New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-20

demanding all due respect, as any otler W nv
State but ii not always careful OF Its honor IN ,ne
sense responsibility to itself to DO and to give al
which may fairly he demanded of H. IL is not Always
sensitive TO its international reputation. ,,.,
We here engaged, however, more particularly Win
the behavior OF democracy under representative nstn
tons. Here IL is marked by Jealous desire 10 noiu u,
much power as possible, ana 10 ueogal, oh
what il cannot help one OF its maxims accordingly, Is
measures not men," expressing its desire to pass upon
measures at the polls, when the mass meeting - no
longer possible. In its jealousy OF arisocracy u con-
demns, under that name any prestige OF wealth OF tnu
cation IL prefers to rob ITSELF OF useu forces Iater
than TO recognize in those forces any contradiction TO t
notion of equality The forces nevertheless exist ana
work ont their results. Wealth is power; knowledge is
We do TO secure wealth and knowledge. When, there,
fore wealth is denied public recognition ~ real
10 he regulated he properly and hoDOraby rseul 1t
avengeS itself by recourse To secret cthCds to dshoho
able lpscs and exercises corrupt Influence. knowledge
has no more honorable Application ih; 20 the service oi
the state It's power in open aud public use brings INC
highest qualification to its posSessor, while Is Is ennobled
by such application. IT, however, We regard Tue SUPERB
oTity of knowledge IN public affairs with suspicion and
diitust We rob ourselves of its service wne il remains
honorable. drive IL into hypOcrtical humility ana
petty devices of cunning vixen employed in political
THE SPOILs DOCTRINE.
The spois doctrine arises from the corrupt conception
of the civil joined with the notion OF party po
ties The parties in democracy carry on thelr
contests there limits TO the privileges OF
the victor-hardly those which humanity imposes in
war The current phraseology OF parties is series OF
war-metaphors AutOcIats and democratic majo1ties
strike down opposition as criminal They allow little
room for the conception OF constitutional opposition
Ii is thought be to DE radical, aud that Whcn
victory is i'm political battle nothing ought 10 ar
rest the sewl victor least of all the protests OF
the minority. There vigOr and ruthessness III VIC
tory which is totally of place politics When is
established that there is the power the legal night to
do thing, il is considered pusil!anmous TO consider
scrupes as TO why the power should not be exercised
snch notions are hostile to any true conceptions Of
party or party rule, and they lead to those victories 10
! win which parties destroy institutions
Now when parties have definite principles, this concep
ton leads II sweeping and yrannical attempts to re-
alze ther theories fact When they have new OF no
principles, tloir contests degenerate into struggles Tor
power aud place and victory means that we or you shd
| tolc the t4ieos VIM L. Marcy was by one Of
! line bad men who have been prominent III American
politics, ard the education which could maze suc u
MN enuncatc the bold doctrine thai TO The yci0rs b.
long the spoils. in upbusng in which he Ut
tered IT. worth studying. Men OF GtCct c'iac Ger .nu
OOd education do not invent such doctrines ana spfS
thpu on sn1uto deii erdye bodies on the spur ol ne
moment aad the notion that Marcy invented the Spos
nation set on 90 demOaiizc The evil srNcr' Is DNH
| historically false and philOsophicay absurd. lhcao
| twin abuses were tle cHwlhatoa oI " iH"s iIS'Vl!
Whcn Marcy said tat 40 the ViCor belong tht Spots t
only gave new distinct. ard dognaic expression {" me
theories In which he nai hceh eunc9tc anu tle C.h' ~
his speech SHOWS that he was not conscious Ci hiehS
h 5 1ihH m tgonat fsf he ycfors ought To nac
take the administration OF the government Nhch s
conflicts which hinged on no principles of administration
policy, but chiefly on questions o4 who were to have
! the Offices.
