The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-10-30
COLUMBIA, s. G.
Saturday Morning, October 80, 1869.
"Ths Pablie Service"

ssThe Pablic ServIce.,
Our attention has been attracted by
some excellent observations on this SUBJ
ject. in the columns Of the Baltimore
San. We have before thrown out some
similar suggestions. At this time. when
the iniamona doctrine that "to the VIC
tors belong the spoils, 50 generally pre-
walls, it is well to, take into consideration
suoh views a. those to be found in the
extract We make from the Sun. 1t would
appear obvious, that in the selection of
public agents to attend to public affairs,
the same rules ought to be adopted that
are carried out in private matters-that
is, men should be selected according to
ability and character. But, unfortu-
nately for the country, suoh a rule does
not prevail. The question is not "is he
capable and honest" but the point is--
iah he Of this party or Of that one? The
conseqnohoe OF all this is quite obvious
Pnblie affairs are badly and dishonesty
managed. aud thieving characters push
honest men aside. The .Su,, with truth,
sAys: " '''
stsUnder the management of party lead
ers, popular elections have come to be,
in grsat degree, struggle between the
insand the outs. The ono holds on with
the tenacity, Of death to what it possesses;
the other assaults with the fcrocty of a
hungry wolf the coveted prey. The pro-
fdssiohal politicians Of neither party seem
to have the faintest ideh of the true
sphere, functions and object of govern.
ment. They all appear to look upon the
State es huge carcass to be picked, and
fight around it. like wild beasts around
their prey Special grants and privi-
leges, appropriations of vast sums for
partial schemes and interests, subsidies
to railroads and steamship lines, and pro-
tsotion TO monopolies, are looked upon
as the legitimate province and aim Of le-
gislation. Thus it is that national, State
and municipal elections, instead of being
employed to define aud establish princi-
pies Of policy or measures of reform,
have too frequently become mere scram-
bler for the loaves and fishes. The sue
cessful party generally makes clean
sweep of the adherents of the other par
fy whom it finds in Office. No matter
what their capacity or experience. their
heads roll off as q matter of course
They themselves expect it, for they know
the political wheel is ever turning, and
that when it reaches a certain point, all
who are in contact with it must be sub
merged. Very often. where intelligent
men are the officials, ignorant men are
put in their places-men WHO have no
solitary qualification but political SER
IL l.. L
rests are sacrificed to purely partisan
purposes. Even this, bad as it is. i, not
all. AS contemporary Justly observes.
by for the most of the frauds, pecnlations
aud robberies that disgrace every party,
and disgrace the nation. arise from the
frequent changes in Office. and the con-
sequent appointment to places of trust
and responsibility of men wholly un-
qualified, either by knowledge or charac-
tor, for the discharge of their duties
These corrnptions are not the exclusive
characteristics Of any Particular party.
The outs may arrogate to themselves that
if they had been entrusted with the same
unlimited power Us the ins. they would
not have gone into the same excesses nor
fallen into the same corruptions, but have
shown themselves as pure as angels. But
experience has proved, in regard to par
ties, as the country boy said about two
bad roads, that whoever travels on one
will wish hc had taken the other. The
fault is not peculiar to a party. It is r,-
dical, though not in an exclusively poll
tical sense. Until the standard Of Mr.
Jefferson is uniformly and always adopt
eiin the organization OF the civil service
honesty, capacity aud fidelity to the Con-
stitution--we cannot expect the compli-
Gated and mcmentous affnirs of this
country to DO managed with an eye sin-
ile to the public good. 1t is practically
on this standard of Mr.. Jefferson that
Mr.. Jenckes, representative in Congress
from Rhode Island, models his bill for a
reform of the civil ST. .ice, and which,
though he has had it before the House
for year or two. he has not been able
to get the politicians of that body to ac-
cept. The bill provides for competitive
examinations as preliminary to appoint
ments to Office, excepting postmasters
and those requiring the action of the Sc
nate, the qualifications to be prescribed
by board of commissioners, with rules
for removal for misconduct and inefi-
oil op1 for f,,r