The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-05-06
Ex-Governor Longs Views.

In his recent speech before the Nor
folk Club in Boston Representative
John ID. Long of Massachusetts dis
cussed the future of the republican
party. 1t is fair, candid and forcible
delineaton of the past and present at
titude of the democratic party. 1t cor
rectly estimates the quality of the SER
vice of the republican party to the Ma
ton, and outlines in a manly and Wig
orous way its duties and obligations as
the party of opposition. The following
extracts show the character of the
speech:
I cannot forget that this is republican
club, devoted to republican principles and
to their incorporation into the government.
AS such my sympathies are cordially with
it. The republican party, in its history,
spirit and doctrine, if not in its organization,
is still the party of the country, as in all
these respects it is still the party of the
commonwealth. To hold otherwise would
be to forget Andrew and Sumner, and to
blot out from the record the emancipation
proclamation and the fruits of AppomattoX.
In the recent national campaign our oppo-
nents won only by republican votes and by
creating the impression that they would not
undo the republican work. The success of
the present administration is in exact pro-
portion to its adherence to the republican
model, and If you will analyZe the praise it
receives you will find it measured by the
fidelity of the walk to republican footsteps.
Cleveland's inaugural was applauded be-
cause it stated republican platform. He
gets the heartiest response when he retains
republican official. Nothing could more
clearly than this show that the sentiment of
the country is still republican. The demo-
cratic machine yields reluctant consent
because it must but thus far, whatever
| turn things may hereafter take, it has not
found its party expression, and therefore
the country sounds no alarm. / say these
things because / am thus led to the question
what is and what is to be the function of the
republican party, now that it is out of ma
tional power. AS an intelligent club we
ought to meet this question intelligently
and generously. The field is broad. There
is good work and great amount of good
work, worthy of any ambition, to be done.
Here at home, in our municipalities and in
our commonwealth, the republican party
should devote itself to maintaining its con-
tinuance in power. In Massachusetts its
record is that of honest government, abso-
lutte financial integrity, judicious economy,
combined with the largest beneficence,
an unrivaled civil service and faithful
discharge of duty. 1t has only needed
the intersection of democratic rule for a
single year now and then to renew the hold
of the republican party upon the public con
fdence. Talk of defeat and minorities
| Why, sir, here at home is battlefield for
victory-a victory not of party alone, but of
good government. Nor is there anything
humiliating or unhappy in our national posi-
ton Our defeat last fall simply makes us
the opposition" place of honor, in
which often the best work has been accom-
plished and the greenest laurels won. If il
is to be cheap, do-nothing, captions, heel
barking opposition, then we should better
disband OF that sort of " opposition we
have, however, had the warning for twenty
four years of terrible example" But if it
is to be an opposition which shall apply itself
to IA just and searching scrutiny of the party
in power and its doings, to an intelligent
discussion of questions of national policy
and to the maintenance at all times of the
republican principles of equal rights and
sound finance, then it will not only afford
us splendid usefulness, but will insure the
| quickest return to power. 1t is Significant
that the republican party is the only party
capable of such an opposition. The democ-
racy was always failure in that role. Its
record there was record of blunders, the
! stupid obstruction of numbers and the most
| lamentable inetiiciency. If by hair
breadth it succeeded last year IL was be-
cause by leaven of republican elements
| ana leaders III became Il repuDncaH OPPOSE
| ton" Thus far the new administration has
in many respects done well. There is, of
course, enough TO criticise The promises
have not all been kept. Some appointments
have been made at which you hold your
noses. With some good diplomatic selec-
tions, others wretchedly infelicitous have
been mingled. There has been the usual
dispensation of patronage, under depart
mental control for the purpose of meeting
personal obligations. Under the most de-
serving Pearson charity has been hid multi
tude of sins against civil service reform in
the removal of faithful and efficient officials,
in the substitution of confederate brigadiers
for federal soldiers, in the refusal 10 reap
point officers equally as deserving as Pear
son and in supplanting them with " offensive
partisans." meretricious reputation has
been effervesced out of the sale of a knock
kneed horse or two and little reaction of
disgust has come at the OVERRIDING of the
presidents office manners and razor-strop.
But aside from all this, the fact remains that