The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1871-09-14
Abolition Of the lneOoe Tax-PrOss
a1O0 90 Our CO0meFee.
FEW YORK.
Opening the Presidential Campaign

i
| will open the Presidential campaign with an
article in the forthcoming number of the Gal
airy, on the one term principle. The fol-
lowing summary is made from the advanced
sheets: Starting with the idea that the civil
service reform is essential to the publication
Of our politics. and demanded by all tbought-
full citizens, Mr.. Greeley contends that the
desire and hope Of the President is to secure
| a reelection, and his efforts 10 that end
ehectually prevents the reform civil service.
Reform means the selection of the fittest
men for officers, instead of the most effective
politicians Of the dominant party. The
fruits of the present system are widespread,
incapacity, inefficiency, dishonesty and pee
ulatiOn. postmaster ought to know how
to read. which some do and others do not.
All will admit that such ability is desirable
in his vocation, but if one who lacks it 10 a
most efficient partizan, and has done most
towards Presidential elections; his claims
cannot well be overlooked Will not his
services he wanted four years hence? and
how are they to he retained if his claims are
postponed 10 those Of one who can read but
has no skill manipulating votes? Much better
is this then the absurdity of hereditary legis-
lators? IL our federal and local function
dIieS were cho-eu W iot WOuiu tnty average
worse than they now do?
Mr.. Greedy then discusses the question his
tOrically. The growth Of the patronage Of
the President; the efforts to restrict the Pres
ident to one term by the proposed cOnstitu-
tional amendment; the selfish reasons for the
defeat Of these latter. and the rapid accumu-
lation Of the evils growing ont of the power
of patronage, and the temptation Of the
L.
election. He concludes his historical aIeu-
ment thus: The Wings in due time took up
the one term principle and Mr.. Clay ex-
pressly gave it his powerful support-he
failed to achieve the Presidency and did not
succeed in ENGRAVING that principle into the |
federal constitution, but Van Buren,, who was
in his canvass for the second term, in 1874, |
X Polk, who, although then elected, de-
clined even to accep; second term. Gen.
Taylor, whs succeeded him, died early in
Fillmore, being Vice-President, succeeded
Wing National Convention, in 1852. Gen.
1886, but was beaten in the Convention by
a II
knowing well that such quest
then chosen BY the Republicans, was re-elect-
ed by them in 1864, the civil war then in
progress impelling many politicians to
support him in dererenoe to the
law that it discourages the swapping of
horses while in the act Of crossing raging
torrent. Mr.. Lincoln thus constitutes the
L. &. 1
Efforts to re-elect President since 1882.
these efforts have undoubtedly
,ost some signal defeats to either party. Had
Mr.. VanBuren gracefully retired at the close
IF his frst term, might very probably have
wooded their stunning defeat in 1910. Had
Fillmore done likewise in 1852, the Wing
,arty might have been defeated, but could
lot have been crushed by its defeat in the
riumph of Pierce. Time and again, since
he federal disaster Of 1900 has first one
md then the other party run President,
u tried to run a President forI
second term-for quarter of q century
hese efforts proved successful. Of late they
ave generally proved disastrous Can ye
Ot discern the signs of the times? That the
hange has been real, and based neither upon
ersonal nor partizan considerations is evil
enced BY the gradual adoption of the con-
ssted principle in other, yet kindred spheres
Witness the post of Governor which was for
,erly filled in nearly or quite every State
lthOut restriction on this head, whereas at
,is time in the States Of New Jersey, Viz. q
mia, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, South Car K
lima and Kentucky, Governor is not eligi Ii
le 10 reelection while in Office or for the n
I'm succeeding that for which he was n
T. Al n 1