The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-04-14
PERFECTION OF THE sroILs SYSTEM.

United States. The position Is the one OF
most practical importance to the people al
large that the cabinet contains, or rather IT.
ramifcations and work are oflener seen and
the populace oftener comes in direct contact
with the employees of the department OF
which JUICE GRESHAM is now the head
than with any other. Since the adoption
of the money order system and the Other
conveniences to the public in this branch
the faithful and wise discharge of the du
{ rs pertaining to the postmaster'general'
ship and constant and conscientious
supervision OF the complicated affairs OF III,
department. have become OF double i'm
portance, and indicate the necessity II
all times existing for the appointment Ia
the office OF postmaster general, OF man
who is not political worker merely, nut a
patriot and a man of superior executive
ability. 1t is such a powerful department
aud can be so easily manipulated for part
san purposes, that OF all positions in II
< lyernment that of postmasler-general
should be filed by other than n partisan,
Whether Mr.. ARTHUR, IN the selection Of
JUDGE GRESHAM was after political worker
merely, or faithful, conscientious and
able official, remains to be seen, but The
wishes and expectations OF Mr.. ARrnuR'
party in the premises, are boldly aud un
blushingly set forth in the re-
marks of the journa! referred to, u
fairly representative and influential repuO
lican publication. After referring to Jupdt
GRESHAM in complimentary terms, aud eX'
pressing the belief that he would make u
good officer, this journal remarks slgniil-
cantly; "Something more than a good
postmaster. general will be required oi
JuDGE GRESHAM by the republican party
II state is now democratic. He and other
high officials from Indiana will be depended
upon to make 1t republican by 1851" Ia
other words, the republican party expects
JuDGE GRESHAM and other high officials To
use their positions for the purpose OF re-
publicanizng Indiana in 1854. They are
expected TO carry the weight and patr0nag G
of their departments into the state OF In
diana and bring that state into the republi'
can fold by all means. What is the Use oil
giving man a government position ii he
does not propose to use it IN
behalf of the party say they. The old Idea
of the spols system never contemplated
81 much from the possession of government
oil thav nnttll Ian OF, ms q la
give the party the prestige OF wise admins
tration thereof, and the occupants OF the
offices merely the emoluments of the ser
vice. the party in power was satisfied. Grad
ually, however, the republicans have been
improving upon this idea, until they have
now made il sufficiently comprehensive to
satisfy the bittorest partisan and the
strongest believer in the spoils system. Now
the office must be used for the purpose of in
lluencing future elections. It's patronage
must be distributed to political workers, and
when man is given an Office he isn't ex-
pected to be old fashioned enough to devote
himself to his duties for the peoples sake
and in improving and periectinB his depart
ment, but he must he something more"
an official whose official time and patron.
age are being constantly used where they
can accomplish the greatest returns for the
republican party. 1t is n notorious fact
that offices are 80 used aud the whole ma
chinery OF the government devoted to per
petuating the hold of the republican party
upon the government, but it is unusual to
see n prominent republican journal thus
openly and unblushingly advocating. such
a perversion of the powers and responsibili-
ties of official station. 1t is a confession OF
politically corrupt doctrine and desires
that is as disreputable aud shameless rs it
is otherwise remarkable and may well
cause the purer minded and more patriotic
citizens to halt and ask whittier are we
drifting The great departments of the
government are to be managed for the ben
eft of all the people and not
for a party and when any polit-
ca organization has grown so shameless
and regardless of duty as to announce when
u cabinet minister is appointed that he is
expected to be something more than Il
postmaster-geueral, or in other words, u
political manager and whipper-in, man
who will prostitute his Office for the sake OF
carrying state III political election it is
time that such party were repudlated by
the people in an emphatic manner. 1t is
to be hoped that June. GRESHAM will be
nothing more than good postmaster-gen
eral, and that his sense of duty and pro.
priety, as well as his patriotism, will not
allow him to give practical adhesion and
countenanoe to this perfected idea of the
meaning and scope of the spells system ms
our stalwart exchange understands it,