The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-10-07

|
| In an article in the Princeton Reoteso
Mr.. Dormon B. Eaton, gives the history of
| the spoils system. He says that the foun-
dation of the practice was laid by Aaron
Burr in New York; be this as it may that
last gentleman has had so much laid at his
door, that his memory can easily stand this
last ACQUISITION. Mr.. Dormon further states
that in 1920 Dewitt Clinton complained
that Custom House officers in New York
city paid more attention to politics than
the duties of their office.
He further insists that Mr.. Van Buren,
carried the spo-ls system from New York
into the Federal Senate in 1921, and into
the executive departments some eight years
later when he became Secretary of State,
and that he strengthened that system by
his course as Vice President during Jack
sons second term. 1t was for applying the
system in Washington, indeed, according
to Mr.. Eaton, that Van Buren, was pun
ished when the Senate refused to confirm
his nomination as Minister to England.
1t was during the debate on this nomina-
ton that Senator, afterwards Secretary,
Marcy made use of an expression which
has since become famous. He said:
when they 1.-THE New York politicians
are contending for victory, they avow the
intention of enjoying the fruits of it. II
they are defeated, they expect to retire
from office. If they are successful, they
claim as matter of right the advantages of
NO4h i.a4 ha
rule that to the victor belong the spoils of
the enemy"
Mr.. Eaton may be right or wrong in his
history of the srolls system; but however
that may be and whoever invented it, it is
certainly now with US. It's present effects
are of vastly more importance than its
past history, and the question of most mo
ment is, how can we remove it? If the sys
tenn was invented by democrats it has been
so enlarged and improved upon by republi-
cans that it's author would never know it,
while Dewitt Clinton's complaints as to its
effect on the custom house and the efficien-
cy of the officials seems like fairy tale
written for children
bfr. Barney, who was the first Collector
of the Port of New York appointed by
President Lincoln, quickly removed $50
out of total number of 702 officers. His
successor, Mr.. Simeon Draper made one
removal on the average every third day.
Mr.. Smythe, who followed, removed in
three years $50 officers out of 903 Mr..
Moses II. Grennell made one removal on
every day of his term, being total of $40
officers out of 892; and Mr.. Thomas MUIR
ply removed $40 officers. In 1865 secu-
lar days, successive Republican Collectors
of the New York Custom House made 1 ,e78
removals.
This showing is only in regard to one
branch of the service; if all the record is
like it what a showing it win makel
OF these Republican doings and their
effect on the Republican party, Mr.. Eaton
honestly and pertinently says:
In 1873 there were 2,510 Federal officials
at New York city alone. Their annual
salaries are about So, 100000. The assess
ments extorted from these officials, through
fear of removal, has been from % to per
cent, being from $4,000 to 800, 900 for
workers, bribing voters rewarding bench
men and furnishing Independents, have
numbered about 500 year. These places
aud salaries these vast sums of Federal
money and the obedient service of the New
York chieftains by these Federal officials,
are the contributions which the General
Government has made to the corruption
and deception of New York politics No
other place has such numbers of Fedora
officers. And when party leaders, thus ed
ucated in piracy and injustice and made in
dependent of the local sentiment which
abhors them, turn upon the nation which
has tanaely submitted TO their INSULTS who
win say that the affront and rebellion were
undeserved2
These are a few Of the reasons given for
civil service reform, but they are not all.
The spoils system is the root to which can