The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1895-10-17
IDEAL POLITICS.
A PLATFORM ON WHICH A PARTY
CAN WIN-PERHAPS.
Civil Service Law, but Are Afraid
to Repeal 1t.

The lesson of the elections of the last
twenty-five years, and especially of those
of the last ten years, says n writer in
Harper's Weekly, is that the voters have
a strong preference for men Of charac-
ter, and for men who will firmly resist the
demands of self-seeking politicians. The
politicians have come to recognize the
fact that the people believe in civil serv-
ice reform. 1t is for this reason that the
present law was passed. and for this rea-
son, too, that it has not been re-
pealed. Another lesson is that the
people of the whole country are not in
favor of the interference of the Federal
government i'll State and local elections.
They are for honest money, They are
opposed to such high protective customs
duties as were imposed By the Mckinley
act, and they evidently believe that
changes in the tariff should be for the
purpose of relieving commerce of its
shackles. They are against the part
nership of the government in private en-
terprises, and, while they have no sym
pathy with the Populistlc idea of govern
ment ownership, they are hostile to the
equally communistic theory that the gov
eminent should engage with capitalists
for the promotion of private interests,
for the manipulation of the money mar
ket, for enriching private citizens with
money taken from the taxpayers.
If a party could be organized on the
basis of this brief outline of principles it
would certainly carry the next Presiden-
| tial election. 1t would declare in favor
of q single gold standard, leaving the
| question of international bimetallism to
be answered when it becomes practical
and present. 1t would insist on the re-
| tirement of the greenbacks and Treasury
! notes and the withdrawal of the govern
ment from the banking business. 1t
would declare against any effort to dis
! turb the growing prosperity of the coun-
try by increasing customs duties. 1t
would make it clear, not only by its pro-
fessions and pledges, but by the character
of its leaders and candidates, that civil
service and that so long as it retained
power no change in it would be made
except for the purpose of extending its
provisions to the end that all admins
trative offices should finally be brought
within the classified service. 1t would
pledge itself to maintain the principle that
taxation ought TO be for public purposes
only, and that no money should be taken
from the people at large for the benefit
of any individual or corporation, or of
any class of citizens. 1t would also
promise that all taxation should be fan
and equal, and that it ought not, like the
late populistic income tax, to rest on class
divisions. Above all, it would be al
American and not lingo party.
Neither of the existing parties has evel
made these declarations or given this evi
dence of respect for character Whenever
either of them has approached such 8
platform as is here sketched it has dis
credited it either by its nominations OF
by its qualifications through evasions ant
verbal double-deaings. But if neither
party will adopt this programme pro
gramme which on examination of thu
votes cast at the national elections of tn,
last ten years will be shown to be popu
lar-why can there not be a revision o
party lines? Would it not be better t,
be one of party seeking to satisfy tina
which is best in the country than to g
on with the two old organizations in
struggle to gain the pelf of office with tn
aid of all that is worst?
Why can there not be one party at leas
led by men Who are for the country, an
not for themselves alone?