Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-05-25
Public Economy.

And with the old Ilnnai our verse is ended
Selected.
Public Economy.
The spirit that is abroad among the peo-
pie and grows daily, insisting that money
raised by taxation shall be carefully handled,
prudently expended and rigidly accounted
for, is good one and has been aroused
none too soon. The recent exposures of the
robberies in the post-office department by
ring Of politicians, contractors and officials,
is but sample of what has been going on
for many years in the general government,
and in most Of the state governments. Does
the reader ever ask himself why such multi
tudes of men are seeking for Officer The
salaries are not usually large. The term
of office is almost always short, and the
rule is rotation. The class of men who
make ofiice-seeking business is not usually
made up of such as are highly respected by
those who know them. Those who are the
most successful are not the best even among
the crowd. Why are these persons, then, so
eager for places under the government? Is
it not because they expect to find chances
for gain far beyond the mere salary of the
office they seek after2 In plain words, are
they not looking for chances to steal the
public money, or to get pay for helping 9TH
ers to steal it?
1t is sin to speak evil of dignities. No
good patriot will disparage those in author
ity, nor seek to lessen the respect of the
people for citizens charged with public du-
ties. But all this is to be asserted only of
those so placed who are doing those duties
faithfully and honestly. "First pure and
then peaceable," is the rule to be applied
here. The journalist, the orator and the
preacher are all bound by the responsible
ties of their respective callings to speak
plainly Of wrong-doing in high places. To
cover up crime there is no way to make our
government respectable. Legislatures should
exact rigid accountability, and should in
vestigate thoroughly and with the purpose
of finding the truth, the doings of all who
are charged with executive trusts. But
every wrong that comes to light shows that
|
thefts that are going on and have used their
position 10 cover them up. Without a pure
legislature robberies OF this sort are certain.
Who is responsible for the presence and
influence in our legislative bodies of bad
men Who are responsible for the bad ap-
pointments in the executive departments 2
The individual voter is the only responsible
person in this matter. We may just as
we'll look the matter square in the face, and
admit the plain fact that it is TO the neglect
of his duty by the private citizen we owe all
the corruptions in our governments, national,
state and local. 1t is our duty to select and
elect our best men to public office. As a
matter of fact, there is scarcely the pretense
of doing this, anywhere. It's thought to be
too much trouble. Rather than take the
trouble to seek out aud choose wise and
honest men to fill public stations, we leave
the whole thing in the hands of the office
seeking class, whose only thought is per
sonal advantage in the possession of places
Of public trust. They adjust their mutua
claims among themselves, and with their al
lies, who are paid by division of minol
spoils, they easily secure nomination, eithei
in mass or delegate conventions. If al
"outsider" in these bodies undertakes tt
bring forward anything to mar the states
of the ring of politicians, he is quickly ant
skillfully put down, or ruled out. The pro
posed government "of the people by tn,
people for the people of our constitution
is thus supplanted by government of tn,
people, by the politicians for themselves
and the people stand by in silence, seemingly
consenting to the overthrow of their liberties
Some of these politicians who thus get place
are able men, have some patriotism, ant
: may not be personally corrupt. Yet the
!, fact that they consent, for their own advan
1 tage, to the prevalent methods of securing
nomination and election, shows that ever
the best of them prefer their own profit be
fore the good of the people. The rest ar,
mere spectators in politics, who make pre-
tension of adhesion to popular measures TO
popularity's sake and court popular favo
in many ways, but they have no end or ain
! that is not selfish. They are wilful, pur
posed, deliberate traitors TO those whom the,
call their constituents, whenever they cal
make money by such treason.
Every thoughtful citizen of middle age
who has kept his eyes open and watche,
the politicians, knows that the above state
ment is not overdrawn. In both parties tn
state of the case is substantially the SAINT
J and in any new party there would be N
difference SO long as things are left to tn
"leaders," as at present. In fact a ne,
. party, as was illustrated by the "greer
back movement in Maine, is brought /
shame almost at once by the actions of th
worst men in the old parties who flock int
it, and undertake TO "run" it for their ow
profit.
- There is only one remedy, and that is fc
) the people 10 determine TO take hold of pull
: lie affairs in earnest, refuse to nominate
elect any self-seeker or any man not of trie
integrity and known ability for the place b
is to fill. The election is only the begi
ming. A popular committee in every col
gressional district should be chosen
watch the action of the representative,
report upon it frequently, and to act as
, medium of communication between him an
the people Such committees of publ
safety" with an aroused and awakened pc
pie behind them would soon put an end
n public scandals like the Credit Mobili,
I "Star-route frauds" etc. No mere chang
: without active intelligent action among Il
voting people, will do any good. 1t will
but change from bad to worse.
" Is Slavery Truly Abolished?