The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-08-10


year and half ago the legal tenders
were at their largest volume, and the
100000 since retired have been re-
placed by fresh issues of $15,OO0,OOO of
bank notes. In the meantime the banks
have been surrendering about 81, 1000
a month, because they cannot find q
profitable use for so many of their notes.
The public mind will no longer accept
shams. 1t has suffered enough from illu-
sions. An insincere policy increases dis
trust. An unstable policy increases un-
certainty. The people need to know
that. the government is moving in the
direction of ultimate safety and prosper
ity, and that it is doing SO through pru-
dent, safe and conservative methods,
which will be sure to infict no new sac
rifce 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
expression in regard to the currency by q
declaration of its convictions as to the
practical results of the system of prepa-
rations it demands. 1t says: "We be-
lieye such a system, well devised, and,
above all, intrusted to competent hands
for execution, creating at no time an ar
tifcial scarcity of currency, and at no
time alarming the public mind into a
withdrawal of that vaster machinery of
credit by which ninety-fve per cent: of
all business transactions are performed
q system open, public and inspiring gen.
eral confidence, would from the day Of
its adoption bring healing on its wings
to all our harassed industries, set in mo-
ton the wheels of commerce, manufac-
lures and the mechanic arts, restore EN-
ployment to labor, and renew in all its
natural sources the prosperity of the peo-
ple." - 9. '.
The government of the United States,
in my opinion, can advance to a resump-
ton of specie payments on its legal ten
der notes by gradual and safe processes
tending to relieve the present business
distress. If charged by the people with
the administration of the Executive of
fee, 7 should deem it a duty SO to exer-
else the powers with, which it has been
or may be invested by Congress as best
and soonest to conduct the country to
that benefcient result.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Convention justly afirms that re-
form is necessary in the civil service,
necessary to its pnrifcation, necessary to
its economy and its efficiency, necessary
in order that the ordinary employment
of the public business may not be "a
prize fought for at the ballot box, a brief
reward of party zeal instead of posts of
honor assigned for proved competency,
and held for fidelity in the public en-
ploy.nn, The . Convention wisely added
that "reform is necessary even more in
the higher grades of the public service.
Vice President, Judges, Sena-
tors, Representatives, Cabinet officers,
these and all others in authority are the
peoples servants. Their Offices are not
. private perquisite; they are public
trust" s..,,
Two evils invest the official service Of
the federal government.
Z. One is the prevalent and idemoralizing
notion that the public service exists not
for the business and benefit of the whole
people, but for the interest of the Office
holders, who are in truth but the serv-
ants of the people. Under the influence
of this pernicious error public employ
ments have been multiplied, the num-
bers of those, gatheredaint the ranks of
holders have been steadily in
creased beyond any possible requirement.
of the public business, while inefficiency,
peculation, fraud and malversation of
the high places of power to the lowest,
have overspread the whole service like
leprosy. -ay ~. -
The other evil is the organization Of
the official class into body of political
mercenaries, governing the caucusses
and debating the nominations of their
own party, and attempting to carry the
elections of the people by undue infu-
ence and by immense corruption funds
Systematically collected from the salaries
or fees of office-holders. The official
class in other countries, sometimes by its
own weight and sometimes in alliance
with the army, has been able to rule the
masses even under universal
suffrage. Here, it has already grown
into gigantic power capable of sitting
the inspirations of q sound public opin-
ion, and of resisting an easy change of
administration, until misgoyernmeDt be-
comes intolerable and public spirit has
been stung to the pitch of. a civic revo-
luton. g
The first step in reform is the elevation
of the standard by which the appointing
power selects agents to execute official
trusts. Next in Importance is q consci-
entious fidelity in the exercise ofathe
authority to- holdito account and displace
untrustworthy or incapable subordinates.
The public interest in an honest, skilful
performance of official trust must not be
sacrificed to the usufruct of the incum-
bents. %"
After these immediate steps, which
will insure the exhibition of better exam
Piles, we may wisely 60 on to the aboli-
ton of unnecessary Offices, and, finally,
to the patient, careful organization of a
better civil service system, under the
tests, wherever practicable, of proved
and fidelity.
While much may be accomplished by
these methods, it might encourage delu-
sive expectations if I withheld here the
expression, of my convictions that no
reform of the civil service in this coun-
try will be complete and permanent until
its chief magistrate is constitutionally
for reelection; experience
having repeatedly exposed the futility
of self-imposed restrictions by candidates
Or incumbents., Through this solemnity
only can he be efectually delivered from
bis greatest temptation to misuse the
power and patronage with which the
Executive is necessarily charged. I.
CONCLUSION.
Educated in the belief that it is the
first duty of citizen of the Republic to
take his fair allotment of care and trou-
BILE in public affairs, I have, for forty
years, as q private citizen, fulfilled that
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