The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-08-10
THE REPUBLICAN PROGRAMME.
BY HON. JOHN q. CARLISLE.
From The Forum for August. |

From The Forum for August.l
Senator Morrill,, in an article pub
lished in the July number of the
Forum, undertakes to define and defend
the past and present policy of the
republican party; and as he is one of
ITS Oldest and ablcst members, and also
an influential member of one branch Of
the legislative department, and neces-
sarily on confidential terms with the
administration, what he says will
naturally attract the attention of the
country and be generally accepted as
semi-OfliCial announcement OF the
course TO be pursued by congress
and the executive. While we do
not suppose that his statements
are In any proper sense authoritative,
or even that he has in every instance
correctly expressed the views OF a
majority of his party, still his own
opinions are OF sufficient Importance
to Justify careful consideration. AL
though apparently quite confident that
his party will continue in power, the
senator admits that there ''are some
perils in front of the present admins
tration," and he then proceeds to
enumerate them. lie recognizes but
three: The administration of the civil
service law, the question of silver
coinage, and what he calls the "negro
! problem" AS to the first, he expresses
the opinion that it should be admin
istered with greater fidelity than by the
last ADMINISTRATION while as to the
silver question and the negro problem
he suggests no definite plan of action
1t is evidently his opinion that it is
now, or may hereafter become neces-
sary, to do something in regard to
these subjects, but what is to be done
or how it is to be done, he does not
venture to state.
The course of the administration up
to the present time, in leaving the civil
service commission for more than two
months without a sufficient number oi
members TO transact business, and in
postpOning the execution of Mr.
Cleveland's order classifying the rail-
way mail service, as well as the great
number of removals from subor-
dinate places already made fol
political reasons, show conclusively
that there is, to say the least, no great
anxiety for the enforcement of the law
as it stands, and no purpose whatever
to redeem the pledge made by tht
last republican national convention
to further extend its scope and opera
ton.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM DEFIED.
In fact, the postponement OF th
, order classifying the railway mai
service, for the avowed purpose o
creating vacancies by removals ant
filling them by appointments withou
competitive examinations, was an ex
press reputation of the vital principl
of civil service reform, because it wa
an official decla. alton that bette
selections could be made without sue
examinations than with them. 1t is n
answer to this to say that the ObjeC
was TO reappoint the old postal clerk
, who had been removed during the las
y four years, for everyone of those clerk
was eligible for examination and al
poin:ment under the rules adopted b
Mr.. Cleveland; and il it be true, d
is claimed, that they were better qua
flied than others, the examination
n would have demonstrated that tac
and they could have been selecte
without this untriendly blow at tn
n civil service law. The senator doe
not attempt TO conceal the fact tia
notwithstanding all the professions
n the contrary, the law is unpopular wit
his party, and even as it now stand
"may be submitted to with some r,
n luctance." 1t is well known that tf
law was not properly enforced durin
the last republican administration
II either as TO political assessments {
appointments to Office, and that SON
= branches of the public service TO whiC
-, ii was plainly intended TO apply wei
" not even classified until after M
- Cleveland had been elected; and the
is no reason so far to believe that
)" different policy will be hereaft'
- pursued.
10 Nor will the republican party ste
cr the coinage of silver. no matter no
a. much that metal may depreclate
,e value. Without the vote of the mort
ra west and the Pacific slope, the succe
of the party would be as hopeless as
- would without the vote of the Degr
and 1t dare not offend public seutime
g in that part of the country by DIM
ishing the volume of the circulatii
medium. Its own favOrite policy
DlHu thTlu anu lUFCcu COhtIlOuiloho
the manufacturing centres has mat
IL the northwest debtor to the east, al
a majority of the people there, wheth
'e right or wrong, will tolerate no chani
u in the currency that increases the
burdens or makes them harder TO bea
W When q republican supreme conl
without a dissenting voice among Il
NJ republican judges, and without pr
test from single republican statesIn'
as or politician, has decided that congre
has the constitutional power, in tin
J" of peace and in the absence of al
* public exigency, to make legal tend
money out of mere paper promises
pay, it is safe to say that republics
!" congress will not have the coura
IN either to stop the issue of silver dolia
or to increase the amount OF met
ne contained in them.
IS A GHOST THAT DOES NOT DOWN.
The so called negro problem is o
to that will continue to vex the republic
party as long as it is compelled to re
Ut Tor success upon the solid colored vo;
all and no solution of it will be saiisiacto
unless it subjects that vote to the e
ne elusive control OF partisan offici;
appointed to see that 1t is always ca
to or counted for the republican cane
dates. 1t is therefore proposed TO ena
a without any constitutional authority
federal registration and election Is
'e' which will provide for several hundr
n, thousand new officers, to be select
by a republican president. and TO he
their places until republican sens
er shsll consent to their removal by co
de frming their successors. TO give Il
unprecedented measure an appearan
hit of impariislity and good faith, il W
probably be made applicable to t
wv whole country, but its real and OF
purpose will be TO control the electiC
p. in the southern states: and it is the
that the illegal and arbitrary prOcet
- ings of ignorant end unscrupulU
ol, partisan officials will produce
most irritation and disturbance. 7
MS people III that part OF the country KIN,
from u bitter experience in the pa
pa ust what to expect from The inangn
ton of a policy which at once conve
en- every negro laborer into an acti
politician, and places their elections
~ the hands of men, majority OF whC
,er can neither read or write, and who /
necessarily ignorant OF the plain
provisions of the statute under whi
they hold their places, and of the Ia
they are appointed to execute
its The immediate effect of such pol
its will he to demoralize labor, engent
| nd t,.sf