Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-12-06
WORSE THAN USEL ESc.

One who reads the long list of gentlemen
named by their friends for the offices at the
capitol in Richmond, would infer that the
Democratic party had run the last cam
paign, not so much to defeat Gen. Malone
which was the text of the campaign-as
to "clean OUT the capitol offices. For
every position worth having, and now filled
by-as far as is knoWn-competent men
of the same political faith as the new
aspirants, there are from one to ahalf dozen
new names mentioned. If there were any
other motive at the bottom of these new
candidates. than a desire to appropriate the
office and it's salary, the inference would
not be very creditable to the official equip
ment the Democratic party of Virginia has
given the State. If, as we all have claimed
all along through the summer campaign,
the State offices have been well administered
by capable Democrats, where is the
reason for this onslaught on the present
officers? 1t seems to us that if it should be
successful, it would be a quasi admission
that the offices Of the State, at least the of
fees in dispute, had not been well admins
tered, and that what the Democratic press
and orators were telling the people through
the months of last summer and fall, lacked
an important element-the truth. This
much from party stand-point-by no
no means the highest from which the queS-
ton of Office can be viewed.
But there is something more to be said
| lott ,i,,4o fxrio,u
the good of the State service. Imprimis,
| if the present officers are not competent
there should be some way of showing it and
good reason given for their renovation
removed they should be and no amount OF
party influence OF party service ought to
save them. If they have been competent
and faithful then no amount Of party lnt1u-
ence nor party service on the part OF their
competitors should be permitted to dlsplace
them The attitude of a member Of the
legislature who leaves his county already
pledged to the support of novice for a po-
sition where the business Of the State is
being transacted presumably by an expert
enced man, and presumably by proper meth
DDS, falls far short of comprehending his duty
to the State, however true he may believe
himself to be in his ''duty' to the county
man or citizen of his section whose inter-
ests he may forward by his vote. 1t would
be time well-spent by any of our legislators
who may be in that undesirable position, to
give brief season to meas uring the height
between his duty to the State. and his desire
to oblige a friend OIL comfortably locate
neighbor
As far as can be seen there is but one Of
flee to be filled by the legislature in which
there is likely to be vacancy, and that is
the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
We have already expressed our opinion that
Hon. John E. Massey would be, for com
handing reasons, the proper man for it.
But if Nh. Buchanan has not resigned, OF
does not contemplate doing so, we should
never suggest any man for his place.
Our suggestion now is, tomembers of the
legislature. to keep the present force in Of
flee, where they are, unless you can show
your constituents by proof that any change
you helped to make was made for incOmpe-
tency To make it otherwise would be
worse than useless.