Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-15
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
A Severe Arraignment of the
Radical Party.
Its Waning Patriotism and
Morality"
DOrman b. EatOn's Funeral
EuIOgy Over Civil SerV.
ice Reform.

tremely lengthy but which was listened
with marked attention. Mr.. Eaton begin
by saying: The deliberate and needles
abandonment of system by which a grea
nation had entered successfully upon tn
reform of its grandest abuses may we'll az
rest the attention of all thoughtful persons
Never before in our history has there beeI
such a surrender of the higher to the lowe
elements in our politics. After dwellin,
upon the disasters which must result from
total abandonment, the dismay of homes
men, the delight Of partisan office-seeker
at this national breach Of faith and dis
grace, he proceeds to consider the justi
fication, the responsible parties and future
| prospects. The last report ofthe Civil Service
! Commissioners showed that no officers had
been removed for opinions sake that year
Now, however, we have returned to the old
| detestable system. The Republican party
in 1871 adopted the Civil Reform rule be-
cause it believed it would add to theil
strength. The President brought an hon.
est and heroic patriotism from the battle
field, and the political atmosphere was pure
| the time was auspicious, the evils of the
old system and the beauties of the new
were enlarged on and the law passed au-
| thorizing the President, with his associates,
/ to adopt reform measures aud execute
| them. A system of rules was carefully
matured which Congress approved heartily
III two separate sessions. The Republican
party,
Fully Pledged Themselves
to sustain the system in its Congress, in its
| conventions and in every way. The Ma
tiOnal Democratic and Labor Reform Con-
ventiOn passed resolutions commencing it..
State conventions, public men, orators and
writers eulOgized it. The praise of the
President and faith in him was in the heart
of all, and public gratitude was part of the
merited reward Of Mr.. Curtis and his fel-
| lOw-cOmmiSsiORers. The dominant party
was strengthened by the popular vote, and
| everybody looked for a better era in poll
tics. These rules provided
Against Political Assessments,
leaving every citizen to contribute as he
wished toward the promotion of his Opin-
ions, and only a few of the highest offices
should be filed by adherents of the dOmi-
nant party, the others TO be filled by the
best men, irrespective of political opinions.
But practical difficulties arose and Mr.
Curtis, the first chairman of the cOnven-
tiOn, believing he could not retain his posi-
tlOn and usefulness and also his self-respeCt
resigned.
Mr.. Eaton then refers to the report of the
Cabinet meeting on April 1874, and which
approved so highly of the operation of the
rules, and declared that their good effects
were sensibly felt throughout the land, and
therefore the rules should be enforced with
necessary notifications. Now, however,
the peril began with the
Waning Patriotism aud Morality
of the party on which the rules relied for
support. The salary grab law, the Credit
MObilieT scheme and other measures iudi-
Gated that. Demoralized local organs Of
the party declared the reform useless.
Contractors, demsgOgues and spoilsmen
denounced it, and called for its overthrow.
Parstisans besieged the President and Cab
met with dOlOTOUS complaints Of party
losses by reason Of rules fOrbidding the
assessment Of clerks snd depTiving the
party magnates of their appointment per-
Quisites. In face Of the like experience Of
England, which had purified her political
machinery by similar means, Republican
voters and officials were listented to while
they stultiled themselves and paved the
way for the defeat Of their party by spe-
CiOusly insinUating that the rules were
aristOCratic in spirit and hostile to the
genius Of our institutions. But, said Mr..
Eaton, forbear any further evidence Of
decay in the moral tone Of party dear to
me, and which | trust will rise to the level
Of its earlier achievements. There are no
more humiliating pages in the records of
Congress than those which record the de-
feat Of this policy. The greater response
bility rests on Congress. But
Is the President FauItIess?
Mr.. Eaton didn't Justify the indiscrimi-
nate censure on him, but affirmed that he
had given occasion for criticism, and tnat
being hard pressed by party he yielded too
much and tolerated what he shOuld have
Tepudiated. As to
The Future,
the reform is defeated temporarily, but so
also are its OppOSers. We can't continue
the spOils system. Reform will make its
power felt against. Its influence will last
and permeate. This victory will not be
immediate nor radical. Reform when It
begins again must be more restricted, must
not attempt too much. There is no dis
cOuragement. The people are with us.
Our principles are sound.
The reading Of this paper was followed
by an animated debate, participated in by
Gamaliel Bradford, Elizur Wright, and
Others, who took somewhat different ground.
Political Parties,
Professor Z. 4. Kent then read a paper
on political parties, their organization and
management and the evils thereof POliti-
cal parties are, the Professor says, a neces-
sity Of the age and are fully developed in
free countries. Through them come re-
forms. But since professions of reform are
easy and will be made alike by'all parties, it
is impossible that any patty can hold
together OD one form OF basis. Rarely can
a man or newspaper hold alOOf from party
and have much influence. The direct in
fluence Of governmental action is only OBJ
tanned by parties. 4 leader must not stop
outside his hearth. If he does influence
and leadership desert him: The intelligent
members Of party usually prize it only as
a means Of carrying ogt their political
ideas, but their number is small. The
Professor describes the partisan ends which
are sought by the adherents of a party,
whether dominate or in the minority. The
ideal after which party should strive is to
put its best and wisest I4eH at lie head,
that when in power il may be tested under
the most favorable circumstances, Among
the
ChIeT Defects
in the management Of parties are, l, the
great excess Of party Prejudices manifested
in the ultra views and statements Of the
most intelligent men. For this defect
there seems no remedy, except a gradual
education to better ways.
2. The patronage of the government
which grows out Of the desire Of party man
ayers to make their adheren;s Jealous.
This is the most COrrupting and greatest Of
defeGts. 1t causes legislatures to be pack
ed. 1t makes lO5bies and raises money for
coTuptiGg and bribing voters. To provide
An effectUal remedy is extremely difficult,
but remedy might be found in a rule
prescribing that executive appointments be
made for definite and somewhat lengthy
periods expiring at times remote from the
executive elections, and by requiring quail
ficatiOns, including character and expert
eDce. Official salaries should be revised
and mcda only large enough to attract
suitable men.
3. Tie grJsing difficulty Of getting com
petent men to become candidates for Of
fee. One reason for this difficulty is the
small salaries paid some important officers.
This is hard to remedy. Another reason
is the service that is required of a candi-
date in the canvass, together with the drain
I. =. g. Il.