New-York tribune., 1879-03-14
THE SENATE PATRONAGE.

There will be an opportunity upon the re-
assembling of the Senate for the ALVith Con-
gress for tue Democrats in that body To show
to the country whether they are wiser than
their party in the House, or whether the
party, as represented by them, has learned
anything from the experience of the
past two Congresses. 1t will not be
denied, we presume, by the most en-
thusiastic Democratic partisan, that the
possession of patronage in the House
has been decided injury to the party. 1t Is
pretty generally admitted by the more OBJ
serving and sagacious among them that the
possession of the House itself, with the re-
sponsbilities it involved and blunders 1t en-
tailed, was more q hurt than helpj but posi-
bly this admission would not be unanimous.
As to the effect of the patronage, however,
there can be no two opinions. Even the
leading statesmen who have been summon
from remote Southern districts to discharge
the arduous duties of BOOKKEEPING must con-
fess that had they not been called, had there
been no changes in the subordinate officers of
the House, the Democracy would be to-day
stronger before the country, front having fewer
sins to answer Tor. When they came into the
majority in the House, it will be remembered,
it was with profuse expressions of their
ability and their determination to. purify
and reform the public service as fast
as the opportunity was afforded them.
They had made much talk about the
loose and negligent management of the Re-
publicans, and one of the reasons which they
urged for a change in the political control
was tina. they might be permitted to reform
the public service. The opportunity was given
them. How well they succeeded is sufficiently
indicated by the fact that out of the whole
array of talent given them to choose from,
they could not find, until after three unsuc-
cessful trials-cach one involving scandal
one man who could honestly and faith
fully keep door. The public has not forgot
ten those melancholy experiments. The party
leaders, seeing the effect of patronage, sympa-
thizcd often and deeply with the man who
had so much trouble settling his brothers
estate that sometimes he was "almoSt sorry
"his brother had died" 1t was obvious
enough that the patronage of the House was
a source of weakness rather than OF strength
Of course Democratic Senators are familiar
with this history. They looked on at the
scramble for the petty offices which fell with
the control of the House into Democratic
hands. They were witnesses Of this exhibi-
tion of greediness and incapacity they saw
the shame and participated IN the disgrace.
With these occurrences so fresh i'll mind, one
would think the Democratic Senator's would
dread the possibility of a repetition of such
scenes at the Senate end of the Capitol, and
pray to be delivered from the responsibility
A. a,nt fau
longing to the Senate's disposal among the
crowd of cormorants that clamor for them.
They have seen how, III the other House,
the distribution produced heart-burnlngs
and discomfort, and created unpleasant
scandals. for which the party suffers.
They can see--if they will for a moment
hermit themselves to look at the matter with
out partisanshIp, or to view 1t even III the
light of the highest party pOlicy-that while
the distribution of these small spoils cannot
by any possibility add strength or prestige to
the party, but must increase infinitely the
chances for blundering, there is nothing more
certain than that rigid abstention from inter-
ference with the subordinate officers of the
Senate will give them more favor with the
people than any other one thing they can do.
TO those who do not at once see the ultimate
wisdom of such policy we are frank to point
IL ont. No one who reflects for an instant
upon the situation can doubt that the best
thing the Democrats in the Senate can do for
their party is to abstain from interference on
account of their politics with the subordinate
officers of that body. BY so doing they
would save themselves from the risk OF re-
neatipp the blunders of their party in the
House, and, what Is of perhaps more conse-
ouence, would have an answer ready for the
charge now so fully credited by the people,
that their chief anxiety is for the spoils OF
Office.
Moreover, the Democrats in the Senate are
better fortified against the assaults OF the
Office seekers in this case than their friends
in the House were. To the clamor for places
which has already begun to swell they may