The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-06-22

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Ever 50 much bosh finds its way
into priat about "the machine, "
bosses, new parties, "a readjust-
ment OF party lines civil service,
and so forth and so On. What is
meant by ~the machine?" Nothing
more nor less than that wheel with
in wheel without which no p oliti
cal organization can get along, any
more than q steam engine can work
to advantage without what is called
a governor. What are political
bosses ?" The rank and file con-
tinually growl about them; but
what would become oi the party
any party-without their servi-
ces? How could party discipline
be kept up, and campaigns be or
ganized. and funds be collected and
expended to carry those frequent
elections" which are the safe guard
of our liberties rs well as the safety
valve of our administrative system
but for these public-spirited men ?
They may not be wholly disinter-
ested; but who Of Us is utterly un-
selfish and never looks to his own
advantage in what he does for the
community? The reyiled and an
athematized "bosses" are simply
leaders. and the morality of their
methods pretty fairly reflects, rep
resents and produces the average
morality of the masses who follow
them. Leadership springs out OF
human nature itself. The world
never can get rid Of it until we be-
come transiigured into breyet angels,
which win hardly happen, however,
until at or after the Millennium.
We have got to put up with head
men a while longer, whether in pol
itics, religion, science, society or
any other department Of our life
and thought. In Herbert Spencer's
recent suggestive and sagacious pa
pers upon "The Development of
Political Institution" this idea is
set forlh very clearly and urged with
great cogency.
People talk about forming new
parties and readiusting party lines
Just as If such an undertaking were
the easiest thing in the world and
only needed the calling of a con-
vention or a mas meeting to accom-
plish it. Such enthusiasts as this
seem not TO have yet learned the
lesson which American history for
the last hundred years tries to
teach them, that parties, like poets,
are not made but born. They are
brought about not by construction
but by genesis. Like Topsy, they
grow.
The dream ola 'eiyil-service" bas-
ed wholly upon personal fitness
without regard to party affiliations
is pleasant one, but it is only a
dream for all that. Party service is
likely, with insignificant exceptions
to remain the rule of civil service
for a time TO come. The most we
can with reason Immediately hope
for as TO the distribution of govern
mental patronage is that the party
in power, whichever it may be,
viii at length come to the practice
of putting suitable persons who be-
long to it mat least the minor Offices,
leaving the larger and more impor-
tant posts, however, to be held as
hitherto by men whose only claim
is their eminence as partisans. 1t
would be a most excellent achiev-
ment, OF course, If we could have
such an arrangement OF the tenure
of civil Office rs should make the
incumbents Of all postmasterships,
clerkships in the departments aad
similar places secure in their situa-
tons, as persons in the military and
naval service, are, during compe-
tency and good behavior. This is
by all means TO be desired. But
there is a great deal of can't lavish
cd on this subject which is insincere
and silly, and which, by reason Of
its insencerity and silliness, docs
more harm than good by disgusting
sensible people with the whole
thing.--Phitddolpkia Record.