The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-02
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDIT ToRIAJ OPINIONS OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT ToPICs-CoMPIJKD EVERY
DAY FOR THE EVENING TBLReRAPH.
General Grant aud His Appointments to
Public OniCe.

From the NJ Y. Times.
We have hdard startling report concern
ing General Grants intentions in making ap-
pointments to Office. He Is reported to have
said that he intends to pick out for office the
man who will best do what needs to be done;
and that. while he does not inteud to go out
side the Republican party, as general thing,
he will attach no Importance whatever 10
mere party services either in nominations or
elections. -,
Such plan Of action as this will carry con-
sternation through the great and noble army
of Office seekers. There are probably not
less than half a million Of men in the United
States who expect to get appointments to
Office. on the strength OF service rendered In
some form or other, and at some time or
other, to the Republican party and its nomi-
nees. About half OF them probably think,
and will claim, that they were the hrst 10
nominate General Grant for President; the
other half will be prepared to prove that
nothing but their efforts saved the town, the
county. and the State in which they live from
voting against him. They have all spent
time. money, and strength in securing his
election, and they all agree that such efforts
and such sacrifices can only be f.ly requted
by an ofice-not big one, perhaps they will
be modest enough to say, but one that will
give them comfortable support, and enable
them to lay up little something for a rainy
day. And certificates of such SERVICE duly
attested by local committees, by leaders OF
the party, by members OF Congress and other
men Of credit and renown, are now ia circu-
lation for fresh signatures, in every town and
village and at every CROSSROADS hamlet
throughout the country.
Is it possible that all this is to 60 for
naughLl Must all this labor be wasted
Will these credentials and recommendations
be thrown aside as OF no avail in the grand
scramble for Officer The bare possibility that
,f,,I
his friends, and thus Oblivious of their services
and claims, will incline thousands of them to
forswear politics altogether, and let the party
and the country 60 to the dogs in their own
way-which some perhaps will think better
way on the whole than thai which these hun
CRY politicians would prefer. Bat that both
the party and the country ,oW 60 to the dogs,
if any such policy as this is followed by Gene
raj Grant, the politicians of the class in ques-
tion will all most vehemently assert and sim
cerely believe. No party, they will assure
you, can possibly live which does not take
care of its friends. What motive has anybody
to work for a party which will not reward
those who work for it by giving them office
How can a party be kept alive aud built up
and made strong but by just such etforts-and
why should any body make such efforts if they
are to get nothing i'll returnH
These are very practical questions, and
they will put, with terrible earnestness, to
General Grant, more or less directly by q
great many thousa ands of his friends before he
has been in office single month. Nor can il
be doubted that there is good deal of force
in them. A political party can only be kept
up by great deal OF hard work, and the
amount of time and energy and toll given tC
political parties in this country is enormous
great deal of ii is gratutous given by mer
from the interest they really feel in the
government of the country. But probably
the greater part Of the work, that which tell
most directly and powerfully on the result, il
done by men who cannot AFFORD
the time it costs, and who do it il
the hope of getting an Office which shall reward
their labor and make up for the tim
and money they have spent. And one of the
worst results of the prevalent system of dis
tributing office as reward for party service
is, that it builds up this class of professional
politicians-that it increases the number o
those who look to political work as a regula
reliance, and abandon all other modes anC
forms of industry. The existence of larg
class of men with whom politics is a business
and who seek in public Office the reward fo
their labor, is always injurious in any country
1t is always source of corruption, operate
always as an obstacle to needed reforms, anC
greatly enfeebles the administration of gov
ernment and the execution of the laws.
While General Grant will not, we are con
fdent, be unmindful of the merits and JUS
service to the party in power, We hope it i
true that he intends to make all such servio
secondary consideration altogether in max
ing appointments to Office, and that fitness
capacity, energy and honesty will have tn
first and strongest claims Oh his regard, a
credentials for office.
1t is the general opinion that nothing i
easier than to get good, qualified men 10
Office. No man dreams that it is in the leas
difficult to find plenty Of men, at a moment
notice, capable Of filing auy Office from tn
Presidency down, and com petent to perform
its duties as well as draw it's pay. We sus
pect this is very great mistake. There Ger
tainly is no difficulty in finding men who wi
take ofice-any Office, no matter what; bu
there are but few, we suspect, who thorough
understand the duties OF Government Off
and can perform them readily aud efficiently
The work OF the Government, in all il
branches, in small as we'll as in large affairs
is at least as much business to be learned
and requires certainly as much training an
capacity, as the business of railroad corpt
ration or bank or large cOmmsrcial esti
blishment. Yet who would think of fllin
any position in any of these concerns, as til
various offices of the Government are fl9(
1t is not an easy thing to fnd frst-ra
manager, or cashier, or subordinate OF an
grade, for any great business establishment
The number of persons not already engage
to whom such interests eau sately bs intruste
Is always small, and they are to be foun
when wanted, only by inquiry and caref
search. Why should it be different when Pc
sons OF the same qualifications are wanted 4
similar service under Government
We shall be very glad to know that Gsner
iV1ta N infrndnna init tba or