Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-27
been taken up as controlling issue,
and on It the two great parties IN ma
tional convention have formally joined

and on It the two great parties IN ma
tional convention have formally joine
issue.
The Democratic national conventio
lsurprised the people of the country o.
formally regulating its own admins
tration and adopting q platform whic
probably vast majority. even of tn
Democrats of the country. believe to b
| inimical to the best interests of GU
people. The strange spectacle wa
afforded of a great party organization
waging warfare upon its own admins
| tration. It will appear. however, on ex
animation that the delegates to thu
| Chicago convention were largely new
men, hitherto inexperienced in part!
affairs. AS a matter of fact less thar
| rs delegates We're elected members o.
that convention who had also beer
| delegates at the convention which
nominated Grover Cleveland in 1892
and of this number, at least half came
from the eastern or middle states.
The proceedings and platform adopted
at the Chicago convention were scan
dalous and unDemocratic. For the
first time in its history the convention
refused to accept the choice of the ma
tional committee for temporary chair
man. and also boldly and INSCRIPTIONS
ly unseated delegates chosen by ac-
clamation from the sovereign state OF
Michigan for the sole purpose of con-
trolling the necessary votes of the con-
vention to secure the nomination of its
candidates. 1t nominated as candi-
date for president a man who prac-
=, iy,r Iaft no n
cratic party,and who it is stated, voted
in 1892 for Gen. Weaver, the Populist
candidate 1t nominated for vice presi-
dent an avowed protectionist. With
such candidates it appeals to the coun-
try for support!
THE CHICAGO PLATFORM.
The Chicago platform strikes blow
at businesslilke administration OF
the public service; it strikes a blow at
a businesslike administration of. the
public finances: it attacks the admin
stration Of the courts of justice: it
even threatens the security of life and
property guaranteed by the constitu
ton of the United States.
| l. l have said that it strikes a blow
at a businesslike administration of the
| public service. We all know that the
government today is operating under
the provisions of the civil service act
of June 16, 1883. In the original CLASH
| fication, there were about 1900 places
| EN- braced. on March 4, 1889. the total
number of places in the classified ser
| vice was about $4,000 an increase dur
| ing four years of over 1l,o00 of which
| 500 places were added by executive
order and the other by growth of the
+, service. On March 4. 1898, the total
| number of places was about $4,000, an
| increase from March 4, 1889, Of about
| is, 900 places, of which about 5000 were
added by executive order. Between
March 4, 1897, and the present time ovel
| 5000 places have been added to the civil
service by growth, while over "a Zoo
places have been added by the Preis-
dent himself. the change in the rules
of May 6, 1896, alone having added
over $4,000. The total number of peo-
pie employed under the government
within the provisions of the civil SER
vice act, ensuring tenure of Office
during good behavior, is now over So
| 900
The platform adopted at Chicago ir
place of the existing tenure demands
| a fixed term of office. This demand is
cordially endorsed by Mr.. Bryan in his
letter of acceptance. The effect of such
Il change can be better imagined thar
described. The public business woult
be paralyzed, $4,000 people would be-
turned out of office. and crowd of in
competent partisans would quickly take
| their places. If the American peopl,
| could only realize what this panl
means it alone would suffice to defea
overwhelmingly party making sucf
i demand. 1t would set the public
| business back a generation; in place
Of order we should have chaos.
3. The platform at Chicago assails
the admiration for issuing bonds tt
sustain the public credit and the ma
tional honor. 1t is unnecessary to dwell
at length upon this phase of the plat
form; suffice it to say that the peopl,
of the United States. without regard t.
party lines, have Endorsed Grover Cleve
land and the secretary of the treas
ury, John G. Carlisle. for maintaining
intact the financial honor and integ
rity of our country.
8. The platform further. by vague
ntimation, expresses the belief that i
the so-called Democratic candidate i!
elected the supreme court of the United
States should be reconstructed so as t.
sustain the peculiar views enunciated
1t is unnecessary to dwell at length up
on this point of the platform. The PEG
pie of the United States know well thu
Importance of an untrammelled judi
| ciary, especially of the supreme cOur
of the United States, and this attacl
will be repealed by an indignant people
4. The Chicago platform has ais
threatened the security of life an,
. property guaranteed by the constitu
ton in condemning the act of the Presi
, dent in preserving the lives and prop