Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-10
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.

rected. In this he is very probably right,
but his argument on behalf of political as
sessments is none the less weak. 1t is a
very common and stale device to meet re-
form proposals with impeachments of the
motives of those who advance them, but in
this case such irrelevant arguments will
not divert the attention of the public from
the obvious need of reform. Speaking of
contributions made by office-holders for po-
litical purposes, Senator Teller says ::
"Why should this class of citizens be de-
"prived of the privilege accorded to 9th
"ers. Is there more danger in the con-
tributions of men in Office than from
those who are striving to get in? ," These
| questions can be answered without diff
| Guilty. 1t is proper and necessary that Of
fice-holders should be prohibited from pay
ing political assessments because that prac-
tice gives to partisan leaders power which
is dangerous to the country. There is more
danger in the contributions of Office hold
ers than in those of other people be-
cause they constitute class practically
under the control of a few men,
who are enabled to utilize their
political revenues for the maintenance
of their own influence, frequently in direct
and fragrant opposition to the best inter-
ests of the people. Instances of this kind
are easily found. A few hours ago, as our
dispatches of this morning indicate, the
Office holders of Cook county, Illinois, were
actively employed, under the direction of
Senator Logan, in an endeavor to pack the
| State Convention for Grant, against the
wishes of the majority of the party. The
same thing has recently been done in New
York and Pennsylvania, and the same
thing will always be done SO long as Office
holders are under the thumbs of Congress-
men, and are compelled to do the latter
! political service whenever called upon.
Under better system the fact would be
recognized that fice-holders are the en-
ployes of the whole people, and not the
servants of particular political organiza-
ton. Political assessments, moreover, are a
means of exercising very oppressive kind
of political blackmail The holders
are afraid to refuse to pay them, for they
have reason to know that their places
may depend upon their compliance
in this regard. Nor is this the worst
of the practice, for of course when men
are made to pay for their positions III
this way they expect to compensate them
selves by other methods, and so extrava-
gance and inefiiciency and even dishonesty
come to be regarded as of no moment in
public office, and the men who are most
Jealous in working for the party are looked
upon as the most eligible appointees, ire
spective of their fitness for the work they
are supposed to do. Senator Teller is
wrong in saying that opposition to political
assessments sis based on the theory that
"the use of money contributed by GER
&C tain class of citizens is crime" It. is
based on no such theory, but on experience
of the injury done to the Government by
the prostitution of the public service for
the furtherance of partisan ends. Politi-
clans like Senator Teller have learned to
regard the public service as a perquisite of
party, and so long as that fallacy is main
tanned there can be no reform. It is neces-
sary to clear away all such sophistries, and
to show what mischief is caused by them,
before anything better can be introduced.
The otfice-holder ought not to be depen-
dent upon any party or politician for his
position. He ought to hold it for no other
reason than his fitness, and as long as he
is efficient and honest he ought to retain
| it, no matter what party is in power
That is the end to which all efforts at re-
form of the Civil Service point, and how
ever distant this end may appear now, it
is assuredly the only one worth working
for. Political assessments are against
public policy. That is the main ground
of opposition to them. There is no reason
why parties should depend upon such con-
tributions, and as matter Of fact it is
only the party in power that ever does
depend on them. They tend to convert
all the peoples servants into the servants
of one party, and that is very serious
evil of itself. They support and strengthen
oiu 70
which is the most corrupt and dangerous
kind. The pretense that office holders
would be deprived of any of their rights
as citizens by prohibiting them from con-
tributing to campaign funds, is ridiculous.
1t assumes a desire ON the part of the
office-holders to pay such assessments,
whereas, if the truth were known, the
office. holders would rejoice to be put
under such prohibition. Hitherto
they have been bled at the pleasure
of the managers. They did not like it, but
they could not help themselves. Does any
sane man imagine that they would COM
plain at being freed from this blackmail?
The measure proposed is quite as much in
their interest as in that of the public It
is to restore their independence, at present
taken from them by an Objectionable prac-
tice. 1t is only the managers who have
any reason to be dissatisfied with the
proposition, and as their interests are dia-
metrically opposed to those of the country,
their dissatisfaction ought not to be ac-
corded any weight. Nor does it signify
VI hat the motives of the majority of the
committee are in urging the passage of the
bill. Very likely they are quite as mar
rowly partisan as Senator Teller himself,
bnt it is none the less apparent that the
bill is good one in principle, and that if
it is enacted it must produce decided i'm
provement in the transaction of the public
business. Indeed, it is calculated to prove
an entering wedge whereby civil service
reform may be helped onward greatly, and
very brief experience of the advantages
to be gained from its operation would prob
ably encourage the country to demand