The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-10-20
10clI sELr.eosERNMENT~c ciyIL sER.
vleg Rgr0gN. -,

general desire Among the people, out
side Of office.holders. otiice.seekers, po-
htieal managers, and those generally
who thrive upon the spoils of PARTISAN
victories at ths polls, has been expressed
for parifcaticnlef the administration of
government. Many remedies have been
proposed by " hica reform may he had
in the civ Ii service OF the general gov
ernment, alnsng whicl, that of ooml'eti-
tive examinations tf applicants for
elerkships has met with the most favor
We are not now disposed to speak of
the proposed remedies for rurif. ing the
civil service ef the general government
where nearly all the work of the SER
vice Is done bv clerks who receive aud
hold their appointment at the pleasure
Of the head of their departments, but
We wish 10 call the attention OF our
readers TO rvtorm in the administration
of local government. Oar city, school
district, county and state governments
are those in which different methods
must be adopted to secure The re:orm
We speak of, for here the officials are
elected mainly by the people and the
rules Of competitive examination viii
not amply. Hence, ss we view it, the
only certain way TO secure good local
government Is for the people to elect
those, and those only. who are both
competent ana honest in the perform.
ance of official luty. These local gov-
ernments. tn la hehsfctal to the l,eo-
pie, to conduce To the well-;.eing of so
eiety. to secure the objects for which
they were instituted, must he adminis-
tered upon the me,hsdieal and business
like principles that govern all enterpris
iRg men in their private business. One
of the greatest ststniling blocks in the
way of successful administrator o:
public Affairs Is the ignorance, wilfui or
otherwise, of many whs are called by
their fellow citizens to till public offices,
as to what now rights they aeqnile by
virtue of this new relation To the public.
Many seem to think when they are
elected TO perform the duties of public
Office, that the office becomes, fur the
time Icing. their personal proper
ty and when an office is thus
viewed and used, the ise-ests of the
people are sacrificed aud the officer thus
sesomes = financial advehturer, bent
upon promoting his s~n personal inter-
st. The true relation which an offic-
ial bears to the public, il tkat nf SER
want or agent. aud the office which he
holds il trust coi,iiir,l IN him al suth
agent by the people, and il he exercises
che functions uf hiS otii ;e ,coriing %
the general principles governing prin-
cipal and agent he "a III have. l.'',itrmed
his duties in the manner contemplated
by those Win mnds. ti,e law creating
tha .flicr. Many T." a'.I~ instances
might bs Inentinn.-.l whore exceptions
ally pure and Suce,sssfitl muaici l,s adj
ministrat:oDs have he..a s~c.rel by
electing officials who vir.s..,l th,.;r new
relations 10 the public as agent or trus-
tea. The people of Philadelphia bad for
yelrs been cursed with crrn,,s anl
sx sravsgant officials sho carrie IN
th ,ir several oliic-s as if they were their
psrs pnsl property, aud the ,it was
that the ei'y'becane largely involved in
debt, AMI taxrs increased TO ala alarming
extent while city improvements were at
a stand-still Under this condition Of
things the public sense Of coming dan
ger was sh 4rpen-sI i,y an APPEAL TO the
people to pritO nd broAk TIE power of
the ring, which was promptly dsae by
ths election of Patti~ou (ncw Democrat
&C candidate for Governor Of P.nnsyI.
7anis) conplr''iie, al th. city who i'm
set such 10 'e.linsIy in opera
tIon as would clean ont the Angean sta
,les. The aiministi alive t".l cy of Patti
son vas such ~ u, ft.st,fe ublic coni-
aence, place the putlIc debt vi the city
IN the lire If gradual extiLetion and
-e-incs the FAX levy "i lh. city.
Thi. same policy ~as pursued by
he citizens # BuiIaI", Ne~ York, in
he elsctiea Of Gro, er Cleveland (now
Democratic candid ,te far Governor of |
hat STATE Ms Ma.Dr OF that city. |
Vines he entered upon his duties as
Mayor he iDangn, bnsiness-l; ke
s~y of conducting tie sffairo uf the
ity, which resulted in compelling each |
'fficial to perform bis duties ns a public
rust, and goo'l. econ"n,icaI government
vas restored Ia the city. AMI this
inc of policy will y, i..,.all, result in
,ooa government, "ni we h~pe the
'otsrs of il,~ s..,n,.'ry WI insist nDon
ucb from ,h.-ir !. fiji al.
7s-ez~---
Ma G II sTtwAEr, wis has beer
with ihe 4 ban, DEMOCRAT
or fifteen yesr-, -lst'.iv M eiit..r and
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