Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-09-23
MORE ASSESSMENTS.
from the n. Y. Times, rep.l

MORE ASSESSMENTS.
From the n. Y. Times, rep.l
The unfortunate clerks III the de.
partmenis at Washington. after
having paid the assessments made
upon Them by the republican congress
sional committee, r being set upon
by various state organizations. Mr..
Mshoue is represented As having de-
msuded for the expenses of the read
ulster campaign in Virginia 5 per
cent. of the salaries OF the appointees
from that state. Other state COM
h.lttees will undoubted CLEAN the field
so closely reaped. while there will be
special demands from individual con-
gressmen and senators whose ''int1u-
euce'' has secured various appoint
menta. Thanks to this peculiar
method of robbery, q good many
thousands Of dollars will be Drawn
from the treasury of the. United
States, through assessments ON the
salaries Of Federal employees. Under
these circumstances, several questions
will be asked by those republicans
who still regard their party. not ~ .
plundering machine to fill the pockets
Of politicians, but as All honorable
organization to secure the enforce
ment Of certain principles.
Among the first of these questions
will be What use is made of the
money thus obtained To this ques.
ton no precise, authentic. or salts
factory answer will be had. None 10
possible. Ii anything but the most
general accounts are kept by Hubbell
aud men ofshis stamp, they will never
see the ligh: Of day In the nature OF
the case the disposition OF the money
will be kept secret. If any account.
ing is ever published the chances are
hat it will be a false one. There 10
nothing like responsibility attaching
10 the committee. 1t rakes u all il
can get, aud spends it 40 its officers
may choose, This is to some extent
true of all political committees, which
are VIGOROUSLY apt to be loose aud
careless, if not dishonest, But Ordi-
nary committees differ from tho Hub
bell committee iu this, that the former
usually get their money frsm really
voluntary gifts. The latter gets its
money by practical coercion, the pre-.
tense Of their voluntary" character
being nothing but impudsnt hypocri-
sy. q very thinly Disguised piece Of
shameless dishonesty. l. IL not likely
that the standard Of character With
Hubbell aud his associates 10 any
higher than tho average, yet the very
| clerks who are assessed by these gen-
tlenlen arc treated, in their Official:
positions, OH the general principle
that men are liable 10 steal II they
have they handling of other peoples
money aud are not closely watched.
Hubbelr aud his fellows are handling
q great deal Of other peoples money,
aud there is no chance whatever Of
watching them by any u who has
an interest in keeping them straight
| What, then, is to prevent stealing 7
| Nothing. 49,
Another question which will inev-
itably arise is: Supporting that the
money is not directly stolen by the
committee or its agents, what xssur-
amce is there that II will not be devot.
cd to the personal ends Of those who
have control of il? There 10 NJ
Other political committees are liable
to the same suspicion, and only too
often Justify it. But here again comes
in the influence of the source from
which the money 10 got, aud the
means by which 1t 10 got. When
political managers are really depend.
cut on voluntary subscriptions, they
put forward to collect them the best
mrn they can induce to do the work
those whose character Is likely to
beget the greatest confidence. They
are obliged 10 do SO, or they cannot
get the money. But the members OF
congress who have banded them
selves together to extort funds from
the department clerks are under no
-uch necessity. They are recognized
as possessing q controlling influence
over patronage. They are armed
with that very powerful weapon. Tho
clerks pay. their assessment, because
they dread the consequences Of refu-
sal, and they pay just the same
whether they thluk their money$will
be devoted to the general cause. or
think that it will be perverted to
promote personal ambition. This 10
All immense advantage for the Hub.
bell clique, aud it is u out of which
they will get all that they eau. The
collection Of money for u general par
tisan campaign fund. from the sala-
ries of officials, it bad enough. It is
wrong and demurslizing, but. the
collection by the Hubbell committee
is q great deal worse, because it, 10
surrounded by nc guarantees what.
ever that the money will be expended
in good faith. iES"I Il.
Still another question must natur.
ally occur to those republicans who
are attached to their party by con-
sclentious devotion 20 its principles.
Is q party that must resort. to these
methods entitled to support2 The
answer in . great many cases will be
in the negative. Msn who have gwen
their time and labor and money for
the success of the party with no hope
or desire for reward directly or i'll
Edirectly beyond the triumph Of tie
cluse will hesitat6 When they ses
that the cause has fallen into such
hands as HubbelI's. Aud they will
do right to hesitate. This open and
shameful resort to a compulsory AZ
sessment of salaries betrays not only
weak but corruption in the party.
A strong aud healthy aud pure party,
with honorable purposes TO gain and
with confidence iu its principles.
would not need such aid, aud could
not be induced 10 seek it or TO accept
it. So Tar from really helping the
party, the Hub ell committee aud
others who proceed IN like manner are
injuring it. They are alternating The
men who are In reality It's greatest
strength, aud on whom it must rely
in the future as II has dQne IN the
part. IT the party is to thus base its
action without reserve on the spoils
system, honest men will regard II as
no longer All adequate or tit instru.
ment for securing the ends they seek.
1t has now bucoIne an imperative
question whether decent republicans
a get rid of Hubbelis,n without
abandoning their party. lf they CAM
not. they viii mort certainly abandon
the party,
THE JAPANESE.
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