Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-08-16


prosperity will begin 10 return.
- Tie st. Louis Convention con
cludos cts expression in regard to
the cu,rcucy by declaration of
its convictions as TO the practical
results Of a system of preparations
it demands. IL says; ave believe,
such - system we.l devised, and
above all intrusted to competent
hands for execution, creating at no
time All artificial scarcity of cur
fiency and at no time alarming the
public mind into a withdrawal oil
that vaster machinery of credit by
which nincty-iive por ceut. OF all
the business transactions are por-
fDrmed-a system open, public,
aud inspiring general confidence
would from the day of its adop-
ton bring healing on its wings to
all our harrassed Industries, set in
motion the wheels of commerce,
manufactures and mechanic arts,
restore employment tn labor and
renew in all its natural sources the
prosperity of the people, The
Government OF the United States.
in my opinion, can advance to q
RESUMPTION of specie payment on
its legal tender notes by gradual
aud ssfo processes tending to re-
lieve the present business dietress.
IL charged by the people with the
administration of the Executive
Office l should deem it a duty so to
exercise the powers with which it
has been or may be invested by
Congress as best and soonest TO
conduct 10 that beneiicent result.
The Convention Justly aiiirms
that reform is necessary in the civil
service necessary Ia its puriiiea-
ton; necessary 10 IFS economy and
its efficiency; necessary in order
that the ordinary employments OF
public business may not be n prize
fought for nc the ballot box; n
brief reward of party zeal instead
of posts Of honor assigned for
proved competency and held for
fidelity in the public employ. The
Convention wisely added that re-
form is necessary even more in the
higher grades of the public services
President, Nice-President, Judges,
Senators, REPRESENTATIVES, Cabinet
officers, these and all others in au-
thority arc tho peoples servants.
Their Offices are not private per-
ouisitc; they are public trust. Two
evils infest the official service Of the
Federal government. One is the
prevalent and demoralizimg notion
that the public service exists not
for tho business, and benefit Of the
whole people, but for the interest
of the Sofiice-holdcrs who are in
truth but the servants of the poo
pie. Under the influence of this
pernicious error, public employ
ments have been multiplied, the
numbers Of those gathered into tho
ranks of office holders have been
steadily increased beyond any pos
sible requirement of public busi-
ness, while inefhciency, peculation,
fraud and malversation Of public
funds from high places of power
to tho lowest have overspresd the
whole service like lcprosy. The
other evil is the organization of
the official class into a body of
POLITICAL mercenarics, governing
the caucuses and debating the NOM
nations Of their own party and at
tempting to carry the elections ol
the people by undue influence and
by immense corruption funds sys-
tematically collected from the sal
aries of ofice-holders. The official
class in other countries, sometimes
BY its own weight and sometimes
in alliance with the army, has been
made to rule the unorganized mas
ses, even under universal suffrage.
Here it has already grown into q
gigantic power capable Of sitting
the Inspirations Of a sound public
opinion and of resisting an easy
change Of administration until mis-
government becomes intolerable
and the public spirit has been
stung to the pitch of a civil revolu-
ton. 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 conscien-
tious fidelity in the exercise OF the
authority to hold to account and
displace untrustworthy or incom-
petent subordinates. The pub
lie interest in an honest, skillful
performance of official trust must
not be sacrificed to the benefit OF
the incumbent. After these imme-
date steps, which will insure the
exhibition of better examples, we
may wisely go on to the abolition
Of unnecessary Offices aud finally
TO q patient, careful organization
of o better civil service system I'M
der tests, wherever practicable, OF
proved competency and fidelity.
While much may be accomplish
ed by these methods it might en-
courage delusive expectations il
withheld here an expression Of my
conviction that no reform of civil
service in this country will be COM
plete and permanent until the Chief
Magistrate is constitutionally dis