Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-05-02
Passing It Around.

The White River junction Landmark de
clared itself last week for Col Hooker for
Congress, basiug its support on the ground
that
Gen. Circuit has held this position eight
years. We fail to see that in that period
he has displayed any such craftsmanship or
peculiar ability that his services cannot be
spared. After serving that long he ought
to be willing 10 retire, especially as his
friends asked at the convention two years
ago we understand, that he be permitted
to remain through one more term only.
There are few public offices in Vermont.
aud 1t Is about time for Gen Grout to step
down and give other men a chance
Upon the qualities displayed by Gen
Grout in Congress there is no occasion for
argument Just now. Prominent men who
have known and watched him most closely
pronounce him aremarkably useful and com
peteut member One of his stanchest sup
porters and admirers in this respect is Hon
Redheld Proctor, secretary of war The
Landmarks real argument is that Gen
Circuit has held the place "long enough. 50
and his office ought to be passed around"
]
in Vermont. Such an argument is the
weakest of all arguments The passing
it-around' way fortunately, has not been
Nermonts way If 1t had both Edmunds
and Morrill, would now be in private life
and the little state supremacy IN the coun-
ellis Of the nation would have been unheard
of.
A better answer to reasoning like the
Landmark $ could hardly be made than IS
contained in the current May number of
the Atlantic Monthly on Some popular oh
iections to civil service reform" The
writer, Oliver T Morton says
Change for the sake of change is not
only unsound as a political principle. hut it
Is lmpracticable as a business method. 1t
would wreck any railroad that adopted it
In essence 1t Is a pseudosocialism. The
theory that the citizen owes a duty to the
state Is supplanted by the doctrine that the
state owes place to the citizen: that gov
eminent Is "a device for the support of its
subjects; and that every man should be
maintained in some mysterious and circui
tous- manner by every other man This
opens an alluring vista of possibilities. If
every man mas right To an OtncC: II IN
cumbents should be removed simply because
they have been in long enough. if official
life Is merry goround, it follows duly
that rotation must successfully induct into
place every adult in the United States, for
period of time to be ascertained only bv a
nice calculation in the rule of three Should
1t be objected that rotation is not rotatorv.
that Is, that it does not include al, then
the doctrine lacks even the apology of a
common benefit. and becomes merely an
allmentary provision for a few hungry
office seekers. As such it will not com
mend itself to the popular Judgment The
people are not interested in the fortunes of
ltlnerant pace-hunters. They are inter
| ested, however, in having the business of
the government-that is, the business of
themselves-well done"
If the question is simply one of passing
it around, the people of the Second dis
trict will be likely to abide by the state $
traditions and keep Gen Circuit in a place
where he mas done himself credit and
served the state well