Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-17
How Shall Faithful Public Servants
he Secured?

intervals to resign again to the people the
power entrusted, taking it back, if at all, by
the consent of the people at the ballot-box
few officers, like judges, had their positions
for life, subject to be removed only by i'm
parchment; the theory of this exception
being that they would thus be independent
of all political or popular connections, and,
i therefore, more fearless and impartial in the
administration of Justice This theory seems,
however, to make a distinction between the
honesty, integrity, uprightness, and con-
: scientious recttude which should govern
judges in all their decisions, and the con-
science of other civil officers as though the
latter might properly enough be warped and
twisted to suit the popular Will, while the
former must dwell in a serencr atmosphere,
quite above the influence of such low politi-
cal considerations. Gradually, however, the
propriety of this distinction has been called
in question, and judges have in many. if not
most of the states, been made elective.
The trainers Of the federal as well as state
governments, in the matter of appointments
/ to civil Office made another departure from
=
the executives the power, either independent
ly, or by and with the advice of some portion
Of the legislative bodies, to appoint a multi
tude of civil officers. These officers are not
simply clerks in departments and officials re-
siding in Washington or in state capitals, but
an army of officers, like Postmasters, District
Attorneys, MarshuIs, and other officials, who
px their functions in Iooaj;
| ties in every part of the Union. Respecting
such officers as these think the model OF
the government of Vermont is infinitely more
dem cratic, and in the long run much more
Tor the good of the service, than that of the
federal government. Our towns elect a con-
stable, who is not only town officer, but
state official, in the collection of taxes The
counties elect States Attorneys and Sheriffs,
who yet act in the name of the State, and
are responsible to the State. BY this system
of elections the State is faithfully served
and yet this service is performed in each To-
cality by the official who is the choice of the
/ people of that locality. We may have
Republican state government. and yet have
any number of Democrats holding the Office
/ of constable, or even Sheriff or States Attor-
ney. And the practice works well. 1t re-
lieves the state government from the vexa-
tious business of appointing officers of whom
it can have but the most imperfect knowl-
edge; and it also secures to each locality an
official not distasteful to the people.
These reasons which are forcible, and have
prevailed in our state government, of
many times greater force when applied to the
federal government. What can the Presi-
dent know about the postmaster or post Office
in Oregon or Alaska? Absolutely nothing,
except what grains of truth mixed with bush
els of misrepresentation may come to him
from interested sources in that remote local |
Ity. Why should the President appoint the |
Marshal to execute the laws in Oregon, any
more than he should appoint the Congress /
man who makes the laws? IF the people OF /
Vermont are competent to choose members |
of Congress, are they not also competent to
choose District Attorneys, Marshals, Collect
ors, Assessors or Postmasters Are not the
achOIe people full competent to perform
this work, the few - leading politicians,
who in few months will be called upon to
certify to the character, qualifications and
political soundness of A and B and c, who
will be beselging Gen. Grant for commits
sion
The civil service bill now before Congress,
while improvement upon the present ma
chinery of appointment to Office which has
become only engine of corruption, yet
comes short in not committing the choice of
most officials directly to the people. Politics
is rapidly degeneratlng into mere scramble
for office and the spoils which are recognized
as belonging to the victors-and these spoils
now are estimated at more than twenty mil
lions of dollars annually, besides the unlim-
tied millions of plumber that can be pocketed
by unscrupulous and dishonest officials. The
question which first agitates the minds OF
IS working politicians when person is
named as candidate for some Office connect
ed with the appointing power, is not q Is he
honest, capable, and sound, politically?''
but % Will he dispose of the patronage of
his Office as we want him TOP" The effort
of these politicians is not to nominate the
best man, but the man most available for
their purposes, and who will give them the
freest chance at the plumber. The result
already is, to the shame of democratic form
of government, the discredlt of the public
service, and the Generalization OF many of
our public officials, that the patronage of the
government, through the various channels OF
the appointing power, is pouring stream
of corruption that is stencil in the nostrils
of all honest men.
1t may now be imposs bic to set this matter
right, as members of Congress and Pfesi-
dents may not be willing to resign the in
mense power which this method of app )inting
officials sivAs thor" Now a memher of Com
gress desiring a reelection summon to
his aid small army of officials whose APP
pointment he has been instrumental in OBJ
tanning, or promises to protect in the future.
If the reform which we have suggested should
ever fortunately become fact, it might then
happen that whether person sought re-
election to an Office he then held, was put
forward for the first time as candidate, he
be judged by his merits. This would
pretty much do away with the business of
professional politicians or if it did not do
that, would compel them to present their
claims directly to the people who could judge
for themselves; and it would. at the same |
time, we believe, rescue the legislation and
the legislators of the country from the cor
rupt influences of the scoundrels who treat |