Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-16

| who enjoys such an exposure. The Senator
| from Missouri. the Senator from hentueky-
the Senator from MARYLAND do not enjoy 1t,
because at the bottom of their hearts they be-
lieve that the od-fashioned Democratic way,
without the pretension of alything to the con-
trary. is the best way of conducting govern
ment.
Mr. Schurz aui Mr.. Curtis. aud Mr.. Dor
man b. Eaton. and the select bo.iy of inde-
pendents who are now ranked with them III
sentiment upon this subject do not enjoy this.
| Not one of these men who Possesses ordinary
| discernment can fail 10 see that the whole
course of this Administration On this subject
has been delusion and sham With them
| the searching question that each man mast
| put to himself will now be. How long shall
! | be constrained to minister TO and uphold
this deIusion. this sham 2
| The President himself, who, | am bound
| to believe, is not born hypocrite. does not
enjoy this condition. His only satisfaction
must be that he is getting more clearly in
| line with his party and its leaders and the
| sentiments of its masses, and that in the time
TO come he will be called on TO make no
| more professions.
| Another subject closely connected with
this question and specially provided for in
the statute is that of assessment for political
purposes imposed upon the officers, clerks
| and employees of the Government. The
whole course of the Republican party upon
| this was thoroughly gone over in the debate
which arose here in the Forty seventh Con-
| gress. in which the distinguished gentleman
now our minister at the German court, then
! a prominent member of this body and the
author of the Pendieton civll-service bill.
took part.
/ In that debate the course of the Republican
party was most fully justified, and it was
shown clearly that whatever contributions had
! been made by officials, clerks, and employees
of the government toward maintaining the
organization and conducting the campaigns
of the party had been voluntary, and that no
! exactons had been laid and no threats or
coercion resorted TO to enforce contributions
The amount derived from all these sources
| in single year was small compared with the
entire expenses involved in political cam
paign. But, Mr.. President, great hue and
cry was raised throughout the country be-
cause of these voluntary contributions, and
in the last years of the Republican admins
tration they sank TO almost nothing. The law
was regarded and respected The present
administration stood pledged TO resist and
destroy this evil equally with its pledges
which have adverted to in other directions.
am consuming more time, MIR President,
than | ever intended in the present discus
sion of this subject, and my only comment
upon the attitude of the administration on
this phase of the subject which | am dis
cussing shall be to read the following
| Washington Post November l, 1857
AMONG THE DEMot RATs-MoNIY FOR THE NEW
loKk CAMPAIGN.
/ A representative of the New York state Demo.
Irrat ig
ceipt Of contributions for the New York campaign
in the rooms of the Columbia Democratic Club.
4ly Tenth street, yesterday. large number Of
contributions were received the first of which came
| from young lad, in the Government Printing
Office signing herself sincerely Democrat" The
office will be opened to day at O'Clock and remain
open during the evening.
The following communication which
| read, appeared in the Wash
ington Republican of November 5, 1887.
have never seen any Genial of the facts AS
therein given:
CIVIL REFORM
EDITOR NATIONAL REPUBLICAN: The follow
ing is a true copy of q receipt for money solicited
from the employees of the Government Printing
Office, with the uude, standing that the names of
the parties contributing would be furnish, d tn,
head of the office for favorable consideration
New YORK, 10, 81 1887.
Receiv' from fifty cents 1ntrbuton
to the New ork Democratic State Committee.
50 80. EDWARD MURPHY, JR. Chairman
G. r. o. PerC. v. ii.
The Cover nmen, Printing office thorough
ly canvassed The Cashier of the Office went to
every person entitled to vote in New York, and
mad, it apparent to them that they must 90 home
and vote, and on their reform fur n,h the name of
the precinct in which they voted.
Never in he history of the office has there he.
SUI n ,mplete system of OBJ aiming money from
both men and women for political purposes, aud
that in q manner that left doubt in the minds of
the employees that if the request was not complied
W I'll their places would be filled y others.
The argument used 70 oba n money about
as follows "lf CIR yer Cl velan Pr sdcnt If
the United States could contribute 81 600, Ger
/ tahly poor woman could pay 30 cents
/ WASHINGTON, Norember, I.
From all this, Mr. President, something
now ought to be plainly and clearly seen by
every man who is not stone-blinl. The po-
| litical value to the Democratic party of the
cry of 'civil-seryicc reform has in the minds
! of the leaders of that party. ceased TO be
worth estimating. In all matters pertaining
| to the organization and management of the
| party and its conduct in political campaigns
no further attention will be paid to this. The
primaries the caucuses. the conventions, and
the conduct of elections will 20 on in the old
fashioned Democratic way. The penetrating
and controlling influence of the a1ministra-
ton, upon the Management of the party.
both in Congress and in the broad battlefield
before the American people, will be as mark
ed, as dominant, as ever before WELDING
this influence, marking the paths of the party.
shaping its course, breaking down opposition
enforcing discipline, derding AMI defying
protest will be found the immense mass of
Federal otficcholders throughout the entire
land, as obedient to the orders of the Admin
| stration as the janizares who do the bidding
of an eastern despot. Some faint further
note may possibly from time to time be heard
in the form of homly issued from the
| White House descanting upon the merits of
a civl-service reform. which the leaders of
the Democratic party have never believed in.
which faint note will be drowned in the
partisan roar that is heard all along the line
of that party.
| This year Mr.. President. the land will rock
in the furious conflict through which will be
settled all the issues involved in the next
| Presidential election. | stand here now to
declare my belief and to predict that,
in the desperate effort which the Demo
cratic party will make to retain possession of
the Government no means or appliances that
have ever been used in the long years past by
that party will be left unresorted to.
| Intimidation, outrage and murder will. if
needed, again open a bloody grave, in which
will be entomhed anew the free ballot at the
South. The vast army of Office holders will
be marshaled in the conflict, and will be seen
and heard, and felt everywhere. Nor will it
stop here Every piece of work performed
by contract under the Government will be
levied upon for political contribution, and
every man who performs labor, under these
contracts, will be sternly called upon to add
his ballot to the labor he performs as an off
set to the wages he receives. No public
building will be raised in the country whose
workshop will not be found the recruiting
ground for the Democratic party. No war
ship will be built from whose yard will not
issue. upon election day. its stream of Demo
cratic voters.
have, Mr.. President, already seen this
illustrated in my own State. In the post
office building which is now being built at
Augusta, the capital of Maine, when the
foundations had been laid in readiness for the