of the nation were
greater then than now. The books have
been examined and have passed muster.
Under the civil service rules they were en-
titled to remain in statu quo, but under the
recent rule of the democracy the manner of
keeping them must be changed, presume,
on account of offensive partisanship' The
democrats have been diligently searching
for the rascals with view of turning them
out, as they should have. been, had they
been found. Every time they have
scratched for a rascal they have found
only an offensive PARTISAN and have in
stantly turned him out. The well-being and
happiness of people is largely dependent
upon the character of the laws and admin
istration by which they are governed. The
republican party has had undisputed lead
ership for the past twenty-four years. The
wisdom of its laws and the fidelity of its adj
ministration are attested by the splendid
material and social development of the
people, by our uneXampled progress as a
nation and by the advanced position of in
fiuence our government has taken with the
nations of the world, The principles and
policies announced and maintained in its
record of splendid achievements have chal
lenged the admiration Of the foremost mer
of the entire world. Such a party mus
lead, it cannot follow; such party deserves
! and must again achieve success. / have NJ
fears for the future Of the republican party; it,
l principles, knocking at the door of the con
science of the people, will regain admission
The spirit of fair play which fills the hear
of the great body of the American people
! will demand in such terms as cannot be re
fused that every citizen under the flag shall
be protected in the right of free speech ant
Y free ballot Mr.. Chairman, the republi
can party is not dead; it lives the life of thu
. vigorous and strong 1t will be returned tc
power by the people--it is the party of thu
people, Protection to our home free labo
4 demands it; the restoration of true civil ser
q vice reform demands it; adequate appro
priations to aid the system of free school
S wherever needed demand it; the promoting
A of our home industrial interests in all prope
: ways demands it. The necessity for the en-
u forcement of the right of every voter within