The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-25
Against Rotation in Office.
LerfngtOn Dispatch

Lexington OSpOtCb
EXCEPT where omissions or transgresSions Of
duty, incapacity or dishonesty. exist with
incumbcnIs, the cry oil rotation In Office" is
pcrniclous In doctrine and silly In practice
Those who assert that m office should not be
filled by the salne purity for q longer period
than one or two terms, II honest In their
opinions. must surely lose sight OF the iact
thai the office Is not created for the benefit OIL
public, and II its interest is subserved by
retlIning an eff1cientand capable official IN
office then, the very object OF the office Itself
is fulfilled. On the othe hand the, newly
or a fresh hand in an occupation: Al:
though he may be man OF nne ability and
good education In his new position ne III une1'
pcricnccd, If not wkward andslow liable 10
make mistakes which may prove embnrrass
Ing, If not disastrous to himself, his party the
State or the country. 1t Is only by long and
constant contact with his official worn mat
IN ofic%er1acquires that proficiency and expert
ness requisite to render him o good and sails,
factory servant OF the people,. An EXTENDED
term educates him into q patient and expert
enced worker and q courteous listener 10 the
public which he serves. -,
an efficient officer, rs und GU btedly 1t Is, where
Ia the sense of supplanting him at tho expi =
ration OF every term or two, lust when ne mas
we'll qualified with O new AND nexperiencea
educating and qualifying himsclfin the duties
Of office IL costing the country loss In some Wdy
every time that we replant an old officer VINO
and honesty gained the Implicit confidence
OF the entire community. with a new man We
run the risk OF placing In Office incompetency,
IL not dishonesty, subjecting the community
TO O loss as the result.
The longer the service of an officer the more
thoroughly is he acquainted with and quail
flied 10 perform the duties or his ONCE anu SO
long as he proves himself industrious honest,
capable and alive to the wants and Interests
nf 2 ba tnppIa sn long chnnl6t thew rpCOCnlZe MIS-
work and reward him by returning him In MS
Office.
In this connection we wish particularly to
recognize the grent services OF Hon. d. Wyntt
Aiken, our Congressional Representative.
Every one knows that he is q man or eAcop-
tionable ability, lndustrious and earnest.
Ever since he has been In Washington nc mas
done good work both In the house and IN
committees. Alive to all the interests OF the
country, but e.peciully having an eye single
TO the good OF s. Carolina, he hos bent oil bis
energies and influence TO the greatdemocratlc
doctrines Of economy, free trade. iedera ,
legislation that has tended 70 40 Justice W
the South and opposed ccntralization.
His vote IS always on the right sue ana ne
Is never absent when the ayes and nays are
speeches are always practical and telling ana
he has constantly grown In influence ever
since first taking his scat. When he became
o member of Congress the agricultural ihtel,
VI " IhS SooipS .o.o
that only two members Of the House were
farmers. Through his speeches work the
attention Of the voters throughout the coun-
try WAS fastened on this fact and now the
number of farmers In that body Is quite re-
spectacle. We can safely say that no mem,
Der OF Congress has ever SO constantly anu
consistently devoted his attention to the ad-
vancement OF the agricultural Interests or the
whole country as Col. Aiken. He has recent
ly introduced q bill which has been fav0ra-
bly, reported on by the Committee OF Agri-
culture. and will probably pass, raising the
Agricultural Department to the Importance
and dignity OF an executive department, with
q Secretary of Agriculture ut Its head VINO
| Shall be q cabinet officer. Under this depart
mcnt there is TO be d Veterinary Division Tor
the Investigation OF the causes and treatment
OF diseases among animals; also a Division
of Entomology to investigate the habits oI
destructive insects and their ravages upon
the crops. The Department will also submit
to Congress the Agricultural statistics OF the
United States, including those relating TO la
Dor and the prices paid therefor, to transpor-
| tatlon and freight on agricultural products,
live stock and manufactured articles ana ~
the number md location OF manufactures
with their sources Of ruw material anu their
markets.
Our farmers may we'll ask, where. VIII we
find another Representative who will thus de-
vote his time and talents to our Interests?