Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-07-04
EgTREscHnENr AND IFfoRM

iElhE SAd ALSk- AND lsLt VkA n
are the cry, farand near, though but
little is said of the manner In which
these objects are to be accomplished.
To eradicate deeply rooted institu-
tons. is no easy job. aud should be at
with the utmost caution even
when experience throws its lights upon
the subject. It's safe tosay, however,
that We have too many officers and too
many elections for wise aud cconom-
zeal administration of our State gov
erBment. and the political economist |
can render no greater service TO the !
people than by abating the evils. As |
recognized old fogy, We risk nothing
save being laughed at by young
American offering some suggestions
looking TO diminuiion Of officers and
the frequency reflections. We holditto
be true wisdom to appointall the judges,
to hold Office during good behavior,
thereby removing them from the con-
Eliminating influences of party politics
and shielding them from the bare sus-
picion of being biased in their de-
cisions, by any considerations connec-
ted with reelection. Generations
wiser than this, have tested this sys-
tenn and with entire satisfaction. Nor
would il be amiss to apply the rule of
appointment 10 every officer connected
with the judiciary.
In the next place, we would suggest
that the magistrates, in their respective
districts, shall be ec-c6fcio assessors
of the taxable property within their
jurisdiction; that the sheriff shall be,
ee-o6icio, the collector of the taxes,
and the offices of Trustee and Regis
ter be alralgamated with that of coun-
ty Court Clerk, wh6 should be appoint
ed by the County Court, and the Circuit
Court should appoint its clerk as the
Chancery Court now does. This pro-
posed change, as will readily be seen,
materially reduces the number of off
GERS and, better still, the number of
candidates. who harrass and demoralize
the people, instead of pursuing some
useful calling for their own, aud the
public good. We would also suggest
hat whilst this change is not likely TO
IMPAIR the efficiency of the officers to
be appointed under it, twill material
" lessen the cost Of the government,
as well as improve the morals of the
voters. As quest on of wise policy,
we insist that the chances for getting
efficient officers are as good, under the
system of appointment, as they posi-
bly, can be, under the chance system Of
election A voter who knows not for
whom, or what he is voting, might as
well be provided with dice box as
ballot box, and when it is known that
at least half the voters of the county
are of this sort, what can be lost by re-
moving the choice of officers beyond
their influence and confdiug it TO a
wiser constituency? We were raised
in State where the rule of appoint
ment was applied to magistrates and
constabIes and sheriffs as well as judges
and clerks, and it is admitted that it
conduced far more TO the ell-being
of the people than any modern expert
ment or change based upon the nom
sensical idea that it was an infringe
ment of the rights of the citizen-an
abridgment of his glorious privilege
of guessing at mans qualifications
for Office If history is constantly
repeating itself, we may be getting back
TO the olden time when people were
honest, officers upright and efficient,
elections just frequent enough to be
appreciated as a privilege, and restrict
ed, as they should be, to the legislative
and executive department of the gov
eminent.