The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-27

|
ing for any of u.s. l answer that it is quite
| true that. so far as we can, we do not in
tend to leave anything in the way of plum
der for any of you. 1t is a shame that any
son of Indiana should think so meanly of
the patriotism of his felow-citiZens as to
| believe that this patriotism needs to be
| nourished by the SPOTS of office. Yours,
| VIM. DUDLEY FOULkE.
Richmond, Ind, Dec. %.
Novel Argument Against Reform.
To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
The National Civil-service Reform League
| that met in Cincinnati Dec II has furnished
food for thought to the American people,
The cast and makeup of the officers of that
league are as suggestive as the resolutions
| adopted are audacious and autocratic and
imperious. Let it be suggested right here
that this Civil-service Reform League may
be but another name for new political
| party which it's promoters desire shall take
the place of the old parties in large meas
! ure and by degrees, and shall select,
| through it's own Reform Commission, GER
| tain subordinate officers. And who is at the
head of this new political organization, and
what did the party do at it's national con-
vention in Cincinnati, Dec. II? Who is the
| party, and what is it's platform? The presi-
dent, the moving spirit of the league, is
| Carl Schurz. l do not desire to make an
scholar is recognized. But who is Carl
Schurz? If he is TO come to this country
and teach the American people how to run
a government and scold such able and
| patriotic men as General Grosvenor in ma
tional convention assembled, L think the
many readers of the Journal would like to
| know good deal about his pedigree. so
| here 1t is briefly, abridged from Appleton S
| Cyclopedia of American Biography, Vol. 5:
| 1S2S-Born near Cologne, Prussia
1S4S-At the beginning of the revolution as
sistant publisher of a Liberal newspaper.
| 1S49-Attempted to promote insurrecton
at Bonn, in consequence of which he fled
from his country and became refugee
and joined the revolutionary army.
lS50-Returned secretly to Germany to as
sist a rebel friend of his to escape.
1S51-In Paris as a correspondent of German
journals. Same year, taught school in
| London.
1S52-Came to the United States
1S56-Made Republican speeches in German.
1S59-A lawyer in Milwaukee, Wis. Cam
,o didate for lieutenant governor
lS6C-Lecturing in New England.
disappointed minister to Spain by Presi-
dent Lincoln. Resigned and Joined the
| Union army.
1S65-Special commissioner to the South,
appointed by President Johnson.
Washington correspondent of the
1S66-Editor the Post. in Detroit, Mich.
1S67-Editing the Westliche Post, in ST.
1S6S"Temporary chairman of the Republic
| an national convention in Chicago.
1S69-United States senator from Missouri
| 1@2-Chief organizer of the Liberal party
Chairman Of the national convention in
Cincinnati that nominated Horace Greeley
1SE-Appointed secretary of the interior by
the Evening Post in New York city.
! 1SS4-A Grover Cleveland Democrat.
| 1897, Nov 17-Chairman of the National
Civil-service Reform League
Who IS Carl Schurz? A political refugee,
repudiated by his own country; an adulter-
| er; restless, changeable character; a
| stage actor; dramatist politically; wan
| dering Socialist; Observation-Disclosures and APP
parently master of none. And yet he has
| and instruct us how to run 1t. The greatest
government on earth to be uttered by Carl
reprove old native American patriots who
have grown gray in honest efficient and
meritorious government service, without a
protest. And because some of the genuine
| American people, imbued with the true old
fashioned American spirit, do not feel like
falling in line with q movement dominated
| by such spirit they are denounced and
Indignantly stigmatized the enemies of
good government ana pure politics. by Mr..
Schurz and his followers.
/ fear we are apt to lose sight OF the I'M
portant issue in this civil-service reform
agitation. 1t is not such a serious question
as to who fills the subordinate offices, just
so they are competent. Good men can be
found in any of the parties But the seri-
Gus question is as to who and what ele-
ments are in control of the machinery OF
the government Are they safe and COM
petent and are they imbued and in Sympa-
thy with the. native American spirit? Are
they practical, and are they schooed in civil
| government and practical politics? For IN
stance, look at some of the other of1cers
of the Civi-service Reform League. Who
are they? Charles Francis Adams is one
| q scholar, to be sure, but somewhat or q
theorist. Right Rev. Henry c.. Potter, OF
| New York and Right Rev. p. j. Ryan. OF
| Philadelphia, are two other officers. Min
listers and bishops are all right In their
ed e e as or he rugged
| intricate work of steering ships of state.
| Another suggestive character and leading
| spirit in the movement is Charles j. Bona
parte, a distant relative of the imperial di,
| rector Napoleon. Rev. p. j. Ryan, good
and great man, surely but he is church
| strained that thinks it sees in this civil
| service reform movement diffused the So
ciaist spirit of Germany, the ecclesia stical
spirit of Rome and the military spirit OF
| France? If it is it cannot be denied that
three of the leading lights are Schurz'
| Ryan and Bonaparte. Socialism, ecclesi-
| asticism and mitarism seem naturally to
| follow in the wake of the names.
That our national politics in both great
parties and our government service are not
as perfect as they might be, and need re-
forming and improving every one Will ad-
| nit But that the national parties are not
capable of reforming themselves that
| America is incapable of self-goVernment
no one should admit. 1t is rather remarkable
| how easy we, nation, fall under the
| dominion and influence of uncertain and
divers doctrinaires and teachers with Itch
ing ears. None of us wants to go backward.
We all should want to move forward, but
| our forward and upward movement should
| be along safe and sufficiently conservative
| lines to make us feel that we have dis
| tinct nationality and are securely enough
| rooted and grounded to prevent US from be-
| ing shaken and made to totter on our base
| nv every strange wind of doctrine and the
| ory that blows from foreign shores.
| JONATHAN KEITH.
| Vincennes, Ind, Dec 25
How 1t Looks to Party Man.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal: