The Shasta courier., 1866-03-17
OMcials--Their Pay.

ing Offices for politicians, as reward for ser
them, who may lie dominant for an hour, is
becoming an evil so great as to attract the
attention If the most casual observer. The
reckless manner in which majority parties
create positions to be filled by hangers on,
and for no purpose hut to furnish support to
the individual, has become criminal, and the
public mind should be aroused to the fact.
Heretofore we have had occasion to speak
of the superiority of Offices, and the exorbi
tance of the pay given to the incumbents
and 80 far as our own and one of our neigh
boring counties are concerned, our sugges-
tions have been acted upon, and laws pasesd
reducing the number of those to be fed at
the public crib, as well as the amount paid
to those remaining. We deemed it no more
than right that our efforts should bear fruit
at home before undertaking to agitate the
question for the people at large. That done,
we feel at liberty now to ask others to follow
the good example set in laws passed for the
benefit of Tehama and Shasta counties.
We believe that a great improvement in
the morals and industry of the country would
be secured by adopting such course that
the minds of the young and middle aged
would thus be left to apply their strength to
making a living, home, or a support for
themselves by independent industry, instead
of, rs now. dancing attendance upon men in
place to secure an Office or position, where
they may be fed at Government expense-and
be respectable (?). The present system of
paying men who absolutely cork for Govern
ment, State or County, is too high; but it is
worse when men are employed to fill posi-
ton the duties of which are but to draw a
salary and engineer primary meetings. That
there are hundreds so fed by the State and
county governments, and thousands by the
National Government, needs no proof. 1t is
history. Everybody knows it, and the only
reason we can think of by which to account for
the silence of the people and the press under
this obnoxious burthen is, that they may all
be thinking: ' Never mind it will be our
turn next" Either that muzzles the press,
or it is the fear that loss of patronage coming
from these very rotten sources is to be dread.
ed. If so, then it is another argument il
favor of doing away with a power that exer-
cises an influence so banefu.
This vice of rewarding political adherents
by Office, took root in the time of jackson s
administration. Before that time it was done
under cover; but the brave Old Hickory,
never dreaming of the evil he was creating,
openly proclaimed that g to the victors be.
long the spoils, in politics as in war;" and
he swept all the Offices of his opponents, and
appointed his friends in their stead 1t was
a bad. measure; the worst he ever origin
ated. The precedent was followed by his
successors, and was adopted thereafter by all
parties in every State throughout the land.
Nor is this the limit If the necessary work
of the Govetcment was alone to be done, it
might perhaps be we'll that it be done by
the political friends of those having the ap
pointing power; but unfortunately there
were not places enough for all, and so off
ces had to be created, two appointed to do
the work of one, and then third or fourth
were appointed ia help them. This done,
the incumbents being idle, contracted expen-
sive habits, which required an increase of
salary to enable them to maintain a respect
able position and the same influence, the
same political strategy that procured them
the offices, could of course procure tie neces
sary emoluments to enable them to live
respectfully.
So far has this sort of thing been carried,
so perfectly has the minds of politicians be-
come educated in this great national wrong,
that robbing the Government has ceased to
be considered crime. We venture the as
sertion, and believe that evidence can be had
to maintain the truth of it, that to-day in
Washington City one half the official force
there employed could be dispensed with, and
not be missed except on pay day and that
one half the remainder could then be dis.
pensed with without in the least interfering
with the movements of the wheels of Gov
ernment As it is there, SO it is in lesser
degree under all the minor Governments.
This state of things is bad bad enough,
in all conscience, if its consequences stopped
with the mere expenditure of the money but
unfortunately it does not. On the contrary,
the real evil commences right there in dis
qualifying so many of our young men for
doing business for themselves, placing them
in the way of temptation. demoraliziDg them
in every sense Nor that alone: it keeps
ahoat pack of bummers and loafers who
would, under a more favorable state of
things-a better system of government be
producers and worthy men.
Let the matter be agitated. Let the press
discuss it let the people think of it, and let
our next election be held with view to ac-
tion upon it.
TORONTO. March 9th.-The popular rally