Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-03-07
The IhenIR r..ihrnt.


rFrom article by eX-Attornoy General Wayne Mac
NeaEh in the March Century
There is at this time great and noble work
awaiting President able and willing to do
it. 1t goes without saying that he must be
absolutely untrammeled when he takes his
solemn oath TO defend the constitution and TO
execute the laws He must not have sought
the nomination, nor must he have shown af-
ter his nomination what President Woolsey
so aptly called "a most uncommon anxiety
for his election, for he must be without
friends to reward, and without enemies to
punish. In the present state Of affairs at
Washington, he must not only be an honest
man, but he must be cause of honesty in
others. He must really hate every form OF
thievery, and must be able to dedicate him.
self to the solemn work OF reforming not Oh
ly the administrative service of the national
government, but the very atmosphere itself
of the national capital.
Four years of administration Of the nation
al government by such a man would trans.
form the public life OF America. He would
recognize the just limitations Of true civil
service reform, and know that all political
officers in the executive department, all such
officers representing in any degree the polit-
ical action of the government ought to be in
harmony with it, and that his cabinet-his
official household-ought to be composed OF
men possessed OF his entire political and per
sonal confidence, and III earnest sympathy
with him in the work he proposed to accom-.
plish.
His secretary of state would take care not
to vex foreign nations with requests which be
knew ought not to be granted, and which, il
made to us under precisely similar circum-
stances, would be Indignantly repealed but
while avoiding such requests, he would keep
vigilRnt watch over the rights Of every Amer
lean citizen in the world, and maintain not
only the dignity and honor, but the interests
of the country, In every quarter of the globe
Our foreign missions would be regarded as po-
litical offices, but they would be filed SO as
to reflect only credit upon the country while
our consuls would be regarded as commercial
officers only, and be selected not because Of
their friendship with politicians or with the
President himself but because Of their kuowl-
edge Of the people with whom they were to
live, and Of their ability to advance the inter
ests Of American commerce.
His secretary of the treasury would be
able to devote all his time to the great fiscal
problems which concern that department
and would not be obliged to waste it upon
Senators and Congressman, or Populations Of
local political magnates in listening to their
appeals for the appointment OF pensioner
upon the treasury. In giving to his subord-
uhlGb llc hhhuIhubt VI u pbImAuGuL tenure
while they discharged their duties effective
ly, he would inspire them with new zeal for
the public service, and secure a larger meas
ure Of fidelity to the interests committed to
their charge.
His secretary Of war would be able TO Sc
cure punishment for the men who are now in
such numbers furnishing the fair fame Of
their noble service, and thus bring the army
back to its earlier and better state, when con
duct becoming an officer and gentleman was
not supposed to include what in the language
of the capital, is by delicate euphemism
called duplication of accounts" but else
where is called swindling.
His secretary of the navy would cleanse
that department of its rottenness in contracts
and in navy yards as well as in ships, and the
country would gladly accord him whatever
moneys were necessary to place the American
navy upon footing creditRble alike to the
gallant and illustrious service it represents
and the great country whose flag it carries in
the waters of the world
His secretary of the interior would so I'D
minister that vast department as 10 cleanse it
of the agents Of the Indian ring the pension
ring and the land ring and it would then
be possible only for honest contractors to
furnish the Indian supplies honest agents to
reprefent claimants for pension, and honest
gress would then possibly no longer hesitate
to vote the money necessary for the proper
treatment Of the Indians, as the wards Of a
rich, civilized and Christian nation
His postmaster general would place the en-
tire postal service upon q basis Of absolute
honesty and economy Defaulting postmas-
ters would not only be dismissed, but pun
ished and men convicted by the country of
robbing the department would not be allowed
to secure new contracts while they were be-
/ ing prosecuted for fraud in old ones
His attorney general would be able to Sc
cure the selection Of judges marshals, and
commissioners upon the ground of their fit
ness by character and ability to represent the
administration of justice in their several com
munities and the country would no longer
be scandalized by the prosecution of unwor-
| thy officials who ought never to have been
appointed to the places they have dishonor-
ed. OF course, it is not intended to suggest
that many of the inoumbents of these Offices
have not illustrated the qualities mentioned,
but only that such a President, surrounded
| by such a cabinet, would be able TO do more
to purify and elevate the public service in a
term of four years than car possibly be done
in any other way in the lifetime Of genera
/ ton.