The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-07-04

AS tho First Napoleon said, "Viotory
alone has made mo what I am, victory
alone eau keep me here.''
AS he soon learns that honesty and
int gritty and fidelity to tho public are
of no moment, unless no can control
town, county aud State conventions, ho
pays little heed to those virtues, but dc.
votes himself day and night, with the
fever Of desperation to packing caucus
es ard managing politicians and if
necessary 10 carry his point he will re-.
sort to the most corrupt and degrading
means. AS no holds his place by sutssr-
viencyto the appointing power, he shuts
his eyes and steels his conscience, and
shouts with delight over measures which
under other circumstances would arouse
his deepest Indignation. AS success is
everything to him, and as success is
sometimes only attainable by the cor
rupt use OF money, he is driven often
times to dishonesty to obtain that mon .
ey, and hence como de(alcations and
abscoudings.
Thus very large army Of the
shrewdest and ablest men in the CON-
muuity are compelled, by tho very force
of the circumstances in which they are
placed, to prey upon and demorallze the
community.
How different would all this be if the
occupant Of an Office knew that he held
his Office by permanent tenure, re-
movable only for wrons.doings?
No longer under the fearful whip
and spur which now drive him for
ward, lie would relapse into quietude !;
the senatorial frown would have no
more terrors Tor him; he would be un'
der no further necessity to interfere in
every detail Of village, county and
State politics !; his better nature would
rise in the ascendant; he would regard
measures and men in their true light ;
his love Of country would no longer be
brought into conflict with the mean
necessities Of daily bread as honesty
aud fidelity would constitute the sole
conditions Of his service, these virtues
would rise to tho highest Importance in
his mind and thus, instead Of the ma
ton having, as to-day, horde Of en-
emies compelled to prey upon her, she
would possess an army Of faithful and
loving friends.
On the other hand the demugogue
and wire worker who now, without
genius or ability or learning, control.
tho politics Of tue country and foists
himself into places tor which he is ut
terly untitled, would End himself with
cut agents and Instruments the bun.
| die Of wires in his hands would lead nc
where ; h. would be as utterly shorn Of
power as Samson was when Dellliah ef'
tected civil service reform in his hail
and lie would sink Into the notlingnc:
for which God and nature intended him
! Moreover, the people, finding nobody
to buy them, would become honest ;
ballots and reenbacks would no |nr-c
be peddled together; tie polling places
would be as quiet and orderly as church
meetings and the ballot.box would
truthful'y represent tie real sentiments
Of an intelligent, virtuous, and honora
bic community.
! Thus DO two paths radiate from be
fore our feet; the one leading to tn
destruction of our liberties and the sac
rifce OF all our material interests th'
other winding through pleasant vale
| Of peace and prosperity to the grandeur
| Of our country and the elevation of ou
race. Choose ye between them.
| But, it is said, how shall we get thes
men into these offices ? And forthwith
bugbear is created Of competitive ex
aminaticps, travelling committees, favor
iti5m, and an aristocracy of Office. hold
ers.
| My answer is that we need care moth
ing how the officers get in, provides
they arc secured in q permanent tenm
when they arc in.
For one would be willing to COME
permanent tenure on the men now i
the Offices, although some of them hav
"more faults than hairs = for althoug
a few evils would result from such
step yet they would be nothing con-
pared with the evils which pe1mauen
tenure would sweep away.
II Or if some of you think Horac
, Greeley is about to come in, l woul
be wiling to make all his appointee
permanent. There is platform broa
+ enough for both sides! 1 am ready to
: any compromise that will destroy til
l present peruicious system.
1t has been SAID that if you put
hundred rich farmers on poor land, an
como back in twenty yesrs, you wi
find them all poor; and if you put
hundred poor men on rich land,
twenty years you will find them a
rich.
J 1t is so with systems of governmen
:! A bad system will convert honest me
q into scoundrels; good system WI
change rogues into honest men. Henc
: | am willing to trust the present ofie
holders in the Offices under reform
the civil service; while I would nj
even trust Mr.. Gree!ey's appointet
| without such a reform.