New York legislature. They expected an easy success, and a hearty endorsement of their course in opposing the president. To their amazement, however, the New York legislature refused to elect them, and the president was left victor of the field. 641. Assassination of Garfield. The excitement caused by this political quarrel affected the brain of a half-mad and disappointed office-seeker, who, on the morning of July 2, shot the president as he was in the ticket office of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at Washington. The president was not killed, however, and the utmost efforts were made to save his life. It was all in vain, and after almost three months of agony, the brave and brilliant statesman passed away. The assassin was tried and executed. 642. Chester Alan Arthur, who on the death of Garfield became the twenty-first president of the United States, was the son of a Vermont clergyman. He was graduated at Union college in the state of New York, and in 1853 began the practice of law. In 1871 Grant appointed him collector of the port of New York, which position he held until 1878. In 1880 he was nominated for vice-president by the Republicans. He became president the 20th of September, 1881. After his presidency he retired to New York City. President Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont, October 5, 1830, and died in New York City, November 18, 1886. 643. The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883. - In spite of the efforts of President Hayes, much corruption still existed in political life. The star route frauds in 1881 attracted universal attention to the disgraceful. fact, and the acrimonious fight over the New York offices during Garfield's administration convinced everyone that an earnest effort should be made to end this wretched state of affairs. In January, 1883, urged forward by the voice of the people, congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act. Under this act, appointments to the civil service are made only after an examination is passed by the applicants for the offices. The president also appoints a civil service commission to see that the law is properly carried out. President Arthur supported the law faithfully, and his example has been followed by succeeding presidents. The result has been excellent, and the principle of civil service reform has been introduced into many states and cities as a consequence. Spoils politicians oppose the policy, but this is one of the best reasons why every honest citizen should support it. 644. The Australian Ballot. Another plan making for purity in politics is the use of the Australian ballot, by which citizens vote secretly for the man of their choice. This secret system of voting puts an end to most of the opportunities for bribery and intimidation. It is now in use in almost every state in the union. 645. Acts against Immigration.-The United States has received vast benefits from the coming to this country of intelligent foreigners of good habits. After the civil war, however, large numbers of paupers, criminals, and lunatics came to the United States, and thus many European governments got rid of their burdens at our expense, while crime increased in America. To put an end to this objectionable state of affairs, a law was passed in 1882 forbidding paupers, convicts, lunatics, and idiots to come to the United States from other countries. This law was approved throughout the country. A con In the same year another law shut out Chinese immigrants for ten years. The Chinese came to America first at the time of the gold excitement in California. Later large numbers came to assist in building the Pacific railroads. stantly increasing stream of Chinese poured into the United States. As the Chinese live on almost nothing and work for the lowest wages, other laboring men soon found difficulty in getting work. The result was a movement to drive out the Chinese. Chinamen were mobbed, beaten, and killed, and a demand came from California and the west for their exclusion from the United States. Hereupon the law of 1882, known as the Chinese Exclusion Act, was passed. Since then it has been added to several times, and was reenacted in 1892, and again in 1902. In 1885 another act forbade capitalists to import laborers from foreign countries on a contract or promise to give them work after they came. This act is known as the Contract Labor Law. Of course, artists, teachers, singers, and such classes do not fall under its provisions. 646. The Presidential Campaign of 1884.-In 1884 James G. Blaine of Maine, who had played a prominent part in history as speaker of the house, and as Garfield's secretary of state, was nominated for president by the Republicans. The Democrats selected Grover Cleveland of New York, and took up the cry of reform in government. A strong body of independent Republicans declared against Blaine, and, through their influence in the election, he lost the electoral vote of New York, in which state the independents were especially numerous. The majority against Blaine was about one thousand votes. Fraud was charged in that state and the vote contested in the supreme court of New York. Before the case came to trial, Cleveland was inaugurated and the excitement subsided. The New York supreme court afterwards rendered a verdict which in effect declared that the New York electoral vote should have been given to Blaine. But wisely the matter was dropped there. The country did not wish to be disturbed by such another contest as the threatening Hayes and Tilden contest of 1876. CLEVELAND'S FIRST ADMINISTRATION DEMOCRATIC: 1885-1889 647. Grover Cleveland, the twenty-second president of the United States, is the son of a Presbyterian clergyman. He received a public school education, and later taught in the New York Institution for the Blind. In 1859 |