The Butler Weekly Times Newspaper, December 25, 1889, Page 6

f a Pon samme Talk toBusiness Men EX-PRESIDENT CLEVELAND ON BALLOT AND CIVIL SEKVICE REFORM. The Leader ot the Democracy Makes a Notable Address at the Annual Banquet of the Boston Merch- ants’ Association. Boston, Mass. Dec. 13.—Over 400 of the solid business Boston and New England crowded the apartments of the hotel Ven dome last evening on the occasion of the banquet of the Boston Mer- chants’ association. men MR. CLEVELAND'S SPEECH. When I see about me this gather- ing of business men and merchants, I find it impossible to rid myseif of the impressive thought that here is represented that factor in civilized life which measures the progress of a people, which constitutes the chief care of every enlightened gov- ernment and which gives to a coun-| ; try the privilege of recognized mem- bership in the community of nations. Our business men cannot, if they would, escape the responsibility which this condition casts upon them —responsibility most exaeting and invested with the seriousness which always results from a just apprehen- sion of man’s relation to his fellow- man and the obligation due from a citizen to his government. They ean find no pretext for indifference in the self-complacent claim that un- der American institutions, as in oth- er times in foreign lands, business men and merchants haye only gained arecognition of their importance and value, as it has been forced from a government in which they had no representation and from re who looked upon their vocation with con- tempt. They cannot absolve them- selves from loyal duty to a govern ment which has at all times invited them to a high place in public eoun- cils and which has always un ingly conceded their indi value in the growth and prc our republic. These considerations plainly point out your responsibility and duty as members of the guild of business and as belonging to the fellowship of trade. But we can not avoid other reflec- tions leadiug in the same direction and related to you alone—the busi ness men of Boston. The scene of your activity is the commercial cen- | ter of a great and ancient common- wealth, richin patriotic tvaditions. It was upon the waters of your har- bor that the first active and physical defiance and opposition was made to odious and unfair imperial legis- lation affecting colonial trade; and athe first battle by Americans for lib-| erty of the person and for freedom from unjust and oppressive restraint upon business was fought within sight of your warehouses. You have besides inherited a trust which shades with sober sentiment your obligation to your country and your fellow citizens. Withthe birth of American trade arose on this spot merchants of strong sense and en- lightened enterprise, chief among their fellows, independent and self- reliant, willing to ehance their suc- cess upon their own effort and fore- t, inflexibly honest and intensely jedlous of their commercial honor. of | measure of care and security for themselves and their interests they had in charge. THE BOSTON MERCHANT OF TO DAY. | The Boston merchant of to day has not less integrity and virtue than his predecessors, but surely we are not called upon by the fear of controversy to close our eyes to the fact that his environment is vastly different. There is among our peo ple less meaning embodied in the} sentiment that the government upon which we have staked all our hopes and aspirations requires for its suc cessful maintenance a patriotic re-|)'¢, gard for the aggregate of the hap piness and prosperity of all om people and a willing consent to a fair distribution of the benefits of our free institutions. Equal rights and impartial justice are stipulations of the contract we er as -|prehension of the government; i Upon your wharves and in your counting rooms they wrought out have entered into with each oth American citizens. and so nicely justed is this plau of our pelitical association that favoritism for the age of any section of our # sole advant ! age shrewd pelitical management, an they have been actually encouraged | by the honors which have been be! stowed upon those who boast of such agencies 1D aid of party suprem- | ney. | Many of us, therefore, may take to ourselves a share of blame when we find confronting us these perils which | threatens the existence of our free} tions, the preservation of cur! paiaral honor and the perpetuity of | | our country. The condition annex-| ed to the founding of our govern-| was that the saffr We cons preponderance ‘and pure the h did not « ic opinion, but we a free vote, expressing tf thoughtful H ment of the voter, should be bal-} anced by a vote of intimidation and | fei sent tha intelli and sen gracefully bought and treacher-| ously sold. Let us look up with a degree of | pity and charity upor those who | membership inevitably results in an encroachment upon the benefits justly due to others. But these things sit so lightly upon the con- sciences of many that a spirit of selfishness is abroad in the land, which has bred the habit of clamor- ous importunity for government aid in behalf of special interes fectly disguised under the cloak of solicitude for the public good. Can we see no contrast betwe« n} the sturdy self-reliance of the B ton merchant in the days that past, and the attitude you are invit- | s—imper- ed to assume as dependents upon the favor of the government and beneficiaries under its taxing power? Is there not a difference between f government and the business of t