Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-12-24
PERNICIoUs EFFECTS OF THE
s.SPOILS SYSTEM" UPOM 10.
CAL POLITICS.


Official position with tho American
people, and especially in newly settled
States, il apt to be used moro for selfish
purposes than to promote the general
welfare. 1t Is not far from truth to say
that where one official can be named
who labors With an eye single to tho
public good. there are scores who use
official positions to reward friends and
punish enemies. In the early days OF
this Republic the principles OF the max
i'm. 'to the victors belong the spoils."
II known. we're not applied. Washing
ton refused to dismiss an official who
was his personal enemy and to give his
place to q personal friend for the reason
that the former was an honest and COM
petsnt public servant. while he believed
the latter not competent for the desired
position. Jshn Adams and Thomas
jefferson followed the example Of WASH
ington in this matter. and.the succeed.
ing Presidents to and including John
Quincy Adams did not discard the precs-
dent set by the father Of bis country.
And not until Jackson became President
was The sweeping rule adopted Of turn
ing out Of Office tried and faithful public
servants by the incoming administration
in order to give their places to party
friends as rewards for political services.
But in our present system Of national
politics 1t Is perhaps necessary to rssog.
nize, to . considerable extent. the maxim
adopted by Jackson with regard to the
distribution OF 'ths spoils." The de-
parturs from the practice Of Washington
has been so great that 10 men wero now
appointed to Office for no other reason
than because they are honest and capa-
BILE. party discipline could not bs main.
tanned, aud the party that should FIRST
risidly adhere to the Jeffsrsonian test in
the distribution OF offices could not DO
held together.
But. while Il may be necessary In na.
,ional politics to maintain the system in.
auguratsd by Jackson. in State, and
particularly in local politics. the doc
trine that ''to the victors belong the
spoils" Is most psrniciousi in its effects.
1t desradss local politics to that low
level that respectable men dislike to
descend into the filthy pool" and as q
result we frequently find important local
offices filled by men who have no more
knowledge Of the science Of government
than they have OF Greek. or Of gentle
manly courtesy and conduct, or good
breeding. And n Of the worst effects
Of the "spoils system" upon local pol
i,ics is that after the class Of men al
ludsd to oncs succeed in obtaining office
1t is almost impossible to displace them.
They SO distribute the patronage and
public funds under their control that no
matter how incompetent they may prove
to DO for official position. the friends
made at the public expense will elect
and re-elect them to any position to
which they have tho ippudenes to
aspire.
A discussion Of the question whether
IL is possible to remedy the evils com
planned Of. and, IL so. In what way.
would occupy too much space 10 publish
in this issue Of the News. But II they
oannst DO rsmedied. II the taxpayers Of
this county cannot devise means BY
which they can ct the fall election Of
1882 place in Office men who are identi'
fed with the best interests Of the county.
men whom the spoils Of Office will not
swerve from q strict sense OF duty, then
they will deserve to be imposed upon
ten times worse than they now are.