New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-29
PEOPLE Is BOSSES

PEOPLE rs. BOSSES.
The Independents of Pennsylvania stand
firm. They refuse TO tolerate Bossism in any
shape-to encourage or assume any response
bility for the chief evil of American politics,
the abuse of patronage to control the action OF
parties, conventions and public servants AT
the same time with their protest comes the
news that the Administration, represented by
the Postmaster G. eneral and his assistant with
the active aid of Senator Cameron, the Boss OF
PENNSYLVANIA, has succeeded III changing the
vote of the Senate, and securing the defeat
and ousting of the present Postmaster at Penn
Yam. The influences and methods employed
in this case are precisely those which the Re-
publican Independents of Pennsylvania de-
nounce as hostile to Republican principles, and
resist TO the utmost. Mr. Cameron, whose
activity as a lobbyist made abuse of patronage
enicacious in the Senate, is the very man
against whose dictatiOn and systematic abuse
of public trusts the Independents revolt a
public verdict against his theories and methods
will be a verdict against the conduct of the Adj
ministraton III the Penn Yam case.
The truth is that the President seems TO be at
issue with the great majority of the Republican
partv, and at war with Republican principles,
on the very point which separated President
Grant and the Third Term faction from the
party. Some men regard official power ana
patronage as a public trust, which they have
no right to use except for the public good. To
them. il would be as dishonest as any form OF
stealing to use for personal or factious ends
the mower inrrusted to them for public uses
only. This is the position which the great
body Of Republicans approve most earnestly,
and thev especially honored General Garfield
for taking it. The true principle has been
somewhat obscured by professional reformers,
who have claimed patents on several devices
for making men more honest and patriotic
notably, OH the scheme of promotion by exam
nation and Oh the attempt TO prevent cOntrl-
buttons to party expenses. But public judg-
ment has not been darkened by the well-meant
zeal of these theorists 1t takes firm hold OF
the real distinction between the adherents of
personal government on the one side and the
advocates of popular government on the other.
Personal governme.. t prostitutes public trust
to the adv antage of IA ruler or Boss. POpu-
lar government treats all official power as
sacred trust, to be used solely for the good of
the people. 1t considers any man wrong
doer and a plunderer who uses for the benefit
establish and maintain government of the
people, by the people, and for the people. True
Republicanism demands such government
and no other Personalism seeks government
of Boss, and for Boss.
The best and truest Republicans are those
who are most faithful to Republican principles,
in this as in other respects. The use of official
position and power by Senator Cameron to
perpetuate his own dictatorship, to deprive
the people of their rightful share IN the govern
ment and to make a great political party
merely the tool of his personal will or am
bition, is at war with Republican principles
and those are better and truer Republicans
than lie is who resist that abuse of power. But
the President subjects himself to the same
censure, and invites the same opposition, when
be uses his great power for the ends of per-
son or a faction. The people did not select
him, but his obligation to use power solely for
the benefit of the people is all the greater
because it came to him, not by popular choice,
but by horrible crime and national calamity
He, more than all other rulers, ought to regard
the power which he holds as a sacred trust
which has come to him through no especial
fondness of the people for him, nor Tor the
political clique of which he was formerly and
permits himself to be still an instrument, but
through confidence in the Republican party
and its principles. Disre gard of those princi-
pies is therefore in him even less excusable than
in Mr.. Cameron. Attempt to use his sacred
trust, contrary to the will or the interests OF
the party, for his private advantage or the
advantage of a faction. is in him "A greater
offence than that against which the Republic
cans Of.Pennsylvania revolt, and greater than
that which the Republicans of New ork re
buked by the defeat of Mr.. COnkling.