San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-11-24


| water,
And the birds soar out of the blue,
Mans thoughts may transcend mans
knowledge,
And your God be the reflex of
you"
1t eviuces sturdy integrity to dis.
card the effete methods of Europe;
still there is perhaps no government
wherejustice is more impartial, where
more strenuous efforts are being made
to ameliorate the condition of the
poor, extermiuate vice and rescue the
fallen, than that of England under It's
present regime, and its civil service
is the most effective in the world.
Emasculate this service so that all
offices inhere in the ruling party 10
perpetuate its rule and it is trans
| formed into dessicated mummy-a
| figure-head full of pretenLi lions and
emptiness with its purpose shifted
from utility to an ignisfatuus, to the
qualification of the spoilsmen Of both
republic intended politics to be a
school for patriots, but that they ex-
pected rotation In office would De ap-
piled to elevate and educate men into
patriots and statesmen is refuted by
the fact that no such policy inspired
the action OF any party prior to 1899.
century hence with a possible pop
ulation of half billion the magni-
tude of the public business will pre-
clude its being transacted on any
system save that which rotates the
fittest men into places of trust with
the least regard for political affinities,
and the quicker this method is en-
grated into the body polite the
better. Were the filling of all
offices not involving the pol.
hey of an administration, now
lodged in an honest commission,
members of congress would be re-
lieved from an onerous load of dis
tasteful drudgery that hangs like a
cloud over their political fortunes. A
sharp contention for the places of
honor is generated In almost every
county in the United States and the
defeated aspirants declare vengeance,
sulk in their tents aud desert to the
enemy, forming vindictive trio who
wage war upon nearly every congress
man, responsible for the appoint
ments, If he seeks re- election, and de-
feat often succeeds nomination in
close districts. Among the most COM
petent there is no mania for office;
those in legitimate business do not
care to change for q little brief au-
thority," environed with uncertainty
of tenure, and temptation to dissipa-
tions, while those who need the stim-
illus of place to lure them to activity
on ci In inf hnn ha In,
SEPARATION ceases. The educated and
intelligent classes are in duty bound
to take active part in elections, as
they can measurably countervote and
countervail the effect of the boss, who
controls vote often directed in soiled
channels or used for mischivous ends.
At national conventions both par
ties discreetly if not sincerely endorse
civil reform. Hence it is fetish
that will be conjured with until it's
utility or futilIty is determined;
when, if it eliminates intrigue and
perfects the service, it will be sine |
qua-nOn and the politicians will drop
into the trend and follow the tide in |
quiet serenity. In the democracy of
today there are many in profitable |
offices and more in pursuit of them |
who were stalwart republicans
twenty years ago, and who, holding
offices in that party, gently ambled
from their positions into the demo- |
cratic ranks under the evolution of |
rotation of office, an appliance impro-
vised to purify and consolidate the
party by annually graduating a |
large number of offices into privates. |
Chronic office holders when they
reach the end of preferment in one
party, gravitate to the other with the
noncholance that the discharged SER
want exhibits when seeking service
elsewhere. For years the republicans
have suffered FROM this stealthy
system of phebotomy, evolved by the
rigorous applications of patronage as
a healing balm to the palsied nerves
of those who "bore the burden and
the heat of the day. A party that
can endure such drain upon its
system and escape atrophy must
possess marvellous vitality.
The.interim from 1929 to 1887 marks
a cycle when party government more
nearly dominated the nation than at
any other era in our history. The
fury of party spirit-the perverted
notion OF right and wrong that per-
meated the ruling party, was akin to
madness. All positions from cabi-
net portfolio to kitchen scullion, all
corporate privileges and bank char
tiers became the prey of partlsans to
promote party supremacy. Even |
newly chartered banks Disseminated
in loans against political opponents.
AS tine people progressed in literary
culture, inspiring more generous and
fraternal impulses in political as