The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-05-25
CHAIRMAN MCUqCHQN'S ADDRESS

CHAIRMAN McUqcH0N's ADDRESS
In Opening the Republican Convention ut
Livingston, May 10, 1888.
Following Is the address of Chairman Nc.
Cutcbeon in Opening the Republican Con-
vention at Livingston, last Saturday. It was
delivered in . mastery manner and received
with o~ft-repeated applause:
- Gentlemen Of the Conuention: Pursuant
to call re have met here to elect delegates
to q Natonial Convention, which will select
the next President of the United States.
In view of the political history written dur
ing the past four years, l speak advtsedly when
4 declare my convictions and the conviction
of Republicans everywhere throughout the
country, that the next President of these
United States will surely be q Republican.
The people have grown tirel and restless
under the administration Of Chief magistrate
who has, during that period of time, trampled
under his feet every solemn promise he had
made to them. Even the Mugwumps, who in
1884 had ceased to worship anything but this
political dedication of their own, admit that
they have been sadly disappointed for the
reason that tsclvil service reform" in his
hands and as he has administered 1t, has
become but little if any more than 4 scream
ing farce. 1t can be easily demonstrated that
his party four years ago was made but to be
broken, and that not q vestige of any So
called reform suggested by them or either OF
them can to-day be found.
The reasons will readily suggest them
selves to every thinking man at all versed In
the history of our government and OF the
political parties which have from time to
time controlled it, When the government
was turned over to the Democratic party,
but little less than -four years ago. there was
no occasion for reform. It had been con-
aducted. upon reform principles during q
period of twenty years. Less money had
peen lost by defalcations during that time
than in any other like period of our history.
More money was handled during that time
BY Republican office holders than has been
handled by all other officers ever holding
positions under the government, and when
the final count was had and the last cent
was paid over, it was found to be on hand
for that purpose. We were promised in 1884
that the norm surplus in the treasury
should be speedily reduced. The Demo.
cratic party had gone out of power in 1850
under suspicious circumstances at best, and
/ Ibis OTOUQlS0 W8S uuuOOUtCOAy uA0AV v 4NA0o
any possible fear the people might have that
some possible Floyd or Thompson might
come in contact with it, and their cupidity
be tempted beyond the power of endurance.
In their platform of 1884 the Democrats
said: "tbat q change is necessary is proven
by the existing surplus Of more than
500, 000, 900 which has yearly been collected
from a suffering people. Unnecessary taxation
is unjust taxation" In his last annual
message the president devoted no inconsid-
cradle space to this subject, and in the same
connection attempted by a sweeping blow
to paralyze the industrial pursuits of our
people, which had grown to such splendid
! proportions under the protection and foster
Ing care of Republican administration of the
government. The good faith Of the Presi-
dent and his Democratic allies in the matter
| of the reduction of the surplus in the treas
ury could not have been more severely tested
than it was by Republican members of Con-
gress, who proposed to do this by the aboli-
ton of internal taxes from which the gov
eminent had derived $70,000,000 more Of
revenue during the last eleven years than it
was in 1884.
The Democrats said in their platform of
1884: 1--WE believe in q free ballot and q
fair count" If this was the expression of an
honest belief there cannot be q clear con-
| science existing within q Democrat in a
majority of the States south of the Mason
and Dixon line.
The President said In his letter Of accept
ance four years ago: 1.-THE public depart
menls will not be filled with those who con-
ceive it to be their first duty to aid the party
to which they owe their place, instead of
rendering patient and honest return to the
people," This is q matter over which had
absolute and unqualified control, and yet
what have we seen: The departments are
the headquarters of political committees,
and the officers in control in many instances
are dragooning postmasters throughout the
country into abject and servile party service
to the detriment of the public interests.
The Navy Department began its operations
| under the new administration by needlessly
crushing out the splendid ship building
operations conducted by grand old John
Roach. The Interior Department conducted
its business upon q plan best calculated to
| crush out the lives and destroy the hopes
and property of the poor settlers upon the
public domain. The Postofhce Department
was never so badly conducted, aud to-day
there comes up from every portion of the
country a demand for better postal service.
The Department of justice has been the de-
partment of jobbery and the stschool for
scandal"
The President announced as one of the
cardinal principles upon which his admins
tration should be conducted, that offensive
partizanship upon the part of public officers
would not be tolerated. Soon after his ad-
miDistration began he suspended District
Attorney Benton, of Missouri, and District
Attorney Stone, of Pennsylvania, for an
alleged violation of this principle. Benton
was the most pronounced in his violation,
and yet, being a Democrat, he was restored
to his Office, while Stone. being a Republi-
can, was removed. The President also
declared with reference to employees in the
public service that "merit and competency
shall be recognized instead of party subser-
viency or the surrender Of honest political
belief" Yet within two years $4,000 faith
full and competent employees found to their
sorrow that merit and competency are rarely
found by the present administration outside
the ranks of the Democratic party. While
four years ago he was declared to be much
better than his party, the President has never
failed to be ~obsequiously subservient to its
every behest.
The Democratic party has neuer been able
to keep pace with the growth of the country,
and what they ought to know o.day they
never find out until next week, or until
some later period.
Soon after his nomination Mr.. Cleveland
was serenaded at Albany, New York, and
in the course of his speech upon that occa.
sion he declared that "parties may become
so arrogant and careless of the interests of
the people as to grow needless of their re-
sponsibilities to their masters, but the time
comes as certainly as death when the people
''weigh them in the balance" This sentiment
sounds like q s%oliloquy, which might readily
suggest itself to a Democrat of 1884, as he
pondered upon the condition of things as
they existed in 1860 and 1861. 1t may have
been intended as q word of warning, but if
so: both he and his party have heedlessly dis
regarded it.
For the reasons contained in this declara-
stion and for many more I have not the time
to enumerate, the people have weighed the
present administration and the party respon-
sible for it, and will declare at the polls in
November next that they are found wanting
in every essential element of governmental
success.
Four years ago Mr.. Cleveland made a
declaration with reference to himself in /
which he said: ave recognize in the eligi-
bility of the President for reelection q
most serious danger to that calm, deliberate
and intelligent political action which must
characterize a government by the people,"