The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-13

We have received from the publishers, G..
p. Pulnams Sons. New York. copy OF the
new work Of Hon. Lyon q. Tyler. president
of William and Mary College, entitled
Parties and Patronage in the United States"
1t constitutes No. s. in the publishers popu-
lar series Questions Of the Day"
This is an excellent little book. II gives in
a nutshell the various changes that have en-
sued m the great national parties; and Mr..
Tylers account of the sue cesson Of Presi-
dents Is most entertaining. In treating Of the
civil service Mr. Tyler shows that PARTISAN
removals do not alone constitute the "spoiis
SYSTEM" that TO begin with removals IS to be-
gin at the wrong end Of the evil which Is the
partisan appointment. and that even this ID
confusing the idea of 'spoils system" to too
narrow a sense Mr.. Tyler claims that civil
service corruption is only one feature of
general system of corruption whose underly-
ing causes exist in measures OF tho
Federal Government which corrupt
and debase the oflice-holders and
party politicians. Partisan appointments
ore indssolubly connected with high tarils.
pension bills. ETC.. the operation of which IN
the States is partial and unequal. In fact. the
party of national" principles under whatever
name il is known is necessarily spoils party.
IL constantly demands new powers and new
measures for the National" Goyernment;these
new powers and new measures require null
titude of new officers TO enforce them. and the
appointment to these new Offices provides
way to reward party fayorites.
1t is not strange. then, to find civil service
corruption the marked feature Of our Govern
ment from tho beginning The Federalists
under Hamilton and Adams. were in favor of
all kinds of partial and unequal measures by
the operation Of which the Southern States OF
the Union were unjustly affected. The re-
suit was that in the general Generalization OF
the public engendered by their rule the Offices
were operated for the most partisan pur-
poses. Mr.. Tyler by an array Of imposing facts
successfully demonstrates that the spoils sys-
tenn began with John Adams and the Fed
eralsts. and that all tne Virginia Presidents
kept their hands free from faults.
In proportion as the Southern influence has
declined in the Government have PARTISAN
ship and speculation in the administration Of
affairs increased. We have the testimony Of
Mr.. Webster in his speech in Richmond IN
1910 that Virginia more than any other
State in the Union. had disayowed and con-
demned the doctrine of removal from Office
for opinions sake" Giles declared that when
ever proposition was made of introducing
Virginian into the usual trafticking measures
of Congress it was always acknowledged by
the busy authors of spells that it was in vain
to apply to him: HE is Virginian. Viz
ginians never abandon their principles to their
interests"
The picture that Mr. Tyler presents in the
book before us of the state OF public affairs
at the present time is drawn with skillful eff
feet The spoils system as every one knows,
has held high carnival since the war. But
while Mr.. Tyler shows how this has been. he
thinks he sees good signs of better state Of
things in the near future and In his closing
lines he holds up to Mr. Blaine the example
of Sir Robert Peel, who came into the
premiership of England the avowed champion
of protection and left it having procured the
repeal of the corn laws and the whole tariff
legislation. From that time dated also the
reform of the civil service in England.
As the price of the book S1-is within the
reach of every one we cordially recommend
its purchase to all our readers assuring them
they will not be disappointed in its contents,
much of which is drawn from letters never
hitherto published.