The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-22

sion and with it, his own private interests;
for we believe that Judge Kelley, unlike seve-
raj of his colleagues has never been sup
posed TO have any peouniary interest in tlCe
''paternal legislation" he advocates His pro-
tectionist doctrines arc the result Of educa-
ton in the school of Mr.. II. c. Carey, whose
theories so far as we know, he supports as
earnestly and unselfshly as Loyola did the
Papal supremacy
Be this as it may, Mr. Kelley has announced
his wish to leave his seat Some thousands
OF his constituents have written TO him, pro-
testing against such a step, and asking him
again to be candidate. But the position of
member of Congress is now, he says, that
| of mere personal agent for obtaining en-
| ployment from the Government and this is
| intolerable to him. He writes.-
"My constituents, and, to considerable extent
the people Of the city at large, have superadded to
the duties OF Representative the impossible Of
| finding places for all unemployed people Of both
sexes known to them, and promotion for all amDi-
| tious or discontented employees Of the Government
| There was much OF this during the war but the
Government then needed the service OF every able
| bodied man in some department. and IL was quite
possible that one might serve him and the applicant
| both by giving him note to the chief OF some
| Government establishment. But such is not
| the case now, and the practice Of sending
| people TO their Congressional Represen Ia
| tive for employment has become SO COM
mon as TO be insUTerabe To the fifty or more good
hearted people who, at their convenience, each write
a note during the day, it is matter OF small con-
| cern, but to the unhappy being upon whom they
| concentrate the next day, and who, as has often
| been my case, would gladly ind work for some
| worthy and suffering soldier whose case had come
under his own observation, but knows not where to
look for it, is serious matter; aud the wrong
s not essened by the discovery that the bearer has
been assured by the respectable writer that note
| from the member VIII certainly get him work and
| wages without delay"
This personal annoyance must have been
| experienced by all members of Congress; and
nothing is stranger in political life than that
| many of them seem to like it, and oppose
! the only remedy for it, But the public are
deeply interested in the matter, too Mr..
Kelley justly adds:-
"To such an extent has this practice been carried
recently that It precudes the possibility OF social
intercourse, correspondence, study at home but
annoying as this may be to the Representative, that
is the least OF IT, for it is, in almost every case,
| positive wrong to the people upon whom the prac-
tice Is induged Assurances that the Representative
| can procure employment, given by persons I'm whose
| word they have implicit faith, inspire hopes that
| cannot be fulfilled, and not unfrequently conf-
dence that leads to destituton. Days and weeks are
sometimes lost in pursuit OF the man whose magical
| power IL IL believed viii secure them employment;
many Of them when they discover how their friends
| have deluded them is painful to observe, and am
unwilling longer to be party to such practice II,
therefore, the acceptance of denomination is to be
understood as implying willingness on my part to
be longer regarded as such an agent must beg
receive It freed from this condition. and rendered in
so complimentary manner
There is but one cure for this shameful
abuse, which not only destroys half the value
to the people of their representatives. de-
pliving them of their best hours and
thoughts, but leads to endless intrigue and
corruption in the Government; and that is a
reform in the civil service which will abolish
patronage" and give Office in every case to
the man who can best perform it's duties.
Judge Kelley not only urges this reform, but
he proposes to put it in practice for himself,
in advance OF its adoption by Congress. II
he returns to Congress, it must be, he says,
| upon the agreement with his constituents
that he shall not be asked or expected to in
terfere with executive appointments, or to
ask offices as ''favors, or to give his ''infiu-
ence" for obtaining them as part of his =legis-
lative work He distinctly sets forth this as
the only platform on which he will consent
to return
profoundly the honor done me by your letter l
regard the frequent reelection OF citizen to Con-
gress by the people among whom his life has passed
as intTinsically the highest honor that can be
conferred upon man under our Government,
and would be willing to make great personal sacri-
fees to be its recipient. Permit me, therefore,
to suggest that it may be possible that the Repub
ican voters OF the Fourth district having had this
great and growing evil brought to their attention,
viii condemn and endeavor to eXtTpate it. This
could be done by eleetng a nominating convention
which would approve proper civil service bill, and
instruct the candidate nominated to make its prrci-
pies his rule OF action II elected or would adopt a
resolution deprecatng the Interference OF represen-
tatves in the selection OF subordinate3 employees in
| the public offices and workshops. II this can be
done, and the representative can be permitted to
devote his time to the study OF the important ques-
tons at issue, and the support OF the great in
terests at stake, will waive all personal objections
and gratefully comply with your request by placing
myself in your hands as a candidate for renomna-
| tiOn."
This is a candid and manly statement,
worthy, in substance, to be adopted by every
sincere friend of a thorough reform in the
} civil service. That reform is one of the
J measures which the people want, and they
} will appreciate genuine devotion to it. We
!, trust that in this matter Mr.. Kelley will re-
ceive such an emphatic approval from his
constituents as will encourage many other in
fluential members of Congress to take the
same ground. If the Philadelphia Republi-
} cans are not ready to elect a sound economist
) as their representative, they can do nothing
better for the country than to declare, by a
cordial return, upon this PLATFORM of their
} present representative, that they will no
longer tolerate jobbing in offices, but are
resolved 10 encourage q pure administra-
) ton of the Government, and to dispense
with all personality and fayoritism in appoint
ments