Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-01-03

that experience will very likely create some
thing of shock.
1t is true enough, probably, that the pro-
posed reform reaches much farther than
many who talked reform meant it should !;
that is, the scope of the reform, as reported
by the commission, goes more nearly to
the root Of the evil than come pretended re-
formerc desired &c 20. Perhaps there would
have been no serious objections to competitive
examinstions-amOng Republicans-but to
open the doors Of all ofEces - Democrats as
well as Republicans must seem to the profess
sional politician as carrying the reform a
little too far. What is the use OF being a
Republican politcian-sucb person may
say-if one hes no better chance at the Re
publican public crib, than Republican who
never helped run the party machine at pri
mary meetings and caucuses and conventions.
or even than Democrat who always voted
against the party having control Of the
government And according to the modern
Idea of party victory. Nc confess that the
professional politician 10 entirely right ip
his grumbling interrOgatory. There has
probably been no better established political
principle than that the spoil- belong to the
yictors that under q Republican administra-
ton tire Offices all belong to the Republicans
and under q Dem 'craCic administration they
all belong 70 the Democrats. This principle
has led to the motion that the possession Of
the government by a party was for the bene-
ft of the party rather than for the good
the country, and that what plumber or pay
was to DC distributed by the government,
must all 60 into the pockets Of tho party.
As a natural and inevitable out-growth Of
this principle, it has come about that Presl-
dents and members Of Congress and Cabinet
Office S, have treated their patronage as 70
be distributed among their personal as vel
political friends, and there have thus
been wheels within wheels. and rings within
rings innumerable and It has finally Gull
minated in the melancholy fact that the fit
ness Of men for Office is only secondary
consideration in selecting candidates for
places from the highest to the lowest, the
first and most important question being az
to their disposition and their ability to
udiciously manage the patronage at their
disposal in such way as to give all the
good places to the most active and influential
Of their personal adherenrs + it surprising
that reform that cuts this practice ~ by
the roots should stagger both men in office
who have hitherto controlled patronage ana
men out Of Office who have expected 70 com
into office because 81 some influence which
nas been thought strong enough to bring
them il ?
We shall be glad to sec the people not
only rapidly get accustomed e this divorce
ment Of Office holding from pJiilics-ior vs.,
assume that the President honestly means
to carry the reform ahead rigldly 10 its spirit
as veil as in its letter-but heartily approve
it. 1t will require all Grants logged OBJ
sJnacy to resist The pressure upon him t.
relax the rules 80 as 70 give them d party
Interpretation, ana it viii require al the
virtue and principle of the uon-oE5ea holding
portion Of the people % resist the ln-iii-u-
hostility to such q reform which viii be
cunninsly at work 70 render it unpopular
with the party. But il the measure shall BE.
in rs lull spirit, triumph. and bauishc=,
as it ought to. olice-seckin5 from the sphere
If politics entirely, the reform viii be one
O, the most beneficial octs ii this Or any
administration.