The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-06-12
Low Men in High Places.

IL mas Deen source OF frequent
comment and earnest thought, that
the high and responsible offices of
the state OF Texas, should so often be
occupied by men below mediocrity, as
to intellect, morals and public esteem.
There must be something radically
wrong in system of politics that ele-
Yates TO the highest offices in the gift
of the people, and in offices, the proper
administration of which, is of vast
importance to the general welfare, a
class of men, who could not obtain,
on their own merits, a second-class
clerkship in commercial house, or
railroad station agency. That the
personal popularity of a man should
frequently outweigh the business re-
quirements of an office; or that SYM
pathy for an empty sleeve or a pair
of crutches should elevate a man to a
position that would otherwise be I'M
attainable to him, is not to be Won
dered at in the one instance, or con-
demned in the other. But that it
should come to be a matter of COM
mon observation and remark, that the
grade of character and intelligence
our public officials is being contin-
ually lowered, while the state adj
vanees in population, wealth and cul-
ture; and the offices therefore call for
a higher type of manhood, fifty to rep
resent the people and discharge the
duties,is state of things which calls for
thought, explanation and remedy.
These offices are remunerative. The
duties are generally light. The posi-
lions are generally honorable. Good
men, the best class of our men, would
serve if elected. The people would
like to see the best men fill these Of
fees. Why then are they not elected
The people say they elect the best men
that are before them as candidates.
The fault then must lie in the method
of selecting candidates. Can it be that
there is something in the "log roll
ing" work necessary to produce a
nomination under our convention
system, that refined gentlemen
shrinks from and leaves the prize for
the baser and more brazen specimen?
Would it not be well for nominating
conventions to adopt the rule of some
of the religious denominations, and
make it disqualify a candidate for
nomination, for him or his friends to
"lobby" for himp The question is
worthy of the thought of our people.
Something must be done or it will
come to pass that man must acknowl-
edge himself low or corrupt
who seeks or holds an office.
We need rigid system of civil ser
vice reform in the state fully as bad
as in the national service, and no.
where is this reform more imperative
ly demanded than in Texas. Here
the offices do not go to the wisest,
purest, best men, but to the party
hack who happens to have little
geography in his favor, and whose
partizan services are supposed to !
have been of sufficiently arduous char
acter to warrant or demand recogni-
ton. 1t is pity that this sort of |
service must always be paid for in T
in the public service in !,
stead of In money or In
some other way, any way, in fact,
which win relieve the public service
Of the great evil of having fastened
10 it race of miserable incompetents,
worse an hundred fold than if the af-
'airs of the Office. to which he is pre-
ierred. were left untaken care OF.
Texas is now big state with vast
md rapidly unfolding future, and she
It least demands big men for the
proper discharge of the duties devolv-
ng upon those who control her Off
,ial policies. T,