The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-02-15
SATURDAY, FEB'Y 18th, 1878.
The People as. Me Politicians.

all virtue aQo present. al vice. we 90 not De-
lieve the honest, intelligent, capable men are
all dead, nor do we believe that the men of ten,
twenty or thirty years ago were all honest. We
do not agonize over imaginations like these.
But we entertain some regrets that some
things are not like they used to be. Fifteen
years ago one scarcely met an ofice-seeker.
People then mainly selected their public SER
wants themselves. They did not allow their
candidates to force themselves upon the public.
Men were more disposed to follow their wonted
avocations than to fritter away their time in
hunting Office. The sentiment that generally
prevailed was that the Office should seek the
man and not the man the Office. While ths sent-
ment prevailed to any considerable extent men
who might be disposed to use every means in
their power to elevate themselves to public
Office were content with announcing their candi-
daey and abiding by the result of the voice Of
the convention. That convention was notthen
as now manufactured to order by those who
wish it to be the instrument Of their elevation.
The representatives of party would meet in
the respective districts and select five delegates
to represent them in the county convention. 1t
II tNCEy OSCuIECQ tudb tckeb WAS
''fxed up before hand. The good sense of
those present dictated the selection of five dis
Greet, respectable and trustworthy gentlemen
to represent them in the county convention
without reference to the Claims of any parti-
cular individual for any particular Office. The
welfare of the county and the credit of the
party were the primary considerations that en-
tered into the conduct of the primary meetings
and conventions. This was their first and high
est object The ''elams" of all aspirants were
made subservientito this We do not pretend
to say that TIE primaries and conventions were
not occasionally imposed upon by some willy
politicians who considered nothing but their
own advancement. But mainly the good sense
of those who filed the conventions, irrespective
ofthis or that mans political interest, controlled
their deliberations and selected the public SER
wants.
But what a contrast nowadays! man
cannot be too soon now in announcing his
candidacy and manipulating public sentiment
in his favor. He does so one, two, three or four
years before the Office to which he aspires be-
comes vacant. He button-holes every man
that will allow him to do it. He wrings
promise of support from all the dupes he can
delude. He shapes the currents of the senti-
mentand dictates tickets for primary meetings,
furnishes teams, money and whatever else is
necessary to complete the execution of his
plans. Every thing is made subservient to his |
interest People say che is a good fellow
Upon this they build. They consider this sufi- |
cient to entitle him to the beneicent bestowal |
upon him by the people of the best offices in
the gift of the public. There is Ittleor nothing
said about his competence, his integrity, his
fitness in every or any particular to fill the
Office he seeks with advantage to the public
and credit to himself. The air becomes reso-
'nant as the campaign grows warm with a sort
of unconscious sentimentality that convinces
one unawares that offices were made for tho
politicians and not for the purpose ofpromoting
the highest good of the people. The commu-
nifty becomes contaminated ere it is aware of
it with sentiment that is detrimental to its
own welfare. The politician is seen every
where that men eongregate. You know him
by his oily suavty. lie is considered the lcgiti
mate heir of the position he seeks. Many of
those who back him could not tell just why they
do it. They have been asked to do so, and their
abundant goodness of heart prompted them to
say 'yes." Under the regime as now run the
offices are the property of the politicians. We
r1there are honest men who seek offcc. We do
not know that it is criminal or disreputable for
men to seek Office in an honorable, legitimate
way. But the chief difficulty is the apathy of
the people to the execution of the politicians
plans. The best and most worthy men are not
the ones who are most likely to succeed. The
unworthy, those whose highest ambition is
served If they can get fat Office, are the ones
who are most likely, in our present political
condition, to make the public good bow to their
selfish aims.
What do we see to-day? The manipulations
of the candidates for nominations by the once
Democratic party next fall furnish beautiful
illustration of what have sketched. They
are all setting their pins, forming their rings,
making their combinations and tightening their
alliances. You hear great deal about mans
claims, &C., but nothing scarcely about any
body's com petency or integrity. Let the people
rise in their indignant supremacy and assert
theiY own rights and make their power felt.
Q