Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-10-18
alahhntap & d9uurgal.
The Wages Of Public Service.


reform of the civil service, is to make the |
responsible and laborious Offices SO pecuni- |
arily advantageous as TO be desirable to men |
of good character and ability. The tenure |
also of such offices should render them at |
tractive to such men, furnish them an indie /
pendent and respectable career, aud make |
them content to live aud die in them. The |
amount spent in salaries of competent and |
faithful officials is the most profitable ex-
penditure which The government can make, |
Intelligent and capable officers, holding |
their trusts during good behaviour, not re-
sponsible to the changing parties Of the
country, would be careful of their duties,
watchful Of the public interests would
save a large amount Of public money which
is now wasted, and would rescue our poll
tics from one Of the most corrupting and de-
basing influences to which the politics of
any country were ever exposed.
But it would not answer to raise the sala-
res of the responsible Offices under the heads
of the departments, aud the higher clerical
positions under the government to their ap-
propriate point, to the point where they would
be attractive to men of ability, and com
mand the services of the best men, without
recurring to the old mode Of appointment
and permanent tenure of office. If officers
upon whose fidelity and intelligence depend
largely the economical and successful fnan-
cial administration of the government, are
to be changed with every administration, or
with every breath Of politics, the salaries
now paid are only too large. Any increase
of the pay sufficient to make them dignifed
and desirable to respectable men would only
increase the vigor Of the spoils system and
the eagerness OF the scramble for office which
follows a general election, and would nat
from four years to one year, OF even to six
months, so that all the active and managing
politicians could have their turn at the pub
lie paps. Public and financial reform will
first aim TO secure the best and ablest men
for office, and then make the tenure of of
flee permanent Anything less than this
will only increase the corruptions under
which the country groans.
We know it is often said both with
reference to national affairs and state bust
ness, that plenty Of persons can be got to do
the work of civil service, to take care of the
finances, the business, the affairs of govern
ment, for the amount now paid and for a
great deal less. This is undoubtedly true
and if it made no difference ho,o the work
was done the argument against fair and re-
munerative salaries and against the good
behaviour tenure of office, would be unan.
swerabe. There is in every community a
large body of men who stand ready to fill all
possible posts for the merest tritle. If the
wages are unequal to the work, they imagine
make the office profitable, notwithstanding
the smallness of the pay. They can be
trusted to make it pay.
Doubtless the bench of Vermont could be
filled with members of the bar for at least
one-third of what it now costs the state
We know men who would be willing to ac
cept the post of Treasurer or Auditor, OF
Secretary of State, or even the office OF
Governor, for less than one-haf what it now
takes to meet their salaries. There are met
who would be willing to assume TO discharg,
the responsible offices of the national gov
eminent for mere song. And if the editor
ship of the Rutland GioJe was made par
of the spoils system we have no doubt tina
a vast body of patriotic citizens, who arr
equally expert at figures with its presen
editor, would be found ready to take hi
place for sum which he would considr
too small for his weekly expenditure in ink
TO write down the financial administration
of the state. An incompetent and unfaith
ful man who would be glad enough to try
his hand at making gain out of Office cou.c
doubtless be hired for a sum that a respect
able and able man would hardly think stuff
cient for his annual expenditure in charity
But the experiment of ignoring humal
nature in the matter of salaries and ofica
tenure can hardly last much longer in on
country. The alarming corruptions whc
have prevailed SO extensively demand
wholly different system. Good men, we
paid, and thoroughly capable and efficient
with no anxious thought about the tenure O
Office, are the cheapest possible men for 90,
eminent TO employ in all its responsible place
of trust. Bad men, poorly paid and liable t
be turned out of place ut any moment, by an
caprice, will steal, if possible, and win a
Atcb ,at 4 4 L. Al.
name and character of the state The al
tempt TO get the highest work done cheapl
will not pay. The result will inevitably b
to get it done poorly and extensively. tn
commercial world attracts the best talen
because it pays it. Business always give
handsome remuneration to its competen
servants. Farmers prefer to pay good wage
to competent laborers. Even professions
life gives compensation in some degre
adequate TO the nature of the service a ma
can render. Men do not employ cheap law
yers if they can help it. Persons do nc
send for the cheapest physicians, exceJ
they are ignorant or want to kill off thei
friends or die themselves. Church member
can hardly be expected to succeed in col
yincing high-minded and able ministers {
the worthlessness of the comforts TO whic
they attach so much Importance, or persuad
them to devote themselves TO calling whie
requires intense labor, for the privilege {
struggling for bare existence. There
little hope either that the state can ever g
its work done in the best manner, by ell
cient men, by painting before them CLOWN
pictures of public economy, and delineatin
the advantages of responsible work withot
adequate pay There is an economy whic
saves at the spigot aud wastes at the bunl
INSANE ASYLUM REFoRM.-The Sprinj
field Republican says " We should like |
see the state Of Vermont take the lead in r
form in the treatment Of lunatics, either h
establishing an asylum on the Willard plai
or even by still more radical departure
the direction of the system pursued at Ghee
in Belgium, where a whole community is s.
apart to the keeping Of lunatics, the patien
living in the families of the inhabitants al
participating in the industries of the di
trict, all under government supervision.