Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-04-20

FROSTBURG, MD, APRIL 90, 1878.
THE Cumberland Alegoniam says
the Grant coal company has pentrated
the mountain from their opening about
one thousand feet, reaching the STRAIT
um of rock which overlies the six-foot
vein of coal. This stratum is about
eighteen feet thick.
WE will conclude next week the
speech delivered in the House of Del.
egates by Hon, W. Mem. McKaig,
March 3Oth, 1878, on ~ bill to pre-
vent unjust discrimination and extor-
ton in rates charged by the railroad
companies Of Maryland on transporta-
tion of freight" 1t is lengthy doou-
ment and will occupy very much OF
our space; hence the necessity for di-
vision between two issues.
The AUeganlam and Nee0s have had
little hitch over the Jacksonian max
i'm, ito the victors belong the spoils. B"
The dispute is one which has been fire.
quently INDUCED in divers localities
for years past by equally eminent au
thorities. Our own humble judgment
is that the system Of appointments
is the bane of politics in both parties
the one most perverted, consequent
ly the one most productive of mis-
chief and dissatisfaction.
The first trouble grows out of the
undue multiplication of Offices; the
second out Of corresponding enlarge
ment of patronage i'll other ways
Hence, the interests Of the people are
always distorted into the support
ofwhatever party happens to be in the
ascendancy. 1t is we'll known that in
a majority of cases offices are given as
rewards for past party service, OF
held as a mortgage to secure future
labor. The question, then, is not SC
much whether an applicant will dc
honor to the station and administer his
trust in the interest Of the public, but
will he do good to our party ?-ir
other words, to ourselves? That il
the paramount consideration.
Another vicious feature of the sys
TEN consists in the prostitution o
places elective by the people to leve
much lower than that fixed by the OF.
ganic law of the commonwealth. Or
dinarilymen are not chosen senators
delegates, commissioners, and so on
to represent the people in their votes
upon great measures affecting the
State, or to conduct affairs to the ad
vantage of the county. These, i'm
portant as they are, are mere by play
to be attended to, of course, as occa
sion requires. But the primary anc
controlling object is to gain subordi
nate station for "me-that is to say
myself" Many people are, therefore
electing themselves by reflection, ant
a few by refraction. The sad conse
quence is, that with not enough places
''to go round, the great majority o
patriots are disgruntled and atfronted
or, in their expressive diction, "solc
out. Hence, all else done, no matter
how weighty or worthy, is as nothing
The truth is, though it is idle te
refer to it, the number of Offices in al.
departments of government ought to
be diminished far enough to make al
elective by the people-national, state
and municipal, that the responsibility
may rest where it belongs-upon the
people. This is apparent, also, wher
we remember that the functions 0.
government are limited to really a few
uses, for "that people is best governed
who are governed least" Certainly
the power of official appointment, OF
influence controlling appointments
should be cut down to a minimum
The people will be the gamers, and
none more than the unfortunate class
who are sometimes enormously sup.
posed to be able to direct them
Talleyrand said of these, and such as
these, that "a single appointment
makes the giver or procurer ninety
nine pronounced enemies and one
doubtful friend"
DsScr9mainatlue and Entogtiomote
Railroad Feights.