Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-05
sAlllY OF nx.s
Saw, Ne win Endeayes - orsak Up The spsas
System.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-Represen'asive
Bailey OF Texas purposes breaking up .ne
..spoils system IL he can secure tne CO
opera ton of the representatives anu seha
tors in congress. 1t is his purpose
shortly introduce bill making II unia"
ful for senators and representatives
recommend to the president and me hea"s
of the departments the appointment
any person to public Office. This morning
Mr.. Bailey said:
~ favor such law, in the first place
because it is the only possible way to Sc
cure the separation and independence
which the trainers of the constitution de
signed should exist between the eXecu
tive and legislative departments OF the
government.
at is now the duty of the president te
recommend to congress such measures a.
he shall deem necessary and eXpedlent'
and he has the right to veto such as n.
may consider uawise or injurious. Ger
tainly this is as much power as any one
man ought TO exercise over the legisla
ton of
A Free and Intelligent People
without supplementing it by system OF
appointments which can be and has been
used to influence the action of congress.
1T is within the knowledge of every
body that patronage is sometimes dis
tributed to induce men to vote contrary
to their convictions, or to punish them II
they refuse to do SO If You forbid the
legislator to solicit appointments you re-
move him at once from the hope OF favor
as we'll as from the fear of punishment
and his vote will then be determined by
his own Judgment.
or course, representatives and senators
who belong to the same party as the
president will always support his policies
whenever they can do SO consistently
with their sense of duty, but when they
honestly disagree with him they will be
exempt from the discrimination to which
they are now subjected.
II favor such law, in the second place,
because believe that it is best from a
party standpoint. What mean by that
is this: That within three months after
an inauguration bitter feeling developed
between the president and his party in
congress over appointments with which
representatives have no proper connection
at all, and senators no individual right to
interfere. the advice and consent provided
for in the constitution being the advice
and consent of the senate as IA whole
And Not OF Senators Individually.
'If we could not make recommends
tions there would he no resentment grow
ing out of them Doubtless, differences
would arise between the president and
his party friends in congress. but they
would be over public questions. and the
country would he spared the humiliation
of seeing the fate of importan: measures
depend upon the skill with which cabinet
officers can hestow fayors.
favor snch law, in the third place,
because | believe that it Will greatly re-
lieve the senators and representatives
themselves. These appointments involve
good deal of work ana an infinite deal
of worry, which ought to be expended
upon Legislative matters, and yet, when
we have done our best to ascertain the
fitness of the applicants and to respect
the preference OF the people, then every
time one man is appointed five are dis
appointed.
The result of 1t all is that all mem bers
of congress often find the appointment OF
fourth class postmaster as much a factor
in their reflections as the most vital ques-
ton of political economy"