Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-06-28
OFFICERS NOT TO BE POLITICIANS

The Presidents order that Govern
ment officials shall keep out of poll
tics is published this week. 1t is an
other of his weaknesses. Officials
should have the same right to partic-
ipate in caucauses that other bus
mess men have. They should not let
such participation interfere with their
official d1ties, and this should be the
key TO the limit of their interference.
A better step toward civil service re-
form than has yet been made would
be one that requires the application
of the officials time and talents to the
work he has engaged to do. E. w.
Reyes is Postmaster of Madison on a
good salary. Theoretically and COR
rectly the position is supposed to en-
gage all his working hours. Practi-
cally we suppose he holds the place
and employs other persons, also paid
by the Government, to do the work,
while he travels to Washington,
"backed by the whole delegation" to
attend to other appointments. If all
large salaried Postofiices can be run
by deputies and clerks, the beginning
of civil service reform should be to
abolish the head officer and save his
salary. But the highest civil duty a
man has, after his duty to himself, is
his duty to his party. He is, if a true
man, for party because he believes
that the good of the country dep ends
upon its success. He should not there
fore accept of an Office that will inter-
fere with duties that, better than any
other person, he can perform in the
interest of his party and his country.
This was the logic of President
Hayes's reasoning when he asked
Giddngs not to accept the U. S.
Senatorship from Ohio. GIN the U.
S.Senatc you cannot do your party and
your country the good you can in the
House." is the meaning of the appeal.
The Presidents idea is too Utopian.
1t supposes that all are pure. But
mankind is divided. Some are hon.
est, some dishonest. Some follow
principle, some follow spoils. The
men of principle are divided also ;
some are Republicans and some are
Democrats. Those who follow spoils
will follow the party that will pay
them. If Mr.. Hayes makes it rule
that an enemy has as much right to
be rewarded as friend, in the time
of need he will have no friends. While
he is in power the men who put him
there will refrain from saying i'll of
him and those who hate him will
praise him for being ungratetul to
their enemies. Thus it may appear
to him that now all are his friends.
But when the day of judgement
comes-the day to decide upon the
merits of his policy, it will be said,
"He who would not have an enemy is
not deserving of friend"
But we digress. We are in favor
of reform, but opposed to the muzzle.
All men should be free. Men in Of
fee should be free and should preach
freedom. They are supposed to be
lsboring to make the country better
to bring it nearer the rule of right.
Politicians can have no heaven but
such as they make on earth. When
they get their heaven made they do
not want devils to rule over it. The
mouths of the devils would for the
time being be stopped, bat instinct
lively they would run the government
to their own country-on tho other
side of the Styx. Mr.. Hayes is en-
deavoring to give the people re-
formed administration. But he says.
"You men in office must not preach
reform you mast not help to put men
in office who will continue the re-
form" Thus the policy stultifies it.
self and it will not be practiced, we
venture to say, by the men nearest
Mr.. Hayes. Every man in his Cabi-
net is daily doing just what he for
bids. They are not in caucuses and
are not delegates, but there are no
caucuses and no conventions. They
are making great many speeches
and are writing many letters, and
they are keeping ninny McVeigh and
granny Matthews very busy. On the
whole we do not think Mr.. Hayes
can get men into places he makes so
servile.