The last observation have to make the representa-
tive democracy s that it nowhere involves political
responsibility. The constitutional struggles OF English
history have consisted III the effort To bring The crown
under responsibility to the nation in the exercise OF SOW
creigA powers. With the sovereign powers are in the
bands Of popular majority. Is it possible to make the
majority responsible 10 The whoc Some think shat me
maiolity need not he made responsible, in other words,
that The power and rights of the majority are IN the
nature oi prcroeave Diners think that tie only re-
sp0nsiblity winch i necessary Is that ot party; ~
| party, however. is abstraction II cannot De held
responsible punished II II deprived OF power iadcS
who did the mischief and needed discipline quickly reap
| pear i'll the new majority
TIE FUTURE.
Democratic institutions have had positive effect TO
assist this material development 1t has rested on
economic causes; bat democratic institutions by their
looscncss and simplicity have left social competition free
to act That Is to say they nave involved large measure
Of liberty put against the conventional barriers Of BIRTH
rank and social position. Under this regime merit has
been able 10 ina its level everywhere but in politics
With regard the future development Of our system.
we may be sure that VIII place steadily and neces
sary We shall not make any great reforms or sweeping
changes. An THAI about viii have to proceed OUT
past history rest upon it, aud he consistent win
about Pcs cOugressc, Of learned men, or by Fouai5'm-
ganiza'ion which are not in accord vita The genius OF
iht nation and its circumstances. 1he rrVls0nS Mirl
, 80 NV, shown n distinct tendency Ia greater
Conservatism, higher organization. especially OF th.
| e.ccutivo department. longer terms OF office aud
eoou Tnc democratic tendency has passed MS Cum!na-
tOE and Xpcu,uco las shown tlc Limitations 81 cei iI
OF i;s doguas and tLc tIor O others Many 81 we pro
visions OF These later cOnstuUOB, show thp the peoi
DO not trust themselves They pa, away iTOn th,h-
selves certain powers winch they hay' abused ih,st
pruyoj us are like total abstinence PLEDGES necessary
prop 20 -c-contrO wien ID Is Wcas, bGi, "h"a l.lc
b' States. hey do away with hociiJ "hleh' IL Ai!
upon occasion, hc very necessary to exercise.
II Is saic 80 say, now at future Development will
be in the way Of extending and modifying our iustu-
lions so a. 10 t lc needs Of great nation. Tho civil
war has had a great effect III Fastening on this
necessity and in Fastening the maturity Of Ihc nae
ton. The wtr has overloaded our institutions With
The effect oi al these observations as tley force hcW-
selves aitor another upon ule attention o. the
people, mus, 'e TO e'.)lSh e conviction ,hai our H-
-tituu0- are some RESPECTS, inadequate go tne ur ID,
De adequately performed save by competent mer. The
agitation l3r Hc rc,oun OF IRE civil selYcc itilc a~ JAS
ALREADY moving and that 10 has found IDS true POINT OF
attack. 1hr most fatal breach in aii existing abuses
would ihc separation OI the Cc -ho'ders from tine
worn OF Col iullmg parties ans managing ritcnus auo
amy civil service rc'oIm which doc. NOT make tbat lbs
chauec vii Doe opened Tor better public opinion 10 act
ulO ;hc elections, ana 10 make isci Iet y! Hc cho-,e
itself needs ulrthci development IN Wow OF The great
y's"s N1i'H E.4.h upon ,l' ia punt ,' M ,, ,,
problems easy incidents o. our ordinary occupations
Ne snan have TO DO Us we do elscwhere-adop anew
division OF labor and higher organization We shall
have TO select who, if ,hcy not already e~p-
ciay trained enjoy orr confidence IN regard 10 thlr
| as special daily. oucn men VIII no longer
be democratic dcs gates, hut true rcpIe'enaiN -
\ bodi Of such selected from various cohSti'u-
cacir, Wouid rcprcsent the nation, the state a.
no popular majOrt does. They would Present The
Stale in miniature ANY one who wanted To deal with
the state would - dead with THEN. For all placti
cal purposes, fBcy would De the state would enbody is
wisdom ANA o., VIII, aud woald decide on liz acllOn.
would constitute tho great council al tie nation
fcy would have 80 ACT on their Judgment ana az thcr
would therefore necessarily he mae
pu Inei would bc under the observation Of the people,
who WOnl Judge iy juc result who were Wlse and Who
tge foolish: who were worthy OF confidence, ana who
were not. 5rho were capable OF nling tho trust lad