The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-13
Grant and the Omce.Soekers.

and startling act. He refuses even to read
letters of application for Office, and directs
them to be destroyed Suppose he had an
nounced his intention to do this before the
election, how rapidly would the zeal Of some
of his most earnest supporters have fallen
even below the freezing point General Grant
is probably not ignorant of the i'm portant part
which office seeking plays in the politics of this
country His knowledge of the fact, and his
conviction of the damage it does, have proba-
bly, prompted him to check the evil, even If he
cannot destroy it. But he is graphing with
monster, and must count upon sharp and
hard fight.
The time, labor, and money spent in q
Presidential campaign are enormous. Thou
sands of men in each party devote their time
and toll for weeks and months, to the con-
test. In organizing parties, in getting up
meetings, securing speakers, and making
speeches, in distributing partisan documents
and papers, in canvassing for votes, getting
voters to the polls, and all the many other
details Of an election, the zeal and energy ex-
pended by active party n en- in every canvass
are very great. Upon any fair estimate of the
value of time and OF labor expended a Presi-
Dental election must cost each party millions
of dollars.
Now, comparatively small portion of the
most active and Jealous "working" polit-
clans are prompted by motives of mere patriot
ism. As a general thing they are not men
who are capable of such sentiment. They
follow it as a busness-for its profit, in hand
and prospective. The great mass Of the ora
tors who figure so largely in every campaign
and deluge the country so freely with their
eloquence, are hired and paid so many dollars
for every speech, like lawyers, actors, and
other professional performers, by the COM
mittees that have them in charge; and they
take their chance of getting, in addition, some
sfat Office as a reward for their "disnterested'
service in the cause. And the great army of
silent managers-cOmmittee-m wire-pull-
ers, marshals, chairmen, secretaries, can
Vassers, distributors Of tickets, the captains
of tens and captains of fifties, who bring
voters to the polls, who see that they vote
early and that the enemy do not vote often
all these and the thousands of others who are
active, Jealous, and efficient politicians, look
to Office Of some kind or other, as the natural
and necessary reward of their labors. They
claim Office as their right; and they deny,
vehemently and vociferously, the right of
anybody else to hold Office at all. "He is not
competent or fit for the effice'' is never heard
as reason why any applicant should not get
it, "what has he done for the party3" is the
only question asked, and when answered
ssnothing," this is the only objection urged.
Persons elected by such efforts and such
men, to places OF power or influence feel
bound to ''take care'' of their "friends." A
member Of Congress must spend half his time
and strength in getting places for the men to
whose arts or efforts he owes his election. He
haunts the high places of power, begging for
Office, thus to reward his followers. His posi-
tion is stripped of all dignity its legitimate
duties are neglected, and he loses all sense of
decency and self-respect in this humiliating
and degrading mendicancy. The evil for the
last eight years has increased to frightful pro-
portions. President Lincoln's good nature set
an example Of submission to it, which was
followed by his successor, and which has
sapped the vigor and efficiency Of the Admin
istratOn almost as much as it has impaired its
dignity and independence. Members of Con-
gress have claimed the right to dictate to the
President all his appointments for their re-
spective districts. State delegations combine
to give greater weight to such demands; and
if the President refuses or hesitates TO submit
to such humiliatiOns, war is opened upon him
at once, as traitor to his party and his
friends, and he becomes the mark for detrac-
tion and denunciation on every hand.
General Grant probably sees-as Presidents
who have gone before him have seen-how
utterly fatal such a system is to everything
like an honest, efficient, and useful a1minis-
tratiOn of the Government. Whether he will
be able to remedy it, or not, is doubtful. The
Tenure Of Office BILL now in existence, origi-
nally passed by the Republicans as curb on
Andrew Johnson, may do something to aid him
its details, and mischevous as well as unjust
in some of its provisions. 1t ought to bs
amended, and, if not replaced by the Civil Ser
vice bill of Mr.. Jenckes, ought at least to
embrace some Of its provisions.
But great deal will depend upon General
Grant personally for a correction OF this gross
and growing abuse. His military training and
experience will be of essential service. Never
having been accustomed to receive orders
from his subordinates, he will probably not
submit to dictation from any quarter as to his
appointments. The methodical habits of
military routine in which each officer attends
to the duties of his own position, will probably
incline General Grant to impose upon the
heads of departments the selection Of their
own subordinates, and to occupy himself less
than has been the recent custom with these
matters. He may think it due to his dignity
as well as to his comfort not to have hordes OF
othce-seekers swarming in his ante-chambsr,
and invading his private apartments at all
hours of the day and night. And he will be
likely, we are inclined to think, to attach
more weight to special fitness and competency,
and less to party service, as qualifications and
claims for office, than has been done for good
many years past.
General Grant has caused it to Re pretty
generally understood that he prefers to seek
persons to fill Office, and advice as to his con
duct of affairs, rather than to have them
thrust upon him. An adherence to this prin
ciple will save him good deal of persona
discomf fort, and contribute to the efficiency o
the public service and the responsibility of th
Administration.
HCmbug Exposing ITSELF
From "Brick" Pomerov'S ". Y Democrat
~ D u