The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1892-01-29

differ in morals from the use of trust
moneys for ones private gam. In either
case the moral sense becomes blighted aud
about so called civil service reform, the
real point of the controversy is generally
overlooked. 1t is not probable that the
public service woald, on the whole. be i'm
proved by a system of life tenure and CON-
petitive examination for admission. They
who base their advocacy of that system
on benefit to the service do not espouse
their cause wisely. That is not the real
ground for tie adjustment of the spoils
system. 1t is for the sake of politics, not
for the sake of the public service, that we
must have the public service taken out of
politics. The civil service corrupts poll
tics more than politics corrupts the civil
service. The bright consummate flower
of the spoils system is the political boss,
who
"High on a throne of royal state ,exalted sits,
By merit raised to that high eminenee.-
and gives his orders to the under bosses
who in turn lord it over their heelers, and
SO on, each implicitly obeyipg the one next
in command above him, the sole motive
for this perfection of discipline, this pre-
cision of movement, being the patronage
at the disposal OF the boss above hem all.
Deprive him of this means of distributing
the public funds collected from your pri-
vate pockets and he would quickly drop
into that obscurity which would become
him so we'll while greater opportunity
will be given TO the free play of public
sentiment when there ceases to be in every
precinct, one or more purchased tools Of
the central boss.
The force of public opinion would be-
greatly strengthened if our press should
be free. 4 free and independent news
paper is invaluable to any community.
Bat when public money is paid to a journal
for service which is of doubtful public
benefit, that journals influence is in a
large measure destroyed. and when men
engaged in exploiting the public treasury,
have in their control the granting or with
holding OF the pay for that service, its pay
ment assumes the character Of a bribe.
Our spoilsmen have little to fear from a
press that receives a comfortable share of
the 'swag." We annually pay out of the
public treasury, to cur newspapers. in
round numbers, some eighty thousand dol
lars. as a virtual bride to be tender 10
their treatment of public officials. If it
/ he dppmad wiSn RI cpnnarf tho prasc NTH
public money, this State is rich enough to
present the newspaper proprietors of the
State with twice that sum, but it is not
rich enough to have its public journals the
recipients of public money that tends to
stifie the voice of what should be out
spoken organs Of public opinion. The
publication of the laws is useless. and it
destroys: to a great degree, the usefulness
Of the newspapers. The money now paid
for that purpose, should, in the interest
of pu' lie morality, either be withheld or
should become a fixed charge to be dis
bursed impartially like any other charit-
able fund. | would not be understood to
speak slightingly os newspapers. No one
has more reason to feel kindly toward
them than myself. Nor do | urge that
which would ipjure them. There can be
no doubt that the day that shall see the
publication of the laws abolished, will see
the newspapers of New Jersey rise several
hundred per cent. in dignity ami influence
as couservators of the public interests.
Farmers organizations in other states
have formally approved a proposed con-
st itutional change which, | think. merits
the support of those who " ish to see the
choice of our state legislators freed from
all extraneous influence. 1t is the pro-
posal for the election of United States Sem
ators by a popular vote. There is scarcely
all election in which the wires are not
pulled in behalf of aspirants for the United
States Senate. This prevents freedom Of
choice in naming candidates, and one is de-
prived of that freedom in voting, which
all should have, when the Legislative
candidate he strongly %favors, is pledged to
support a candidate for Senator TO whom
he is as strongly opposed. There can be 1T
tie doubt that the proposed change would
work improvement in the p~ersonel of our
state legislatures, and would remove from
them a fruitful source of corruption and
intrigue. Whether in the long run it would
improve The character of the national sem
ate is not so certain, but in the light of the
experience of the last decade, the people
Of New Jersey need have no fear Of de-
terioration so far as their own state is con.
cerned. If the change would improve our
local bodies, itsbould be made, even though
Congress should lose by it. Local mat
tiers touch the people in more places. and
affect their material interests more d .epiy
than national affairs, and they should re-
csive the first consideration.
have spoken thus far of hindrancs, to
the choice of suitable men to office, | come
now to a practice, which is permitted to
rob us of the fruits of GU. labor when we
do elect we'll intentioned men. For not
uithstanding the sweeping assertions al
ready made, | admit that there are honor
able exceptions which prove the rule. If
it is Important that public sentiment
should find expression liz the choice of rem