Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-18
1LLserrrnArE spo1Ls.

The spoils system in politics is hideous
enough in it's most attractive form, but its
most disgusting features of deformity are
exhibited when partisan Legislature at
tempts to legislate its political opponents
out of Office to make place for the place.
hunting lazzaroni of its own side. To
soften down the coarser features of such
proceedings, bills intended to displace Of
ficials are usually so drawn up as to pre-
sent some features of change. As the pro.
posed changes are untried experiments,
claim to improvement may at least be al
legged. Some Of these measures are already
before the present Legislature, and notably
among them appears one to abolish the
present Board of Harbor Commissioners,
and create a new Board; also a bill to
abolish the Board of Bank Commissioners
and the Office Of Insurance Commissioner,
and to consolidate the duties under new
Board to be called "The Board of Bank
and Insurance Commissioners" Each of
these bills present some slight features of
change from the laws creating the existing
Boards. But the changes are merely in
the nature of feeble protests against the
charge of legislating Republicans out of
Office. 1t is said, and upon what appears
to be good authority, that Governor Stone
mans idea of party policy was, and is, to
have this Legislature pass the appor-
tionment bill, the appropriation
bill, and few other lead
ing kindred measures, and then
adjourn. If this is true, it is highly
complimentary to the political sagacity of
the new Governor. But it is one thing to
conceive a wise course for a partisan Legis-
Iature, and quite another thing to secure its
adoption. The reputed suggestion of the
Governor is too far above the plane of
legislative intelligence and moderation to
find favor with the majority. What will
happen will be the enactment of a mass of
crude legislation IN the nature of tinkering
up all the laws and institutions of the
State. Like the itinerant jeweler who
repaired the farmers clock, and took out
of its movement wheels enough to make
another clock, go inexperience in legisla
ton, with its accompanying egotism, is al
ways prepared to repair the complex ma
chinery of government, with the promise of
saving wheels enough to run another State.
But the measures under consideration are
not aimed at the number of wheels in
the governmental machinery, but rather at
the political complexion of the incumbents
OF place. The number Of Harbor Commits
sioners named in the Board to be created
is exactly equal to that composing the
Board to be abolished. As to the Bank
Commissioners and Insurance Commission.
er, we believe there is one wheel saved or
left out. But it is Republican monocycle,
and that is the real point arrived at. How
ever, we do not complain. The progress
of States and nations in the direction of
civil service reform is helped rather than
impeded by all exhibitions of partisan
greed and lust of public place. Every act
of the present Legislature which is H.
tended to displace Republicans with Demo
cratic incumbents gives emphasis to the
necessity of the higher and more enlight.
ened conceptions embodied in the princi-
Piles OF civil service reform, and makes the
defeat of the party capable of this species
of official piracy morally certain.