Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-07-09
Political Reform.

1hc Work W Ihe NEW IlalllpSlllre
Legislature is well calculated to offend
the Republican members of that body
and the journals of the same party
which criticies the operation from a
distance. For Republicanism has so
long held rule in New Hampshire, &C
cumulating abuses and injustices both
in the statute books and in the admin,
istration of the laws, that a thorough
cleansing and reform are necessary.
Naturally, the party which the people
have so torcibly removed from the
place of power feels sore and indig
nant at the compulsion that wrests its
emoluments and its political advan-
tages from its grasp; and while the
Republican members Of the Legisla-
ture show their displeasure by puerile
and foolish attempts to obstruct the
progress of business and prolong the
session, theparty press ofNew England
assumes to criticise the work of the
Legislature as destructive of justice
and as partisan in characteristic ex-
act truth of the matter is, as any one
who has followed the course Of legis
lation at Concord will admit, that the
business of this session has been re-
form in the interests Of the people.
The gross injustice of the Republican
system of districting the State has
been remedied, and representation has
been equalized. The courts have been
reorganized and placed above the in
fluence Of partisanship. Liberal legis
lation has, for the first time in years,
been encouraged; and if, in the course
Of these reforms, many Republican
place holders have been removed and
Republican politicians offended, it is
nothing strange.
1t is quite useless to stigmatize this
consistent action of the Democratic
Legislature as a violation of the es-
sential principle ola civil service re-
form. The fundamental principle of
that reform is the appointment of the
ablest men to Office and their retention
in the public service. Because the
President saw fit to ignore this princi
pie, making personal friendship and
partisan service the sole qualifications
for office, Mr.. Curtis resigned in i'll
concealed disgust from the National
Commission, and the scheme for
which these organs now profess such
a regard has been made the butt of
Congressional sneers and is finally
kicked out of the Capitol under But
ler's lead, 1t behooves Republicans
to use disc retion in the advocacy of a
reform which their party repudates.
But in no Northern State so much as
in New Hampshire has this cleansing
been needed. The State has long been
ruled from Washington by cabal of
small politicians satisfied with petty
officers and large emoluments. The
infamous election frauds at Ports
mouth. where the Navy Yard is annu-
ally colonized, are but one illustration
of tie demoralizing influence OF these
Jealous civil servants who have dictat-
ed to the conventions, planned the leg
islative schems, and furnished the mon
ey and the voters in Republican cam
paigns. Itisthis system that the Demo
cratic Legislature has undertaken to
overthrow and the work has been car
ried on with prudence and moderation,
butwith searching thoroughness that
calls forth these expressions of alarm
from the friends Of the old corrupt aud
corupting rule ofthe Ring.