The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-01-10
Wealth Not "A Necessary Qulfs
Gcnaf0m.

Wealth Not "a Necessary QuIi'
Gcaaf0n.
Galveston News.
One of the current objections tc
Allen J. Thurman, of Ohio, for the
position of Secretary Of State, in Mr.
Cleyeland's cabinet, is that his moder,
ate means would not enable him to
meet what is Technically termed the
social requirements of the position.
1t is even said that Senator Bayard
chose the treasury department because
he could not afford to dispense the
lavish hospitalities demanded of the
head Of the state department, This is
not credible, because it would be un-
worthy of Senator Bayard to decline
a call to such an office for such a rea,
son. There is no necessity that the
secretary of state should be taxed for
hospitality any more than aAy other
member of the cabinet, any senator or
representative, or, for that matter, any
citizen of the United States. The
custom that has grown up in Washing
ton of making the residence of the
secretary of state great social insti-
tuition is an exotic, and its permanent
propagation in this country should be
discouraged There is no good rea-
son why our high government officials
should not set an example of repubIi-
can simplicity There should bG no
office under the government of the
United States that a poor man could
not reasonably and appropriately as
piro to fill. If this thing of putting
men in the state department because
of their wealth or social distinction
were continued, it would not be long
before the presidency, the other cabi-
net offices, the goyernorship of States
and membership in the Federal Con-
gress would be inocuIated with the
same vicious custom. Of course there
can be no good reason advanced why
a man whether as an official or pri-
vate citizen, should not dispense cost
ly hopitaIity if he has the means and
is SO disposed, but the sooner the idea
that it is incumbent on a public officer
to dispense hospitality is removed,
the better it will be for the safety of
our institutions aud the integrity of
our officials In the days when Thomas
Jefferson, John Marshall, James Mad
isop, John Quincy Adams, Daniel
Webster, James Buchanan, John NJ.
Clayton, William L. Marcy and Lewis
Cass, were at the head of the state
no one thought of mon
ey qualification for them so as to ena-
bic them to discharge tie social require
mcnts properly. 1t is only under
rule that state department
dinners have grown into public notice.
And in the Purer and better days of
the Republican party-the days when
Lincoln and Seward were at the head
of affairs-social requirements were
not considered an arbitrary qualiiics
ton for the post of foreign minister.
Under Grant the dinner era properly
began. Hamilton Fish, with his fat
purse and moderate intellect, became
secretary of state. and inaugurated
the Republican court at Washington.
Evarts followed in his footsteps, Blaine
outdid either, and the present incum
bent, Frelinghuysen, has carried the
practice to extremes. II is about
time that a telling example should be
set in the other direction, and there
are few men in the United States so
capable of doing this as Allen G.
Thurman. With Ohios old Roman
at the head of the state department,
in social customs attended
by all proper social graces, would be
the order Of the day, fnnkyism would
be at discount, and the undemocratic
aping of kings and the satellites of
royalty would be brought to sudden
stop. Thurman would not feel con
strained to give more or more costly
dinners than be could easily afford and
his own inclinations would dictate.
He would exempIify tue democracy
without being course OF cbDrIisb, aud
bis natural ability, accomplishments
and geniality would be more attract
i've to distinguished and judicions
foreigners than any amount Of French
cooks and splendid tableware. Allen
6. Thnrmap,s honorable scantiness of
wealth should be no bar to his accept
ance of the state department. 4 rad
ical change is needed in that Office IN
more ways than one, and there are
few men more fitted for the task than
Thurman.