Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-08-10

v
were at their largest volume, and the
twelve millions since retired have been
replaced by fresh issues of fifteen
millions Of bank notes.
| In the meantime the banks have
been surreudering about four million a
month becadse they cannot find
profitable use for so many of their notes.
The public min9 will no longer accept
shams. 1t has suffered enough from
illusions. An insecure policy increases
distrust; an unstable policy increases
uncertainty. The people need to know
that the government is moving in the
direction of ultimate safety and pros
perity. and that it is doing so through
prudent; safe and conservative bodies
which will be sure to iAfiet no new
sacrifice on the business of the country.
Then the inspiration Of new hope and
| well founded confidence will hasten the
restoring processes OF nature, and pros
perity will begin to return. The st.
Louis convention concludes its expires,
sions in regard to the currency by a
declaration Of its convictions as to the
practical result of the system of prepara-
tons it demands. 1t says: eve believe
such system well devised, and above
all in'rusted to competent hands for
execution, creating at no time an arti-
fetal scarcity of currency, and at no
time alarming the public mind into
withdrawal of that vaster machinery of
credit by which ninety-fve per cent of
all business transactions are performed.
"A system open, public, and inspir-
ing general confidence would from the
day ofits adoption bring healing on it's
,, wings TO all our harassed indu stries, set
| in motion the wheels of commerce,
manufactures and 'the mechanic arts,
restore employment to labor, and rex
new in all its natural sources the pros
perity of the people. The govern
ment Of the United States, in my
opinion, can advance to resumption
OF specie payments on its legal tender
notes by gradual and safe processes
tending to relieve the present business
distress.
If charged by the people with the
| administration of the executive Office |
should deem it duty SO to exercise
the powers with which it has been or
may be invested by Congress as best
and soonest to conduct the country to
that benifcent result-civil service res
form. The convention justly affirms
that reform is necessary in the civil
| service-necessary to purihcat II,
necessary to its economy and It's eff
cheney, necessary in order that the
ordinary employment of the public
business may not be prize fought for
at the ballot-box, a brief reward of
party zeal unread of post of honor
! assigned for proved competency and
held for fidelity in the public employ.
The convention wisely added that
reform is necessary, even more in the
higher grades OF the public service
President, Vlce,President, judges,
senators, representatives, cabinet officers,
these, and all others in authority, are
the peoples servants. Their offices are
not private perquisite-they are "a
public trust. Two evils infest the
official service of the federal govern
ment. One is the prevalent and
demoralizing notion that the public
service exists not for the business and
benefit of the whole people but for the
in truth but the servants of the people.
Under the influence of this pernicious
error public employments have been
multiplied. The number of those
gathered into the ranks of officeh olders
have been steadily increased beyond
any possible requirement Of the public
business, while inefficiency, peculation,
fraud and malversation Of the public
funds from the high place of power to
the lowest have oyerspread the whole
service like leprosy. The other evil
is organization of the official class into
body of political mercenaries, gov.
erDing the caucuses and debating the
nominations of their own party, and
attempting to carry the elections of the
people by undue influence and by i'm
mense corruption bv frauds syste-
matically collected from the salaries or
fees OF official class in other countries
sometimes by its own weight and some-
times in alliance with the army, has
been able to rule the unorganized
masses. Even under universal suffrage
here it has already grown INTO a gigan~
tic power capable OF sitfiing the inspi-
rations of a sound public opinion and
OF resisting an easy change of admins
tration, until disagreement becomes
intolerable and public spirit has been
stung to the pitch of civic resolution.
The first step in reform is the elevation
of the standard by which the appoint
ing power selects agents to executive
official trusts.
Next in Importance is a conscientious
fidelity in the exercise of the authority
to hold to account and displace I'm,
trustworthy or incapable subordinates.
The public interest in an honest, skill~
full performance of official trust must
not be sacrificed to the usufruct of the
incumbents. After these immediate
steps, which will ensure the exhibition
of better examples, we may go on to
the abolition of unnecessary Offices, and
finally to the patient, careful organiza-
ton of better civil service systme !,
Under the tests. wherever practicable, of
proved competency and fidelity.
While much may be accomplished by
these methods, it might encourage
delusive expectation if / withheld here
the expression of my conviction that no
reform of the civil service in this coun..
try will be complete and permanent
until its chief magistrate is constitu-
tionally disqualified for re-election.-
Experience having repeatedly exposed
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