The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-06-04
CLARK son, OF IOWA.
HIS SPEECH AT THE NORFOLK CLUB,
IN BOSTON.
Views or the First Assistant Postmaster
General in Civil Service Reform, the
Tariff, the Southern, and Othor Quos-
lions OF National Import.

General In civil Service Reform, the
Tariff, the Southern, ana Othor Quos-
lions of National Import.
Boston speciall
The guest OF the club was First Assist
ant Postmaster General Clarkson. About
$50 gentlemen were present. The Hon.
Warren T.. Locke presided and speeches
were made by Gen. Clarkson, Lient. Gov.
Halle, Mayor Hart, ex-Gov. Long. and
Collector Beard. In speaking of the
Southern question. Mr.. ClarksoR said in
part: If the INST duties of government
are to insure human liberty and protect
human life, then these are the largest
questions now before the American peo-
pie. So l come TO this traditional foun-
tain of American intelligence and courage
to ask why an American who is Repub-
lican has fewer rights than an American
who is a Democrat. 1t is time to set up
the standards of fair play all over this
Republic. The nation has waited pa
tently ever since the war for the South
to settle this problem. 1t mas now been
twenty-five years, md the problem Is
still unsolyed. One mistake was that the
United States did not settle this ques-
tion Immediately at the close of
the war. For the war changed all
the conditions of citizenship. Be-
fore that time citizenship was a matter
of the State. and only incidentally of the
nation. The verdict of that conflict
changed the condition, amended the
Constitution and made the supreme allie
glance of the voter due to the United
States. he nation is now face to face
with the duty whether in its sovereign
power it shall allow Georgia, South Car
olina, or any State to prevent the Ameri-
can citizen from exercising his constitu-
tional right to vote. Let the States rule
their own affairs. The North C n concede
that to the South. But in all elections
affecting the United States of Congress
men or United States Senators or Presi-
dent-it is the daty of the United States,
and clearly within its power, TO set such
safeguards about the voter that he shall
be allowed to cast his vote in peace and
have ii faithfully counted. With the
Republican psrty having full power
Congress and the Executive Department
it will be as false TO posterity as to it
self If it does not exercise its power under
the Constitution to make American citi-
Zenship equal and complete in all parts
of the republic.
Touching the tariff, Mr.. Clarkson said:
an Boston n stranger may not come to
discuss the tariff 1t is product of New
England. L can only report from new
portion of the Republic of the growing
strength of this fidelity TO American in
terests. Twenty re years ago there was
not protection paper printed In the State
of Iowa; they were all practically for
free trade. We have learned wisdom;
and to-day the manufacturing products
of Iowa equal half in value the ayricul-
tural products. We have our own inter
ests 10 protect now in adhering to pro-
lection. The cllim of the Northwest for
free trade is not true. In the last Re-
publican National Convention the East
said that the West must stand strong
protection plank. The West accepted it,
and in the campaign and a. the election
stood by it better than the manufactur-
ing centers of the East stood by their
own faith The best protectionist in the
United States to-day is the Western far
mer. He is also the best posted man
in politely. He reads many newspa-
pers and discusses them with mis-
family, and knows both his pa
triotic duty nd his sef-interest. Free
trade has sought audaciously to set no
its empire in the Northwest, but il will
fail. 1t has tried 10 take advantage of
the temporary hard times 10 convert the
farmer to its notions. As n Western man,
j resent the pity bestowed upon the West
ern farmer. He is passing through tenn
porary depre- sion, but he is meeting il
brlvely, and he will come out of it by his
strength and wisdom. He knows that he
is suffering from production. He
reads statistics for himself. He sees
that the corn creage, which in 1889 was
| $4,000 900 of acres, has about reached
its maximum as against Al 900, 900 of
acres In 1874. Corn cannot be raised west
! of the l02d meridian. 1t is not likely TO
| increase beyond $1,000, 600 of acreag
and then by diversion of corn soil to
! other crops the coin acreage Will rapidly
| decrease, Just as wheat touching it.
! maximum of acreage in 1884, is rapidly
| decreasing. The increase of population
will bring increased consumption of food,
while there will not be the increase in
acreag e of crops for food.
| Immediately connected with this,
said MIR. Clarkson. lis another question,
concerning which l come before the in
! tellectual bar of New England to plead.
| 1t is the question OF civil-service reform.
| The cry that the Offices are few and the
people many Is in one degree false. The
| township and the town meeting are
largely the strength of this Government.
Any one can calculate for himself that,
counting all the Offices, there are from
| twenty to thirty in every township in the
| land. Along with this goes the fact that
in every such township, especially in the
| farming communities, almost every man
of intelligence in that township holds
within ten years some sort of an office.
! In il he is instructed IN government, and
given a new dignity in citizenship, and
made conservative and careful. For
Office holding makes all men conservative.
After be has had this instruction in Office
! he is wiser as a voter. wiser as tax
payer, and stronger in every way as a
citizen. In these millions of little Of
fees, and IN the contests over them,
wherein all public questions are argued
and the public interest discussed.
is largely kept alive that healthful
! interest which is the salvation of
the government. The political cam
paign is the real lyceum of American
statesmen and the open academy of the
great mass of the American people. As
the State seeks through the county and
township thus TO instruct it's people in
public affairs through it's Offices and as
1t changes them frequently, both to pre-
SIEVE constant honesty in Office and to in
1 struct tho largest possibls number of
men in official affairs, so, / believe,
should the nation follow in the same
course. 1t was intended by the fathers
of the republic that Office holding should
be honorable. 1t was intended that an