, 1876-08-27
OUR UNs0UND OFFICIAL SYSTEM.


GERS appear to have serious misapprehensiol
Of the character and duties of their positions
There is altogether too much individualism
Men seek these offices in order to promote theil
personal advantage, and without the slightest
regard for the public welfare. This is an evi
that should be corrected. The consequence Is
many Of our public officers are merely public
p1underers. Their only thought and their only
interest is, to get rs much out of their Office!
as can possibly be accomplished. This is thu
necessary eril OF q system which Is RADICAL J
unsound. Human nature is the same every
| where. We should encourage its noble quail
ties and secure the community against its lowel
] passions.
If we do not do this, the individual is sure te
prosper at the expense Of the public Mere ad
vcnturers and moncy-seekers force or insinuatt
themselves into our representative positions
| The mass Of the people are, consequently, the
| sufferers. With few exceptions professional
scalawags occupy the public offices. The great
| men Of the country are not attracted
| into the arena OF politics. They
can earn much more money and
| and unrcmuncrative field. They very naturally
con6ne themselves to their private pursuits.
Our politics ure, therefore, managed BY set
Of men who are no better than professional
gamblers.
| The truth OF this statement no one will dis
| pute who has given the slightest honest thought
| to the subject. It is no longer credit to q
| man to be elected to any political position.
The presumption is that be has some private
AK to grind,'' or some selfish interest to pro-
! mote for himself or his constituents.
All this is wrong. The defalcations in office
are SO numerous, almost so universal, that it is
time the eyes of the public should be opened
.,f fha c1,o,1f1 Ia
squandercd BY set Of scoundre]s is matter
Of deep concern to every industrious
and honest man in the community.
The evil is one of growing seriousness. Some
politics, or eventually the foundation Of our
most cherished institutions will be sapped.
The danger is very great, far greater than is
generally realized. The immunity which is ex-
tended to public p1underers. the sudden wealth
which is often accumulated, tempts many men
to enter the political arena, to break up their
business and leave their families, who otherwise
would have remained in honest obscurity to the
end Of their lives, They are corrupted by
system which is too strong in its influence for
the average integrity Of man.
The compensation is so small that 1t is quite
common for men to cxpcnd in elcctionecring
larger sum than they can ever expect to receive
lcgitimatcly from their offices. Everybody
which thus .tcmpts men to be dishoncst-whch
almost forces them to be SOS, to say
the least Of it, fundamentally unsound
There should be in this regard complete revo-
bad to worse. Either there should be no salary
attached to our public offices, or that given
should be such as will command the services Of
Our ab1est and most conscientious men. There
should be no temptation to do wrong. Itshould
be made for the interest of every public officer
to be strictly honest. It should he made clear
to him that "honesty is the best policy" If
this were the case, how much lighter would
our burdens be, and with how much more cheer
fulness would they be borne.
Every man who owns property now feels that |
he is paying more than be ought to pay, and be
is moreover troubled with the reelection that at |
least half of the money goes into the pockets Of
q set Of vampires who 1ivc and fattcn upon the |
robbers who infest the mountains of Spain. !
This thing should be sternly squelched No I
man should bo permitted to ill public office |
unless he has some stake in the community
some visible means OF support. The commu-
nifty should be insured in so1nc way against rob-
berry and depreciation.
Solid, substantial citizens, as a general rule. |
cannot afford to abandon their business, and, for
M sae tue sake OF paltry salary, incur all the
faithful public life. When they are tempted to
do SO, the result is often disastrous. They feel
That they are giving up much, and that they are
gaining but little (the point Of honor having
been forced SO low, and therefore they are in
Belkpap did,-to wink at means to adjust the |.
balance, which their conscience, in its calm no
ments, could not fail to condemn. We should
not place such temptations before the weakness
The corruption in official life which has been !
% alarmingly common Is simply the natural
ru't OF wrong system. Merely removing the
present 1neuinbents and putting men we think
letter IN their p1aces will be but deceptive and
temporary relict. The new men will soon be no
'etter, as rule, than their predecessors. A
lew broom will sweep more cleany than an old
me, but only for q short time, One party has
70 more integrity than the other, and either OF
hem, as things now are, is certain sooner or
ater, to fall into the hands Of sclemjpg and
men.
The more selfish and corrupt men are, the
aore do they pretend to be the friends and rep
esentatlYes e:' oi poor men,-the more do they
pom whose shoulders they expect to ride into
over.
There is no class Of human beings 60 perfect
worthless, So hypocritical,, SO artificial, and
he professional politician. It matters not to
hlch party such man may belong, he is a
lsgfacc tO any party, and will change his prifl-
plies lsucn as he has) as easily as he will change
IS coat, whenever it is for his convenience Or
Is Interests to do SO. Such men fasten like
arnacles upon party, and in the end they are
,rtan to lead it to destruction.
v hcn our offices cease to be places OF honor
'ey 1all ol necessity under the control Of needy
nd unscrupuluus adventurers. Men Of ability
~ character do not wish them, and cannot al !
ri to accept them. The offices therefore fall |
to contempt on account Of the class OF men | :
J which they are generally occupied. It is true
ere are noble exceptions, but those who have {
ven any attention to the subject are aware
at such exceptions rare antl by no means suf-
'ent to impair the integrity of the general rule
Iii offices should be places of honor. They {
ould he 50 guarded us to afford no Temptation :
the enDia:y Of base men. 4 public officer
no accepts bribe or betrays his trust should !
ing Upon himself sure and swift punishment. {
en- OF probity aud character will then he in =
iced to come forward and offer their services {
the community. We shalt never have any !
und and healthy political life until the race of i
ere ofice-seekers and ot1ice-holders is utterly :
ID totally exterminated. The only way to
ing about such result is to render our offices p
desirable and dangerous for the class Of pro- a
sslonal adventures, and to make them places =
high concern for all who arc inspired by u
ldable ambition to serve their country. o.
j. e. ". e
Why Napoleon III. Fell. y
in his sketches OF the Russian and
rman Chancellors, Gortschakotf and Bis ii
10 EI~-~