New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-07
MIR. DEPEW'S BUDGET.
WHAT HE SAW AND LEARNED ON HIS
CHICAGO TRIP.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW
ADOPTED THERT:-H HOW THE FARMER LOOKS
AT THE SILVER QUESTION - THE
TIDE OF PROSPERITY SWEEP
ING TOWARD ITS FLOOD.

ING TOWARD ITS FLOOD.
HE BELIEVES
When Chauncey VI. Depew went TO Chicago last
week 10 deliver an address at the commencement
exercises OF the Chicago University he as Is usual
with him on such trips absorbed an amount OF
general Information concerning the West that gave
him clear idea OF the of affairs there. and
comprehension OF It's progress and possibilities
In speaking Of his trip yesterday, he said:
Chicago has made wonderful strides in the last
few years As Now-York is the great pulsating
heart Of the New-England States, so Chicago is
the centre OF life Of the West In the days OF the
Caesars it was said that all roads led TO Rome
AS looked the cosmopolitan class of citizens
OF this great city; when noted her great railroad
facilities when | saw the vast caravans OF COM
merce that like reess arteries, poured the wealth
and produce Of this great Western country into the
one congested section which is Chicago, l could
hardly refrain from saying that a new order or
things had been established, and all roads ed TO
Chicago. l was almost amazed, knowing as much
Of Chicago as | do, 10 the wonderful progress
she has made
IL arrived in Chicago Sunday night. found the
city in a ferment. A great election was 10 take
place on Tuesday, and subdued air of expectancy
felt all the city. one of the bitterest ana
most holly contested campaigns in the history o.
the city was drawing 10 q close, and even tho
stranger within the gates could not escape the
subtle effects of the campaign. and, almost before
/ knew IT, was as deep.y interested in the result
as man whose political life and fortune we're at
stake. | found that DR.. Parkhurst had been IN
Chicago. and that his uttcrances were still fresh
in the minds Of the people. The lines were tightly
drawn. and battle was to be fought. On one
side was the machine and all the powerful political
allies on the other the better class of citizens
who took a stand for reform.
DESPERATE FIGHT OF THE MACHINE
THE conditions were almost the same as
those which confronted the citizens of our
own city at the last election. The bosses.
with their superb political machine were making
fight for another lease Of political life. The re-
suit was the same as in election. The ring
was defeated, horse foot and dragons. y reform
Mayor was elected by grand majority; the
smaller Offices were secured by the reform ele-
ment; the great city released from the suction
put upon its strength by the ring and almost
felt like throwing up my hat and joining in with
the jol.ifcation
There was one thing in connection with that
election" SAID Mr.. Depew, which is significant and
which hope will be worked out on the same lines
in every great city in the country. refer to the
Civil Service amendment upon which the people
voted. and which was adopted by a majority OF
10000 This amendment provides that civil Service
shall extend to all city departments, and that upon
ability. intelligence and eligibility as demonstrated
by competitive examination shall! depend the
political fortunes Of city employees, and that the
wishes OF bosses and politicians shall no longer
control the patronage of these departments for
use as q weapon in fighting their battles.
The significance OF this law cannot be too
fully dilated upon to show to other cities the work
that II will do in Kidding a city OF political ma
chine. When you come back TO the question OF
machine politics. you will find that political
organization of this character is built up on the
patronage dealt out by the dominating party in
politics The fretwork OF machine organization. the
bone and sinew Of its life the nucleus of its tounda-
ton. are all built upon municipal patronage
Take the leaders OF party in power They do
not depend upon their records or the Work OF their
party to insure an election. They do not stand upon
their own abilities and good works. Instead they
start to work to build up machine that they can
put in action any time, and which. with It's
ponderous motion. can crush any feeble reform
movement. 1t takes political revolution Ike last
falls to turn them out People wonder how 1t Is
that they are securely intrenched in power and
that they cannot be thrown cut easily. Study the
situation and you will These leaders have the
main executive Offices of the city These Offices con-
troll patronage through the departments down
10 street laborers. They see that none but their
own followers secure positions under the city The
police and fremen their weapons. Their hold
reaches every precinct, and vast vote is con-
troiled.
CIVIL SERVICE LAWS ARE THE REMEDY.
Now here is where the Civil Service law in Chi
cago Is going TO wipe out the possibility OF politi-
cal machine. 1t will purify the departments and in
wiping the partisan nature OF city employees IL
will break the backbone of any political organlza
ton of that character. II is a great deal Chi
Cages credit that she adopted this law. The re-
form cannot be worked out in day or week or
a month but it will come. ard with it a better and
purer government. 1t Will be 10 the credit Of any
city 10 adopt this law.
There another thing continued Mr.. De-
pew. which of interest to me. and into which
l took pains to look while l in Chicago. That
is the silver question This is think. the question
of .ba day nd I hay for on time nj cd n
set myself right it. The theory OF free silver
ana the claims that are mad for it are fascinaiing
who depend on the Instruction OF stamp spsaker
read and think for themselves being dluded
with this creed. have tried to reason out the fai-
10 this standard In brief. the belief of the West
ern farmer and other advocates of silver is this:
could sell his wheat for double what it brings
ny that mean n that the farmer for an insira
the gold standard He believes by lowering this
That is, IL silver dollar is worth only 80 cents at
the sOd s,andsrd and he can get % Gsn at
will get dollar in silver for II.
TO how TR Sff
farmer says 10 himself that when he gets a dollar
buy just as much as gold dollar and he is that
much ahead He aoesn, stop to reason out what
TEN. He reasons for the day and lets the morrow
look after itself. The faacy of the idea Is APP
parent
AN ELEMENT IN THE SILVER QUESTION.
There is another thing in connection with this
free-slver movement that has done much TO give
1t the impetus 1t has secured. In the Yves. there
Is a desp-seated and almost venomous desire on the
part of merchants. mechanics and farmers TO show
their -disapprovai Of the present National Admins
tration. The people realize what assault has
been made upon their business. Depleted trade and
runous prices mark the era OF power OF the party
in control The merchant who has seen the credit
Of the country attacked, who has his bust
ness almost destroyed. who has beer, in touch with
the poverty and suffering that all this ms4govern-
ment has brought about. naturally desires TO
taliatc He eagerly snatches al and indorses any
thing which ne knows that the Administration Is
opposed to- and which he believes will do 1t injury.
He knows that the Chief Executive OF the Nation
IS unfrendly TO silver. and he Immediately indorses
the white metal
be a factor before