e ten country, and the present toward a government partnership i trade? i And was there hint a former days that especi thus vested right which iz in the least be disturbed? consti ones secured Political selfishness cheapens inj v the minds of the people thei disports ev ry ud ¢ citizenship E phere in whick iniquitous pur; tures. It begins when a perverte: judgment is one to the the political actiou may be used for private gain aud advantage and} when a tender conscience is quicted | by the ingenious argument that such | gain and advant: | with the public welt: This stage | having been reached and self-interest | are identical) fe. being now fully aroused, agencies | jmay uot immediately destroy at | their sonree the which afflict jtuem, they may che their malign | are used and practices permitted in| the accomplishment of its purposes | which, seen in the pure light of dis: interested patriotism, are viewed | with fear and hatred. The independ- ent thought and free political pref- | erence of those whom fate has made | dependent upon daily toil for hard-| earned bread are strangled and de-! stroyed by intimidation and the fear of loss of employment. Vile, un- | savory forms rise to the surface of | our agitated political waters and i gleefully anticipate in the anxiety of seltish interest their opportunity to | fatten upon corrupted and debauch- ed suffrage. THE CORRUPTION OF VOTERS. This train of thought leads us to | consider the iminent danger which | threatens us from the intimidation and corruption of our voters. It is too late to temporize with | thoroughty restored to the repubtie, | {determination to prevent, as far as q yield to fear and intimidation in the} exercise of their right of suffrage. Though they ought not thus to! yield, we can not forget that as against their free Dballat they see in the scale their continued employ ment, the comiorts of their homes ind the maintainance of their fami- lies. stitle and eontempt for the wreteh who We veed not our seorn basely selis his vote and for a bribe} sascly betre shis trust of eitizen- And yet the trouble e itself that he yw and vulgar bat follows in a fashion those wno proceed upon the theory that po et tion may be turned to private | Bui whether we pity or whether |§ | 5 bee te, our betra plete; nor will ¢ resto birthri our s and corruption have | triumph andj but hasten estruction. PE O} BALLOT REF¢ 7} nud eonfidert invite contlict with these } saf ‘uched foes of our politics , We nave not failed to see anoth- er hope which has inanifested itslef toad It te: fhe honest peopie of the Jand. hesthem that though they influence and against their guard themselves] baneful results. It assures them that if political virtue and rectitude an not at onee be! the activity of bases elements may be It inspires them with vigilant watchfulness and a discouraged. possible, their treacherous betrayal by those who are false to their obli- gations of citizenship. Tins hope, risen like a star in the east,has fixed the gaze of our patriot ic fellow countrymen,and everywhere | —in our busy marts of trade and on the farm—in our cities and in our jvillages—in the dweilings of the rich andthe homes of the poor— in our universities and in our work- shops—in our banking house and in the ranks of inexorable toil—they greet with enthusiastic acclaim the | cur vote! .or by an unclean, corrupt vote |< HOw | > their well earned fortunes. Their|these evils or to speak of them oth- ships were found in every ocean|erwise than in the plainest terms. path and they made their country | We are spared the labor ef proving advent of ballot reform. There are no leaders in this cause. Those who seem to lead the move- | timidation will lead to their abandon- ment. The change demanded by this re- form in the formalities surrounding the exercise of the privilege of suf- frage has given rise to real or pre- tended solicitude for the rights of nd the fear has been e3- pressed that inability on the part the electors to conform to the re- quirements of the proposed change inconvience dis chisement. It has even been sug- ut the tion of the might produce great iin some eases result in inar upon the it do to accuse 0 stile to the reform ofall those v pre- it these objections; but it is not ranks for en- iss to inspect thei: emies in disguise. Though the em- rey is full of er. ‘vy which is upon us 1 and though we sadly need allrights should be serupu- But there should be no shuffling, and no frivilous ob- jections should be tolerated. When a dwelling is in flames we use no set phrase of speech to warn its in- mates and no polite or courtly touch to effect their Experieuce has often demonstrated how quickly rel jously observed. rescue. ebstacles which seemed plausable if |uot convincing which urged against a measure of reform are dissipated t re test trial, and how readily w order of things adjusts stself to successful use. