New-York tribune., 1873-01-18
A BEAUROCRATIC UTOIA.


Mr.. ScudamOre, the able administrator OF the Post
office and the Telegraphs IN Great Britain has been lee
England which, enlarged it has been by more san
gune and less responsible persons Is enough TO take
ones breath away. The most advanced political econ
omiss taught that the proper functions OF Gov
ernment to preserve order ana secure fo private en-
expand to ali the needs and possibilities OF naton ana
that governmental action outside TINS sphere should DC
regarded with suspicion and carefully watched. That
Government agency IS wasteful nehcent, and corrupt
has been received as an axiom au9 u must Ie eoesseu
light which justified its ready acceptance ~ IS mdler
OF hst0ry that Me Government Of eceg country on ne tdee
OF he earth mas jOObed r6aterer enterprise u has
controlled. Even the very material or de,
imperiled the SAFETY OF the Empire by appoint
ing TO responsible and weighty charges neaVen-D0rn
noodles In America we have seen something OF this
and i'm England the clearestheaded statesmen have
pressed belief that it would DC better TO have our sh ps
built in private yards. II We remember rightly, late
Cabinet Minister committed himself To the assertion that
II great contractor like Mr. Brassey had been en-
poyed TO fight the Russians, in the Crmea, the Redan
woud have been taken much sooner than 1t was. The
demoralizng effects OF men looking to Government Tor
careers Its inconsistency with Tee independent clt
Zenshp the facility which immense network OF Gov
ernment situations would give Ministry in eontrSling
votes the sliding scale toward despotlsm WhehSqch
system would supply-these and twenty other eVs nave
been pointed TO as the inevitable fruits OF pocy when
is made bright with what may be characterized as
The great success indeed with which Mr. scudamore
has managed the POstOces and Ielegraphs shows that
neciency and corruption are not necessarily connected
with Government agency But zee hare not he smallest
in erery respect eTcepf onee security that IL cH not
opercharge The public. The greed of private enterprise,
II once IL have amonopoand an efficient private Post
Office establishment should be a monopoly-make 1t
necessary for the Government to take this into It's own
hands. The same thing might be thought to apply to
telegraphs As 10 efficiency, The OLD prira6 eiegrqph
companies IN England Were more ege.ent more reaaty
cheaper regard TO railways there would OF COURSE
be considerable saving IN the cost OF nanaeenent by
bringing all the competing lines under one cehta heau
But here the boundary OF Government inter
ference should be dTawn-f ooi5 ipdeed; 6N even
dangerous STEP Mr.. Scudanore has no fear OF taking
the railways and of extending the Posoce saving
banking, and insurance we're entirely absorbed by tne
state, and taxation were either abolished or limited 10
those Excise duties which appear or te 10 DC 80
indispensable to the morals OF the people Here ae-
cording 70 The Spectator lies the future OF 6nss9 th RI
powerful though somewhat nighy organ OF oplnon Ger
tain departments better than individuals and can man
age them so that taxation as ordinarily understood
snail in time OF peace become needless compulsory
insurance will in the main reduce pauperisn, ana
the income tax win be devoted to the reduction OF
the national debt. Though practical men may
sneer at such picture II s more sehsro or sa @
be blind the forces In the shape both OF desires ana
IDEAS at work smong our new nss,e tne mo
hope that the State VIII be benefeent, the passionate
ssrs a o fen sSe e lighter lSt rf for
men, IL seems, Will have " regulate these newly
tne unpIed" iii the electors are convinced nothing
can be attempted, but declarations like that OF Mr. Glad
and speeches such Mr. seudalnore made az hun
will IL Is supposed, make events march very quickly
The only evil possibly resulting naturally from such
which II thought worth while disarmng OF It's erors Is
the decorating influence OF the absence OF taxation on
national character Taxation binds TO their w0rk,
aud them Of their duties citizens. IL induces
moreover habit OF thrift is IN the case OF tho
French peasant and Its direct influence Is the more
valuable countries where conscrpon does not pre-
vail, as In England and America But all such consid-
erations laughed at no one nowadays 1t ID said,
needing any whip severe than the wish to sccee
| the hunger To aocumulate-"the pressure toward
industry being severe instead OF being light aud
having passed into the category OF forgotten
sins with the Angio-saAon race Indeed the writer,
is the interpreter Of Mr. scudamore, thinks that
patriotism fs numbed by taxation, and that the main
spring OF good government regard for the STATE mas
been essened by "a of ts costness 10 the indl
ylduaL" Indeed should here hnd cure tor the
| declining "Imperialisn" of England
There national feeling quite krm receive hAi