The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-09-08
SPOILS.
An Inside History Of Re-
Organization.
How the Repubi-
cans Provided
Plunder
At the Expense Of the Blind,
Mute and Demented.
Origin OF the SpOils System in
Benevolent Institutions
Under Chase.
Noble Contrast of Vim. Aliens Example
The Impartial Conduct of an
Old Roman as Compared
aCith that of Hayes
and Foster.

The Impartial COfsdNct or an,
Old Roman as Compared
aOith that of Hayes
and Foster.
A correspondent of the Enquirer
meeting Captain Putnam q few eve.
nings since, and knowing the decided
stand he has always taken, and the
fight he has made in his own party,
against the reorganization of our char
liable institutions for political pur.
poses, concluded to haye little talk
with him on the subject, Of which the
following is the substance:
"Captain, how do you like the plank
in our platform putting the party on
record against using the benevolent
institutions for political purposes ?"
"Its right. have fought that thing
in the Legislature, through the press,
in the Executive Office, and wherever
else 1 could bring influence to bear
against it. Nobody will question my
pretty intense partisanship, but 1 could
believe that imbsciles, lunatics, the
blind, the deaf, the MANNED and the
decrspit were not legitimate party
spoil. 1 have always thought that il
was more important that these poor
people should be humsnely cared for
than that those who cared for them
should vote any particular ticket
81 suppose yeu haye noticed that
the Republicans are claiming that the
Democrats are responsible for these
partisan changes ?"
"That is not true. They were in.
augurated by Governor Chase, the fret
Governor of Ohio elected by the Re.
publican party. For twenty years
there was not Democratic Trustee
Director, Superintendent or scplliou
about any of our benevolent institu
tions. Every Democrat that was in
Office prior to Chase was turned out
"That 10 going 3 good ways back
but the claim 10 made that in more
modern times the administration Of
Governor Allen set the precedent fol
these constant revolutions"
"Thsre is ne truth in the assertion
and. having been part Of that ad
ministration, 1 know about what an
talking. As 1 said, the Republican,
had been uninterruptedly in posses
sion of the G0Yelnor's Office for TWEEN
ty years. and there had been but little
change in these Institutions. It was
therefore, natural that there should be
o clamor for places among those who
had been kept cut for 90 many ysare
and the clamor took the plausible form
Of insistence that during this long Pc
riod corruption had crept in which
could only be uncovered by . general
ousting Of all incumbents."
Every Board appointed by Cover
nor Allen contained q Republican mi
nority, and his views in regard to
changes in internal management were
so forcibly impressed upon his ap-
pointees, that not a single Republican
Superintendent Of any charitable an.
stitution in the State ,ca. removed,
except the Superintendent Of the Sol
diers' and Sailors Orphans Home, at
Xenia. Aud he extended his interest
in behalf of efficiency in government
as against mere party ssrvice, into the
other institutions Of the State. In
appointing the Board of Directors of
the Penitentiary, he made it condi-
tion that Deputy Warden Dean, who
had charge of the discipline Of the
institution for twenty years, should
be retained, aud he remained in Office
during the entire administration. Fur.
ther than this, he had determined to
reappsint George E. Howe as Super.
intendent Of the Reform School for
Boys, until charges made against Mr..
Howe, backed by the evidence fur.
nished by an Investigating Commit
tee, made it impossible. But q Re-
publican Supreme Court came to
HOwe's rescue and he was not remov-
ed. When Howe was q candidate for
reappOintment from Hayes, laid
Governor Aliens reasons for not ap.
pointing him before the Governor,
and just before making the appoint
ment Mr.. Hayes called upon me and
said that if he had been similarly sit
uated with Governor Allen, he would
haye done just as he did, but under
the circumstances he telt that he wo'd
have to appoint him. thought it .
most humilisting evidence of the re-
suit of party pressure. Well, Cover.
nor Allen did not rest here in his eff
forts in behalf of Civil Service Re.
form, and he did what no other Gov
ernor in Ohio eyer did-gave four of
the most lucrative offices In his GIFT to
Republicans, because they were espe-
cially qualified for the places. He
appointed Mr.. Roy Inspector of Mines
and Mining, Mr.. Joseph Sullivan Sec.
retary Of the Agricultural College
Board, and Mr.. L. G. Delsno . mem.
Der of the Commission to build the
Central Insane Asylum, and afterward
to the Office Of Commissioner of Rail-
roads and Telegraphs, all four of these
places having handsome salaries at
tachsd. During his administration
the harmony of none of the State in
stitutiOns WAS distQrbed. excapt the
Soldiers and Sailors Orphans' Homo,