, 1877-11-21
The ssAVISn
UNITED T POLITICS.


Executive acts an American President is
free to govern personally-that is, without
consulting either Congress or the popular
voice. Many Americans have been OF
,~opinion that tba most difficult problems
of their domestic policy might be solved
at once if they could only get the right
9man into the White House, and no doubt
it would BIZ UGH easier to carry out re-
forms through an individual possessed of
adequate powers than to purge a ParIla-
mentary body OF corrupt elements or to
arouse the conscience OF a careless nation.
But the danger of personal government is
chat it is persona !; it hes all the weak
nesses, the variability, the vacillafion of
the man in whom it is incarna'e; and the
enemy, if it be a time honoured abuse,
bound up with many powerful interests, is
sleerless, unyielding, and ever ready to
seize occasions. How coufidrnt were the
friends of Civil Service Reform in the
United States that the bad cid system was
doomed when President Hayes not only
denounced it in his inaugural speech, but
proceeded to carry lis dennnciatIonS into
eff ct by a series of stringent departmental
orders! FOR a while it appeared that
this confidence was well-founded. The
President and his friends openly declared
that it was their intention to separate
themselves from the 'politicIans." 1t
was annou, ced and believed that Mr..
Hayes was prepared to face any political
risks-the attacks e Mr.. B'aiHe, the re-
volt of Mr.. ConkIiug and Mr.. Cameron,
the defeat # The Republicans in New
York and Pennsylvania as well as Ohio,
the victory of the Democrats in Con-
gress with all the embarrasments that
victory would bring upon the Execu-
tive-rather than yield to the dicta-
ton of the men who had led the
Republican Party into the melan-
choly catastrophe Of 1876. Nor was
it doubtful that the President, if he
could hold his own against political
and social pressure, had it in his power
to break the strength of the politicians
at once and for ever. Unfortunately, Mr.,
Hayes did not, it seems, possess the force
cfwlIl. the persistence of purpose, which
would have secured his triumph.
According to a recent telegram, " there
ARE evidences Of the Presidents intention
" to abandon part Of his Civil Service po-
.slicv in order to conciliate the Republican
politicians" The part that is to be sa-
crifced is the vital point in the whole
scheme. Without it, 60 reform leaves the
power of the politicians" untouch-
ed, and allows an active cAbaI of
intriguers substantially to disfranchise the
majority of the electors, to possess them
selves Of a permanent controlling int1u-
ence in Congress, and to make the Exeeu-
tive their instrument. The policy Of
President Hayes aimed at abolishipg the
undue weight which the caucus sys-
tenn gives to politicians disposing OF Go
vernment patronage. Neither President
NOR Congress can abolish :" caucussing."
The Americans have long been accustomed
to organize their Political Parties 10
] Conventions rising from the "primaries."
i'd which The Party candidates for official
posts in Municipalities and counties are
selected, to State Conventions, where the
\ choice for G~overporships and other State
,ofRcesiis made. and, finally, to the National
aOonventions,id which the Presidential cam
1idates ere chosen The candidates nomi-
natsd = these C~6svsntiens are practically