Connecticut western news., 1892-09-08

patriotic, wise and impartial men, to whom consideration of the questions of the evils con nected with our election system and methods might be committed, with a view tc securing to every eector a free and unmolestcd exercise of the suffrage and near m ap proach to an equality of value in each ballot cast as is attainable. The demand that the limitations of suffrage shall be found in th, law, and only there, is just demand and nc just man should resent or resist it"
 It seemed to me that an appeal to our people to consider the question of read justing our leg islation upon absolutely fair npnpartisan lines might find some effective response. Many times have had occasion to say that laws ana election methods designed to give unfair ad vantages to the party making them would some time be used to perpetuate in power fac tion of party against the will of the majority of the people. Of this we seem to have an Illus tration in the recent state election in Alabama There was no Republican ticket in the field.
 The contest was between white Democrats The Kolb party say they were refused the rep resentation guaranteed by law upon the cleo ton boards and that when the courts by man damus attempted to right this wrong an ap peal that could not be heard until after tn, election made the writs intellectual Ballot boxes were thrown out for alleged Irregularities or destroyed, and it is asserted on behalf of at least one-haf of the white voters of Alabama that the officers to whom certificates have been given were not honestly elected.
 There is no security for the personal or DO litical rights of any man in community where any other man is deprived of his per. sonal or political rights. The power of the state over the question of the qualification of electors is ample to protect thom against tho dangers of an ignorant or depraved suffrage, and the demand that every man found to bo qualified under tho law shall be made secure in the right to cast free ballot and to have that ballot honestly counted cannot be ahatcd
 Our old Republican battle cry, "A free ballot and n fair count" comes back 10 us, not only from Alabama, but from other states, and from men who, differing from us widely In opinions, have come to see that parties aud DO. litical debate are but a moekery if when tho debate is ended. tho judgment of honest ma. jorities Is to be reversed by ballot box frauds and tally sheet manipulations in the interest of the party or party faction in power.
 Foreign Policy.
 The civil service system has been extended and the law enforced with viRor and impar- tiality. There has been no partisan juggling with the law in any of the departments or bu. reaus as had before happened but appoint ments to the classified service have been made impartially from the eligible lists, The system now in force in all the departments has for tho first time placed promotions strictly upon the basis of merit, as ascertained by daily record, and the efficiency of the force thereby greatly increased.
 The approval SO heartily given by the con. vention to all those agencies which contribute to the education of the children of the land was worthily bestowed and meets my hearty ap. proval does also the declaration as to liberty of thought and conscience and the separation of church and state.
 The letter then invites the careful atten. tion of the farmers of the whole country to the work done through the state and agri. cultural departments in the interest of agri. culture, in the inspection of meats, the opening of the ports of Europe to our pork and other food products and the consequent enhancement of values, and continues:
 The Chilian incident, now so happily and honorably adjusted, will, l do not doubt, place our relations with tbat brave people upon q more friendly basis than ever before. In our relations with the great European powers the rights of the United States and of our citizens have been insisted with hrmness. Tho strength of our cause and not the strength oi our adversary has given tone to our corro spondence. The Samoan question and the Bchr ing question, which came over from tho preceding administration, have been-the on, settled and the other submitted to arbitration upon fair basis. Never before, l think, in like period have so many important troatio and commercial agreements boon concluded and never before. I am sure, have the honoi and influence, national and commercial, of tho United States been held in higher estimation ir both hemispheres.
 The letter then pays high tribute to th, Union veterans, deplores lawlessness and mob uprisings, demands discrimination ir admitting immigrants and concludes thus:
 Closing Arguments.
 It is not possible for mo to refer even in tho briefest way to many of the topics presented in the resolutions adopted by tho convention Upon all that have not been discussed l have before publicly expressed my views Achangs in the personnel of a national administration iI of comparatively little moment If those cxer cising public functions are able honest, diligent and faithful, others possessing all those quail ties may be found to take their places.
 But changes in the laws and in admins trative policies are of great moment When public affairs have been given a direction and business adjusted itself to these lines, sud den change involves a stoppage and new bust ness adjustments. If the change of ofdirection |. so radical as to bring the commercial tufntabls into use, the business changes i,volved are moi readjustments but reconstructions.
 The Democratic party offers programme oi demolition. The protective policy-to which all business, even that of the importer is now adjusted the reciprocity policy, tho now mer chant marine, are all to be demolished-noi gradually taken down, but blown up. Tc this programme of destruction it has added ons constructive feature, tho re-establshment oi state banks of issue
 The policy of the Republican party is, on tho other hand, distinctly policy of safe pro gression and development-of new factories new markets and new ships. It will subject business to no perilous changes, but offers at tractive opportunities for expansion upon familiar lines Very respectfully yours BENJAMIN HARRISON,