Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-22
LEA ON THE ISSUES.
The Well-Known Philadelphia Inde-
pendent Out for Harrison.
THE CIVIL SERVICE WAS BETTER
Under the Present Administration Than the
Previous Gne.
PROTECTION AND HONEST CURRENCY

phia Independent. who was so active in be-
half of Governor Pattison in 1890, ha;
written letter to the New York Independent
on the issues of this canvass In 1t he saws:
"The most encouraging sign in American
politics is the growth and Importance of the
independent vote 1t certainly decided the
Presidential contest of 1884; it probably
controlled that of 1888, and it bids fair to
determine that OF 1892. Unmoved by the
clamor of spoilsmen aud the unreasoning
zeal of partisanship it represents the sober
opinion of intelligent citizens who set
country above party and who are Influenced
solely by what they conceive to be the
highest interests of the nation. Yet the
conscience OF the Independent voter is
sometimes sorely exercised in the choice
presented to him, for no political party or
candidate is apt to satisfy his ideals, and he
NAV sometimes feel that he is compelled to
select the lesser of two evils
''In the present canvass the independent,
or Mugwump, has much 10 incline him
against the Republican ticket He remem-
bers Mr. Harrisons promises in favor OF
civil service reform and contrasts them with
Mr.. Clarkson's performances in dismissing
some 40 600 fourth-class postmasters and
with Mr. Wanamaker'S sorry tilt with MIR
Roosevelt over the scandals of the Balti-
more Postoffice; he reyolts at the nepotism
which has controlled many appointments
and at the use made of oficeholders at the
Minneapolis convention; he recalls the dis
repute brought upon the administration by
its early alliance with Messrs. Quay and
Platt and Malone and other bosses; he
recognizes that the conduct of the Pension
Office has been tar from immaculate, and he
feels that it would afford him satisfaction to
express his disapproval in vote for the
Democratic electors.
Better by Comparison, at Least.
''Yet when ne considers dispasionately
that alternative he can scarce fail to see
that such cure is worse than the disease.
He must take in view both OF the candidates
and both of the parties their principles
and policies and methods and he must base
his decision coolly upon the influence which
his vote will have upon the welfare of the
country and the elevation of its political
standards As one of the original Mug
wumps have done this deliberately and
8nxiousIT, and l feel no hesitation as to the
conclusion reached.
''To an independent the most important
and far reaching question is that of civil
service reform.
'1n this the platform of neither party is
satisfactory; there is little difference be-
tween them except that the Democratic
plank necessarily contains some objurga-
tion Of the administration. We must |
therefore look TO the candidates rather than |
TO the parties for any hope which we may |
have of progress in the reform. Weighing |
their comparative merits or demerits in |
this respect we must admit that, although |
Mr. Harrison has been far from satisfying |
US, his record is much better than that of |
Mr. Cleveland, whose earnest personal anti
election pledges were so scandalorsly mega
tived by the unprecedented orgy of
patronage" that disgraced his W hole ad-
ministration, when the Executive power
was prostituted not only to reward his fol-
lowers, but to control political conventions
and legislative action il support of his per-
sonal policy During the four years of his |
Presidential term he made no extension of |
the classified service, save just before its
expiration, when, for the charitable pur-
pose Of embarrassing his successor he ap-
Piled the reform TO the railway mail SER
vice. Mr.. Harrison has at least extended
it to the Indian service and the navy yards,
and under him the enforcement of the law
has been much more rigid than under his
predecessor The appointment of Mr..
Roosevelt was guarantee OF this, and his
willingness to retain the position is its
proof
Personally, am protectionist, and L
regard the amazing progress and prosperity
OF the country since the war as sufficient
proof of the wisdom of the Republican
tariff measures. but have no reproaches to
utter against those who entertain different
views In tie present canvass, however,
the tariff question has its morals as well as
its material aspect, which must not be lost
sight of by those who are striving to purify
our politics and elevate the standards of our
public life. The Republican party has
honestly proclaimed its views and purposes;
it points to its record and asks to be Judged
by 1t; its candidate does the same, and no
voter can doubt as to its principles and |
policy. On the other hand, the Democracy
is engaged in gigantic bunco game, with
Mr. Cleveland as bunko-steerer-in-ch
To satisfy the free trade sentiment of the
South and West, and to placate the ALI
ance, the Chicago platform borrowed a
plank from the Monroe Constitution
and declared it "a fundamental principle
of the Democratic party that the Federal
Government has no constitutional power to
impose and collect tariff duties except for
the purpose OF revenue only"
This is emphatic and unmistakable: no
one can vote for the candidates placed on
this platform without giving his assent to
the constitutional principle asserted, and
without affirming his readiness to see every
protective duty at once repealed and the
revenue raised, as it readily can be,
from a comparatively few articles of uni
versal consumption. Yet, ever since the
platform was adopted and the revolution
ary character appreciated, it has been the
main effort of the party leaders in the North
and East to explain that it does not mean
what il saws, or that if it does it is impossi-
bic of execution In an underhand way
the clothing interests are given to under
stand that the Democracy is really protec-
Zionist, because at the last session the House
passed bill, which failed in the Senate,
limiting the wardrobes to be entered free
Dy returning travellers. 1t is clear case of
alse pretenses, and of this the principal
1dium necessarily falls to MI. Cleveland,
he representative of his party, who solicts
he popular vote on the platform of his
lis party.
The Silver Question.
''On this the utterances of the two parties
n their respective platforms are almost
qually vague, while the positions of the
wo candidates are about equally satisfac-
ory. Such being the case, the only guide
o intelligent action by the friends of sound
urrency is to examine the record of the
wo parties and determine which of them !
an be most safely trusted to support the
Jews of its candidate. Last July what is
nown as the Senate silver bill, was passed
v the bulk of the Democratic Senators
ided bY few Republican members from
he silver States and Mr. Cameron. of Penn
ylvania, who can scarce be called Repub-
lean: the vote in favor of the bill being
ReDuhIicans 16 Democrats and