, 1876-03-27
CORRUPTION in WASHINGTON.

$h0H94 a EAESJDENE HAJ bAAl4A4 1lAkE HONESTY
TUE orEATEsr QUALIFICATION foN oEFiCE.
LoHdon Spectator, jiareh II.
Tho temptation to speculate On the causes of
Such u situation as Washington now p1csopts
Ne gtoak but wo unst resorvo ourselves to-tuy
Tor something more concteto-tho consideration
of tho rc1uody, and about tlls we should, II
Americans, bo Just now very practical indcod.
The people Of tho United States may not with
their busy lves their excessively scattered euer-
Gies,-for tho exiptonco ct tho separate
States, whatever it's comrensastons, nm
doubsedly ac9t:era political energy. and their
keep up watcttfninoss on Warrington such as
Establishment Eeep Upon their Cablnct and liouse
Of Commons. They may not b. abio-with their
Jealous ycoman voters 10 ltnpntieut OF proteN-
sion and e1cIuetyonosB. and thoir ekontical bot
Tor class so fnll Of excusiyeucHa adopted In self
hofcuse-bo able TO bunish tho professional poll.
tic!aus whoao aacondoncy In tho political world,
llkc the asccndeno7 Of Bpeculators In tho COM
snorcial world. Is tho root Of most Of tho erlI,
snd Of Ill tho Fccuotar7 corInption in tho Uu-
Ion. They may not oven bo nbie, IN tho teetfl Of
deep!y-rooted prejudice, Of party socling,
md Of tho aonate's vested interest iu
jobhIng, to establish sclentihca!ly-orgauiz mud
lsremovablo civil service. rorhaps tho bost guar
Antee nEa!nst corruption yot devised. Int they
can secure ono remedial measure without vio-
lencc or = rcmodaltnE Of Their machinery, or n
broak With nnY OF their traditions. Their Con-
stlsutfon enables them to otoct any preaItiont
tloy choose, aud luyosts him with power 10 keep
the central administration ture. There Secre-
tarieB. and Sups.intondenta. aud Conpsroilers,
~ho ara charged, truly or falsely, with tultng
brlbes, hre, bv thh Constitution, biz c!erka. II
the Ifesident chooses to '1na1to honcsty sine
qua non III qualification for Office, to uphold
any inaa who hates corruption. and to distnie8
any man Who eycn tolerates Il. ho can 10 it, and
It ia. nonsense to talk Of tho pres
Guro OF opinion tn favor Of tllia or that man. Az
= matter o! fhct, tho trcAidont chooses whom ho
ltlsest 6tlAtainH whom he likes. mud ds:nisBeb
whom he likes, without respecting At all, This
very Prostdont h1n ctosol. during ls preHi-
'donoy, Mf. Chanl'eT, euH.uincl Mr.. DeIano. uud
superseded hlr. aEotlcy, IN defiance OF tho whole
voted himself ID such work, coultl have mado .
suspicion OF corruption Oh unpleasant to Seg-
rotary aa knspclon OF cownrdioo 10 n
sod!dr. That ho did not 80 doyote hJn.solf
ambition Of d third-senn. or as wo bc-
Neve, Of sort Of leasl.crlnc.s OF InIntl-ap
obtnscneRB wtdch has boen produced III him by
life OF soldering. and politics. Thia IL not
= reason fos slectng a very different mai, = man
who cannot only represent party. but presldo
eneciuelly over M administration, who eau hold
tbs rona In hia own hand, aud compel tho de-
aud stealing. Tho people OF tbs United staloa
do not Waut man who eau geyc:'l their servants
An nsont who Mill soq thhe Offices are no.
made: as IL Turkey or .ClA'a, ssoptlng-ssones to
wealth, They caM 1p1ns, Ch n u1au II they please
this year, aud thblr dhty iH 10 Ind hint, Rnu show
tlAt II is not by t.e:r lofault that tho phrase
American politician is hecolninf, an 1usolt, to
bo hurled like mud against any European Liboral.
Their Constitution larupoyd tneir action very Of.
len, but IL does npt Irovont them from eloct,ng a
preatdenlswith ilhtlnct .la.lsso to turn thioYes
ous of ruOlEc Offices AtId Il GJes not LIMIT Ills
power to perform ihht necessary il dlsagreoahle
tnak.