Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-25
From the New York Times.
The Public Service i'm Disgrace.


The democratic party has certainly
done its best to degrade the puohc ser
vice. The bad Old system Of parceling
ont offices as the reward of party SER
vices Is purely of democratic origin. 1t
was a democratic leader who invented
the vicious saying of TO the victors be-
long the spols." And to the teachings
and practice of the party is Justly charge
able great proportion OF the Official
corruption which has been so common
throughout the country. As ii this were
not enough. the same politicians "h"
have encouraged every species OF dishon-
esty in office have attempted to degrade
the men who serve the republic in the
navy, army and the civil departments.
At the present time, for example, we have
the spe ctacle before US OF the officers OF
the United States army skirmishing for
their pay, raising money on their vouchers
and resorting to expedcnts TO get cash
enough to meet their current expenses.
1t is disgraceful sight. and the men who
compose the flower of the army deeply
feel the modification. Ii it had been
proposed TO disoand the army outright, it
would have been only decent to retire the
officers on half pay. But here are men
who have given their best days to their
country. They have-some Of them
fought well in the field: and all of them
expect TO make the military service the
business of their lives. Without warning
they are suddenly cut off from their legal
pay; and when the Secretary OF the
Treasury and the Secretary OF War try
to provide means for tiding over the diff
Guilty. SO that officers and their families
shall not he left pennIless, democratic
papers howl with derision. Who is re-
sponsible for the necessity for these expe-
dents?
Of course Mr.. Randall and the men
whom he led in the House will say that
it is better that the army should go with
out pay than that it shoull be used, as
they think. for illegal purposes. That is
to say, the democracy will arrogate to
itself the right to say that which The army
shall do. even though officers and men
be deprived of their lawful wages But
the same pretence cannot be used in the
case of the navy. The scurvy treatment
of the officers and men of that branch of
the service was part of conspiracy. The
pay roll OF the navy is precisely like the
pay roll OF commercial house or fac
tory. So many men, so much money
needed. The secretary sent the pay roll
to Congress, asking for the amount of
money required. This was S7,G00.000
The democrats in the House held the ma
tional purse strings. They were prepar-
ing for the presidential election by pre-
tending to cut down the expenditures of
government. They appropriated 5,700,-
600 for pay of officers and men, though
they were perfectly well aware that de-
ficiency would be created, and that the
men, temporarily deprived OF their just
dues, would have claim on the public
treasury, which must be paid, sooner or
later. To he sure, after the election was
over. the House grudgingly appropriated
$1,000 900, as if the demagogues who
follow Randall thought that they would
not be detected if they put back the
money in driblets. But a deficiency
exists, and must exist. unless Congress
do tn ha al
their pay through the courts. like so many
petty creditors. Meantime, officers and
men of the navy, who are borrowing and
otherwise living from hand to mouth, will
thank the democracy for their annoyances
and privalions.
The same reckless dishonesty which
prompted this blow at the army and navy
characterized the democratic managers in
their conclusions on all appropriations.
excepting those which personally con-
cerned themselves. Thus, the members
of some committees participated in wild
scramble for appropriations for their
"deestricks." while they cut down those
for paying soldiers, sailors and clerks
The same men who were willing to keep
up an appearance of economy for party's
sake, were eagerly snatching the public
money to improve creeks and trout
brooks in their own localities. The post
Office department required Sl35, 900 for
printing blanks. The House approprl-
ated 100000. The request was a rea-
sonable one, and the Withholding of the
odd $780, simply created deficiency.
Not dollar has been saved by all this
contemplate meanness. The men who
were guilty of it knew that they were not
saving money. They knew that the time
must come when these bills must be paid.
The business of the government, which
Is the business of the people, must 90 on
somehow. The failure to provide money
to pay the expenses of the government
creates temporary embarrassm n, and de-
Law lint IL aaves pothipU