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. mber the inauger, avother reform, and I have seen it ow and extend until it has become laws and test established in our Ti is to-day our ¢ egrada service. and all of them Phose openly : und seerctly unfrie Us uid id the beginmng that the impractacable and ur it created an otftice that nd it established | delusive the cieney scholari in plac of real efi 3 BCH ad tests for | i ; that it limited the dis- on of those with the of public employes, and} qh charged unconstitutional. dut une—wrought by the htened public senti- | sut—and upon its trial every objec- | which had been urged agains H it was completely discredited. | with civil service | reform, so will it be with ballot re-! form, except that the coming victory | will be more speedily achieved and will be more complete. And as As it has been | ' | old state of | foremost to| adopt sud demonstrate the practica-! bility and usefulness of civil service | reform, so has she been first to adopt | a thorough scheme of ballot reform | and to prove by practice its value} and the invalidity of the objections | made to it. We thank Massachusetts | the grand Massachusetts was to-night for all that she has done for j these reforms; and we of New York hope that our Empire state will soon be keeping step with her sister state in the enforcement of an honest and effective measure of ballot reform. | In conclusion let me say that good men have no cause for dis-| couragement. Though there are dangers which threaten our welfare and safety, the virtue and patriot-) ism of the American people are not lost and we shall find them sufficient for us. Ifin too great confidence they slumber they will not always sleep. Let them but be aroused from lethergy and : indifference by ion of nst the complete aud | on of our pub-| It had its enemies, and | are not yet silenced. | McFARLAND BROS. AT BUTLER— KEEP THE LARGEST STOCK AT THE BEST PRICES IN HARNESS and SADDLREY § OONER PATENT COLLAR --——-PREVENTS CHAFING CANNOT CHOKE A HORSE, Adjusts itself to any Horse’s neck, has two rows of stitching, will hold hames in place better than any other collar. Meagent £ and Aurora watche L . iu Gold, Silver and Filled Cases, very cheap RY STORE, iquariers tor Fue Jewelry lid Silver and Plated Ware, &c. You SAPS WV Ki 4 a ; also fine Opera Glasses. his establishment and examine } play goods and the low prices, ALL KINDS OF ENGRAVING NEATLY EXECUTED T. Le: PETTYS..- A. O WELTON PETTYS & WELTON Staple:Fancy Groceries, QUEENSWARE AND GLASSWARE. iCICARS AND TOBACCO, _ Always pay the highest market price for Comtry Produces East Side Square. Butler, MO | | C.B. LEWIS, poe eee?) oka Prop’r. known in the trade transactions of|ther existence, for all admit it. the world. Abroad they gained |That they are terribly on the increase willing confidence and credit by their | all must concede. commercial integrity and probity} Manifestly if the motive of all our and at home they were the pride of | citizens were unselfish and patriotic their countrymen. if they sought in political action These were the old Boston mer-| only their share of the advantage ac —chants. cruing from the advance of our You, their business heirs and suc-|country at all points toward her cessors, will pardon me if I remind|erand destiny, there would be no you to-night that the commanding! place or occasion for the perversion influence of these mendid not rest|of our suffrage. Thus the inaugura- “upon immense fortunes made in aj tion of the intimidation and corrup-|ed upon with such business calcula- day, but resulted from their well|tion of our voters may be justly|tion that the corrupter will only known honor and screpulous good | charged to selfish schemes seeking pay a bribe when he has occular faith, which led them to concede to|success through political action. | proof that the suffrage he has bar- all, even the utmost fraction of) But these evils have been neglected | gained for is cast in his interest. right. Nor did they forget their} by honest men disgusted with all | So, to, it is reasonably expected that uties of citzenship. They jealously! political endeavor; they have been if the employee or laborer is at the watched the operation of their gov |tolerated by respectable men who in| time of casting his ballot removed ment are but swept to the front by surging force of patriotic sentiment. It rises far above partizanship and only the heedless, the sordid and the depraved refuse to join in the crusade. This reform is predicted on the cool deliberation of political selfish- ness inits endeavor to prostitute our suffrage to the purpose of pri- vate gain. It is rightly supposed that corruption of the voter is enter- ernment and exacted from it only | weakness of patriotic sentiment have | from the immediate control of his| economy and honesty and a just/regarded them es only phases of| employer the futility of fear and in- consciousness of the peril and they will burst the bonds of political selfishness, revive their political freedom and restore the the purity of their suffrage. Thus will discharge the sacred trust committed to their keeping; thus will they still proudly present to the world proof of the value of! free institutions; thus will they dem- onstrate the strength and purity of a government by the people; thus will they establish American patriot- | ism throughout the length and} breadth of our land, and thus will! they preserve for themselves and | | for posterity their God given inher- | jitance of freedom and justice and | peace and happiness. | Mr. Cleveland’s address aroused jenthusiasm and his points were fre-_ | quently greeted with cries of “good jand applause. | | THE BRICK LIVERY STABLE, AMPLE SUPPLY OF Buggies, Carriages, Phaetons, Drummer Wagons, &c. This is one of the best equipped Stables in this section of the state. FIRST-CLASS RIGS FURNISHED At any hour, day or night on the most reasonable terms. Farmers desiring to put up their horses when in the city will find this barn the most convenient in town. 8a NOTE.—The Constables office can also be found at the office of the barn. Calland see me. Cc. B. LEWIS. = Sr