The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-20
AT THE CAPITAL.
Bryan Says He Is Opposed to Life
Tenure in Public Office.


Tenure in Public Office.
WASHINGTON. Sept. ia heavy wind
and rainstorm seriously interfered with the
arrangements which had been made by the
local committees for a grand reception to
candidate Bryan at the old Capital base
ball park this afternoon. The crowd was
considerably below the expectations Of
those having the arrangements in charge,
but there was no lack of enthusiasm
When Mr.. Bryan appeared on the platform
he received with such a demonstration
as is rarely accorded a public speaker For
fully five minutes the cheering continued
Mr.. Bryan standing bare headed and evil
IDENTIFY much gratified at receiving such UNI
mistakable evidence of approval of himself
and his cause. For some time before his
arrival rain and wind laden clouds from
the West gave certain promise of d down
pour, and he had not spoken more than
forty minutes when the rain came down in
torrents. drenching every one exposed to
it, Still the great crowd kept their places
and cheered and called to the speaker to
go on. The scene was a remarkable one.
After waiting some time, however. Mr.
Bryan left the platform and drove to his
hotel Almost every sentence in the speak
ers brief address was wildly cheered and
the crowd was specially vocferous when
home rule and opposed to life tenure in
public office Mr.. Bryan said in part:
II am grateful TO you for the very cordial
welcome which you have extended to me as
/ return to the city in which four years of
official life We're spent. ca voice, Well
make four moreH and applause) l see be-
fore me the faces of Il great many who are
known as young men, and | am glad to
speak to the young because We who are
young and who in the course of nature
must live under our government for many
years are interested in making that gov
eminent good enough to live in" CAP
plauSeD
After strongly indorsing the home-rule
plank in the Chicago platform, he con-
tinued:
I'VE are opposed to life tenure in the pub
lie service. applause. } We favor appoint
ments based upon merit, fixed terms of Of
service laws as will afford equal opportuni-
ties to all citizens of ascertained fitness
except as otherwise provided by the Con-
stitution of the United States. My friends,
we are in favor of civil-service reform
that means something. and not civil
service law that permits the President to
suspend the civil-serYice law until he can
get his friends into office and permits an
other President to extend the service, just
as he is going out to keep his friends In.
applause } We believe in appointments
based upon merit and such method OF
appointment viii open the Offices &c
those of ascertained fitness. applause
We are in favor of fixed terms of office IN
| the civil department of the government
| We want 1t SO that when man goes in he
| will know how long he is going to stay and
when he is going out. We do not want to
| build UP an office-holding class and Till oui
| offices for life. man, when he gets his
| appointment, will then have no more con,
| Germ about his country, EXCEPT to draw his
| salary when Ii is due. Great applause.
We believe that the life tenure, which re
| iieves a usan from all other further care. is