The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-09-19
our civilization or inconsistent with Re-
publican form Of government.

our clVlllZatlOn or inconsistent WIN lIe-
publican form Of government.
The declaration Of the Convention
against 'All combinations or capital organ
lied in trusts or otherwise, to control arbi
trarily the condition of trade among our
citizens, is in harmony with the views en-
tertained and publicly expressed by me
long before the assembling of the ConyeH-
ton. Ordinarily, capital shares the losses
of idleness with labor, but under the oper-
alton of the trust. In some Of its forms, the
wage worker alone suffers loss. while idle
capital receives its dividends from the trust
fund. Producers who refuse to join the
combination are destroyed, and competition
as an element of prices is eliminated. 1t
cannot be doubted that legislative authority
should and will find method of dealing
fairly and effectively with these and other
abuses connected with this subject.
1t can hardly be necessary for me to say
that I am heartily In sympathy with The
subject of pensions to our soldiers and
sailors. What they gave and what they
suffered had some opportunity to observe
and, in small measure, to experience. They
gave ungrudginglv. 1t was not trade,
but an offering. The measure was heaped
up and running OYER What they achieved
only distant generations can adequately
tell Without attempting to discuss par
ticular propositions, / may add that meas
ures in behalf of the surviving veterans Ut
the war and of the families of their dead
comrades should be conceived and executed
in spirit of justice and of most grateful
liberality, and that in competition for civil
appointment honorable military service
should have appropriate recognition.
The law regulating appointments to the
classified civil service received my support
in the Senate, In the belief that 1t opened
the way to much needed reform. | still
think so, and therefore cordially approve
the clear and forcible expression of the
Convention upon this subject The law
should have the aid of friendly inlerprets-
ton and be faithfully and vigorously en-
forced. All appointments under it should
be absolutely free from partisan considera-
tions and influence. Some extensions of
the classified list are practicable and dura-
BILE, and further legislation extending re-
form to other branches of the service, to
which it is applicable, would receive my
and department, fitness, and not party ser
vice, should be The essential and discrim-
mating test, and fidelity and efficiency the
only sure tenure OF office, Only the inter-
est of the public service should suggest re-
movals from office. I know the practical
difficulties attending an attempt to apply
the spirit of the civil service rules to all
appointments and removals. 1t will, how
ever, be my sincere purpose, If elected, to
advance the reform.
notice with pleasure that the Cooven-
ton did not omit to express its solicitute
for the promotion of virtue and temperance
among our people. The Republican party
has always been friendly to everything
that tended to make the home life of our
people free, pure and prosperous, and will
in future ;,s true to its history In this re-
spect.
Our relations with foreign powers should
be characterized by friendliness and respect.
The right of our people and OF our ships
to hospitable treatment should be insisted
upon with dignity and frmness. Our ma
ton Is too great, both In material strength
and in moral power, to indulge in bluster
or to be suspected of timorousness. Vacil-
latioa and inconsistency are as incompati-
BILE with successful diplomacy as they are
with national dignity. We should especial
" cultivate and extend our diplomatic and
commercial relations with Central and
South American States Our fisheries
should be fostered and protected. The
hardships and risk that are necessary in
cidenls of the business should not be ir-
creased by an inhospitable exclusion from
near-lying ports. The resources of firm,
dignifed and consistent diplomacy are un-
doubtedly equal to prompt and peaceful
solution of the difficulties that now exist.
Our neighbors will surely not expect in
our ports the commercial hospitality they
deny to US in theirs.
I cannot extend this letter by special
reference to other subjects upon which the
Convention gave an expression. In respect
to them, as we'll as to those have noticed,
I am in entire agreement with the declars-
tions of the Convention. The resolutions
relating to coinage, to the rebuilding OF the
navy, to coast defenses. and to public lands,
express conclusions to all of which gave
my support in the Senate.
Inviting q calm and thoughtful consider
alton of these public questions. we submit
them to the people. Their intelligent pa
triotism and the good Providence that
made and has kept US nation will lead
them to 8 wise and safe conclusion.
Very respectfully, your obt servant,
BENJAMIN HARRISON.