Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-12

have politics instead of honesty and econo- 7
my in the administration, we have corruption |
and lavish expenditure instead Of justice |
and righteousness made into laws, we have |
the tricks of politicians to keep themselves
in Office instead of Congressman asking
how their votes will be best for the whole
, land, they inquire how they can so conduct
themselves as to make the most out of their
positions and vet secure reelection. This
is melancholy enough, and is not a particu
iarlY hopeful exhibit Of the working of re-
publican institutions ; yet it is the obserya-
ton of every one who intelligently watches
the conduct of many men in the public SER
I vice.
+ is there no remedy for this condition of
things We sometimes doubt if there is.
IL Is said that New York city has in its
Offices, and even on the bench, many men, >
in the common council majority-who are
: constantly enriching themselves by plumber
ing the treasury Of the city,-and yet, with
only fraction OF this plumber, they can
manage and control party machinery us to
secure themselves. not from exposure, but
from defeat Occasionally the robbed and
/ plundered voters, in spasm of rebellion.
icct the candidates Of the ring" but it is
often only to find that they la We been made
sic dupes # a new and hungrier ring than
chat against which they rebeied. The wire
working ol politicians is among the most
-ubtiIe and mysterious influences Of our
zines, aud voters have very difficult task to
determine, among the conflicting representa-
ti'ns made to them, which is honest and
Z winch unreliable. We know no remedy ex-
eept more fearless exposure Of the wrong
4 d ing of public officers, greater severity
md stefnness in Judging them, an absolute
Z .---' .---"'---'-f---5 e. r., $500
ol personal considerations, to support unialth-
( f..i ne unworthy candidates for Offices, re-
eeat Jh0se to Office who have failed TO answer
tie i4.t demands of their constituents and
rie country The man who succeeds in
business keeps none but faithful honest in
dustrious persons in his employ persons
-heir positions for their own emolument at
tile expense Of their employer; and such u
business man il obliged to be severe in his
Judgment of those who fail to answer his re-
quireuients and to dismiss at once an UNI
faithful servant. If the public would Judge
its servants in The same way. it would be
infinitely better served.
Under the present system Of caucuses to
nominate for Office candidates who ex-
pec5ed to receive the united vote Of the par
IT,, the people can have little voice in select
iug thcir servants unless they attend these
: primary meetings The elections are, ii
fact generally made there, much more thar
ut the ballot-box. If this first step in re
form is neglected, any good result Of the
effort is not only put in jeopardy, but rem
dered, generally, hopeless This year which
is t3 be an important one in shaping the
policy of the government for the next four
years possibly for the next forty years.
should witness an uprising of the people
taking the elections out Of the hands of the
politicians, passing rigid and impartial
Judgment upon all their servants, and putting
men in places Of responsibility, trust anc
power. who can be trusted to work for the
I people and not for themselves.