Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-12-01
Spells Grabbers.

II was probably the intention OF the
founders of the Government that the
subordinate civil officers should retain
their positions during good behavior.
Experience and a thorough acquai1t'
ance with their official duties were
supposed TO render their services much
more efficient than could be expected
from strangers. But the first Demo.
cratic President elected discovered that
an immense political advantage might
be had by holding out to his followers
the promise OF lucrative governmental
positions In case Of success. In letter
to committee Of New Haven merch-
ants written by President Jefferson in
1901 upon this subject that FIRST Demo
cratic idol said; "If due participation
Of Office is a matter Of right, how are
vacancies TO be obtained2 Those by
death are few; by resignation none"
Mr.. Jefferson undertook to make
vacancies for his political supporters,
but this anti-civil. service idea did not
meet with popular approval in those
primitive days Of political purity and
innocence.
The system Of removing and appoint.
ing public officials for political reasons
only was most thoroughly inaugurated
by that second Democratic idol, An.
drew Jackson, whose only resemblance
to modern Democracy consists in his
having originated the sentence and
put In execution the sentiment, "TU
the victors belong the spoils Of the
enemy"
The system Of bidding a certain
amount Of ready money for public
Office was first inaugurated by that
third Democratic idol, Samuel j.
rilden. Then for the first time in
American history a Presidential candi-
date was seen to plan his canvass upon
The same piratical ideas which governed
his methodsiof "wrecking railroads"
Then for the first time was seen the
wholesale use of cash in politics cash
to buy the electors Of South Carolina,
cash to debauch Florida, cash to in
timidate Louisiana, cash to bride the
Governor of Oregon. Public Office to
Mr.. Tilden was worth 30 much money,
and he bid for 1t Just as he would bid
for railroad under n mortgage sale.
Eight years ago, Mr.. Cleveland, the
fourth Democratic idol, promised the
Mugwnmps IL they would elect him he
would abolish the "spoils system"
which had been 30 thoroughly engraft-
ed into American politics by his Demo-
cratic predecessors. But no sooner did
he grasp the helm Of state than he
placed Higgins, of Maryland, in the
Treasury, and Adlai Stevenson, of
Illinois, in the Postonice Department,
each with the sharpest political Ratchet
that was ever placed In the hands Of q
subservlent tool by any administration
and with the fullest instruction to use
1t unsparingly. They chopped the
heads of their political opponents with.
out stint or mercy. Mr.. Cleveland
individually removed every Republican
Postmaster from the Atlantic to the
Pacific before he had been In Washing
ton two years. Thus for sixty-fouI
years public Office has been considered
by the Democratic party reward fol-
party service. Modern Democrats have
been taught from their infancy that
7, public Office is something that may be
purchased, sold and bartered the same
As any other commodity, and whose
value is to be estimated by the amount
of the salary and the etceteras attached
toit,
1t is therefore not at all surprising
that within month after the election
OF Democratic President the rusl
and pressure for the spoils should b,
terrific. 1t was much the same eigh
years ago, but never before in tn,
history of our country has President
elect been forced to take refuge on
lone and isolated island from a hord
OF hungry and bowling claimants. Tn,
whole Democratic population Of tn,
country seems to have gone crazy owe
the subject of Offices. One Democrats
Senator from Southern State says h
has on file 500 applications for Office
This is probably sample of what eac
Democratic Senator and Represent4tiv
has now in his vest pocket, Applca
lions have already been made for abou
every postonice in Kansas, the humble
l'of applicants for single one runnin
up as high az a score In many instances
The scramble for office il already ia
more extended and persistent than an
which the country has even thus ia
seen. II three months before hi
Inauguration the carloads of oGlc
seekers from all over the country hay
horne down upon the President. elet
with such unseemly importantly tbs
he has been compelled TO exile himse
8 on Hog island, where he is surrounde
by no more offensive characters than
: few college students, what will be h
9 unfortunate condition after March
i, when he will be compelled to listen
o the wailing supplications of this gre
y army Of spoils grabbersS