Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-14
O0ce RrokeraRe.

Notwithstanding the assertion of the New
Age that change in the Augusta post-ofice
was demanded in the interest of the public
morals, it still persists in refusing the desired
information of how far those interests have
been advanced IN consequence of the change
The New Age can hardly decline this service
on the ground that the public is Indifferent to
the subject matter to which it relates, or that
the inclinations of modesty forbid the intro
duction of purely personal topics into its
columns. An examination of the files of the
New Age for year past will show that "Col -
Morton in his eager race for the post-ofice
has permitted no personal allusion to himself
to be crowded out of the columns of the New
Age with reference to more important mat
tiers.
There vas a time in the history of the Age
under its present reform management when
Investigations into the question of the person
al integrity OF public officers were courted
with all the inducements that . righteous to-
dignation could supply. Now it maintains q
discreet silence over an Office which has
hitherto furnished Morton his entire editorial
stock in trade, and whose present manage
ment has ITS inception and continuance in
corrupt Vaccinations and open brokerage.
An explanation sin the interest of the public
morals" Is demanded by honest democrats;
and a demand so clearly to the purpose of a
purified civil service is ignored and declined.
Is public Office a public trust, in the lam
guage Of President Cleveland, or is it private
property to he bou9hr and sold? Are subor-
dinate positions in the post-ofice knocked
down to the highest bidder, or is the merit
system the determining principle of selection?
What proportion of the salaries of the post
master and his assistant are reserved to them
selves. and what does Morton's share of the
"swag amount to, computed on the So cent
dollar basis?
These are interesting questions, and it is
hoped that the personal subjects of them will
see fit to answer them.
The subJoined item taken from the Har-
mony correspondence of the Age may serve
to declare just what is meant BY the demo-
cratic and mugwumpian demand that the pub
lie business be conducted on business primes.
pie Here it is:
G. d. Laughton, who was appointed postmaster by
the democratic administration, has given up the
once to W. Bartlett, our republican postmaster,
by his paying said LauRhton a small salary year.
The most serious point of difference likely
to arise over the proper construction of the
above is whether the contagion Of Brown or
Morton's example corrupted the morals of
Harmony trade appear to be strongly analo-
gous to those drawn up and accepted by the
Augusta Chrome 8 Syndicate. In justice to
Mr.. Laughton of Harmony it may be sug-
gested in bis defence that he was one of the
recipients Of Chairman Browns famous let
ters-,hat paying his money to q private in
dividual upon the notification of his appoint
ment he naturally gained the idea that the
title to the Harmony pOst-office was in him.
This circumstance, taken in connection with
other democratic illustrations of reform, ex-
onerates him from blame in great measure
But with the New Age cabal the case 10
different. This association of high-mnded
gentlemen-the New Age being their expon-
ent-pretends to a higher order of personal
purity and political morality than the average
democratic sheet, and the public naturally
turn to them to exemplify the high sounding
precepts of reform proclaimed BY the new
administration. They (the public hardly
expected that public Office would be made a
subject of barter and sale and turned into
matter of personal profit. The citizens Of
Augusta supposed that Mr.. Fowler's appoint
ment made him postmaster in his own right.
Instead of that we find him without voice or
volition in the mater, the facile tool If one
man whose maine is familiar t. our people in
t:e universal sense Of breeding contempt
wherever it ia utter, d
the sentiment of honor which perhaps the
postmaster conceives to follow public hold
ing is wholly lost when the belief obtains that
it WAS secured through bargain and sale Ia
tina the change in the interest of the public
morals spoken of by the prophets?
DEMocRAr.