The Washington critic., 1886-01-29
THE WASHINGTON CRITIC FRIDAY EVENING 49,

work, which they can have any part In
directing. They are in no sense the NJ
viscrs of any political or representative
officer. Their duties are the same, aud
should be performed in the same way,
Whatsoever party may control the al.
minislration. There Is no more need
and no more legitimate sphere for po
litical opinions or party activity in n
Department, postollicc or custom house
Than in church, school, asylum or
college. Those offices are mere bust
ness agencies for doing the public work
economically and efficiently, regardless
alike of both political and religious
opinions Why, then, have n political
or religious test for entering such
offices or for remaining in them? A
party which cannot keep In
power or get into power by
reason of sound principles and
worthy candidatcs-in other words,
which cannot get or keep Office save
by converting the business servants of
the nation into partisan henchmen-
ought to fail. The country has no need
of It, From these facts the way Is
clear to the establishment of the proper
tests of capacity and character, ire.
spcctivo of political or religious opinions
through which applicants, without the
aid of influence or the need of appeal
ing to great politicians or officials, may
work their own way into public
service" AS to results, Mr.. Eaton
says: "Tho practical results of the new
system have been salutary. Congress
men and the appointing officers have
been relieved of u vast amount of de-
moralizing solicitation. Vicious in.
trigucs and bargains for Office have
been greatly reduced. No one of these
fourteen thousand places can now be
promised for votes or given rs n reward
for work for candidate. a worthy
man can work his own way into office
The people, think, are likely to have
more respect for the public service now
| that they see these places are won by
merit and not captured by influence
and begging. Office is regarded more
| and more as trust, and less and less as
prize The people rs never before
are taking notice that the Government
regards its salaries and honors as due
| to the most worthy, and not rs rewards
| for the most partisan and subservicnt
The friends of public school education
are seeing more and more clearly that
| the merit system is their natural ally and
| that it is barrier against demagOgues
| and schemcrs. Patronage being lost,
party managers must rely more on
| sound principles and superior candi-
| dates. Assessments being lost, they
| must appeal to the people for money.
Thus the people gain what the politi-
| clans lose"
W.
For nearly quarter Of a century,
including the four years of the civil
war and the stirring events which fol.
lowed, Hannibal Hamlin of Maine oc.
cupied commanding position among
the statesmen of America. 1t is scarcely
five years since he declined a re.elec.
ton to the United States Senate, and
yet so quickly are men forgotten who
make their exit from the stage of polit-
ical life that he is today hardly re.
membercd outside the confines of the
| Pine Tree State. Mr.. Hamlin is, with
one exception, the only member OF
Abraham Lincoln s administration now
living. lie was probably the only
| Nice-President of modern times who
was more than figure-head during hi;
incumbency of that office. On the
streets of Washington he was always q
conspicuous figure, says the Chicago
Ners correspondent. He wore invari
ably frock coat very similar in style
TO the modern dress coat. He wa,
scrupulously neat in his attire and
presented the appearance when IL
his seat in the Senate of being
dressed for dinner party OF
state ball. Another of his peculiarities
was his objection to wearing an over
coat. Physically he is one of the most re
markable men of the day. At the agC
of 10 he boasts of his ability to rur
faster and jump higher than any youn.
man in his neighborhood Mr.. Hamlil
has been married three times. Hi
wives were all sisters. The first Mrs
lamlin was the eldest of family o
three girls. When she died he mar
ried the second sister, and upon tht
death of that lady the third sister be
came his wife. Mr.. Hamlin lives il
Bangor, and, while not rich, is in pos
session of sufficient means to enable
him to spend the evening of his day
in quiet and content. Mr.. IIamlin haC
an intense dislike of snobbery or con
scious superiority. He was essential,
a man of the people He was Demo
crat in the purest and bes
sense of the word. No one wa
more accessible than he while at th
same time there was q something abou
him that forbade the slightest ap
proach TO familiarity. He was honor
able to the last degree. "My word /
my bond" was the exclamation often
est upon his lips. If he promised
constituent an Office he saw that he go
it. lie made no promises he could no
and did not fulfill This was the secre
of his wonderful hold upon the peopl