Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-09
mAogIEg GOVERNMENT.


the maintenance of party supremacy, OF
one for the fertilization of the personal IL
Aaence Of single Senator. We have seen
both these motives in operation, bit they
10th belong to the same general class.
The money of the American people has
been squandered profusely in order to KEEP
up this situation. The business interests
of tie country have been neglected II
order to devote more time to the sordid
contest. 1t was only by the exercise Of
strenuous exertions that the ratification oil
the Chinese treaties was at length secured.
Everything is made to give way to the sell
fish ald mischievcus quarrel over the spells
of Office.
1t is well for the public to reflect upon
these facts, and especially to remember
that under purer and more rational sys-
TEN of filing the public Offices. such con-
dition of things could not exist. The
Conkling Robertson fight is typical. 1t is
in fact nothing more than repetition OF
the contest which was waged between
President Hayes and the Senate three
years ago. The principles which underlie
it involve the whole question of machine
governments, and have no reference TO any
public interest. The men who are stand
ing out against the President to-day repre-
sent no great popular issue. They are not
contending for anything which it is for the
advantage of the country to have done.
On the contrary they are engaged in an
audacious attempt to wrest the power of
appointment which the Constitution has
placed in the hands of the President, from
that officer, and they are doing this for the
sole purpose of bolstering up the worst and
most corrupt system that ever cursed a
country.
Under that system every United States
Senator and Representative is the head
of small army of ofice-holders and Office
seekers. These men look for orders and
instructions to the members of Congress.
No man who seeks Federal Office, 10 mat
ter what his deserts, can hope to obtain it
unless he first submits himself to this
Congressional dictation, and undertakes to
obey the commands of his political chief
The Immediate tendency of such system
is to ALLEVIATE Office holders from allegiance
to the people /; to discourage honesty in
politics to foster demagogism and want
of principle; and to encourage that
arrangement of BOSS government which
has already produced SO prolific crop of
scandals. Senators and Representatives
having usurped the right of appoint.
ment, and having been allowed to mair-
tain that usurpation by weak Executives.
now refuse to give it up, and the result is
that for the second time in four years TIE
Senate is opposed'to the President on this
ground.
1t is the pernicious Boss" system
which has enabled few politicians in half
a dozen great Sta es to secure a virtually
supreme powerin politics, and to deprive the
people of their rights. 1t is notorious that
these "Bosses have for years been accus-
toned to rule their States automatically SO
far as all questions of national politics were
concerned. They have dictated al
the ap, ointments. They have withheld
of advancement from those
who'w too manly and Independent to
submit 10 their insolent sway. They have
defeated every attempt at reform. They
have prevented amendment in the ad-
of the civil service. They
have in fact treated the Federal offices
precisely as though they belonged to them,
and they have come to believe in this
right 50 firmly that when an
Executive is found who manifests a de-
termination to exercise his constitutional
functions, they do not hesitate to deny bis
Meantime the American people appear
to look supinely on. 1t is true that their
are being neglected, their money
squandered or stolen, their business III
all the principles of govern
ment which they established ignored but
vet it does not seem to have occurred TO
them that they have any special interest
in the proceedings, and they play the role
Of Indifferent spectators while the issues
ire being fought out which must decide
The future of their country. It has long
been clear to the few who think for them
selves that if " machine government tri-
lmphs the country will proceed from bad
10 worse, until the prevalence of corrup-
ion will become so intolerable that per-
laps the most dangerous or even fatal
ixpedients may be resorted to for relief.
The right way to do away with the abuses
If the time, however, is at present within
each. Reform of the Civil Service is
he only method by which the
. Bosses" can be uuseated. Remove
rom them the power of appointment, and
heir magic wands will be broken. Abolish
hat abuse, and the morale of Congress
sill in less than five years be restored to
omething like its original lustre and
purity. To do this is to substitute real
merit for the Shiny ways of machine
,olitics to restore principle to its place as
moving force in public affairs to make
bility, integrity, capacity the tests and the
means Of advancement to purge partisan
politics of venality, hypocrisy, fraud and
corruption, and to give us once more
government of the people, by the people,
nd for the people. But apathy in the
ace of such exhibitions as we have had of
ate at Washington can only result in
astening the "Machine" more firmly than
yer upon the neck of the country.
BEscasR ON CHINESE ASSIMILATION