Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-06-28
- - 49,
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Georgia Breats the Record After n Ou.rter
Of q Century.

Georgia BreaAs the Record After . Quarter
of a Century.
Secretary Hoke Smith reports to the
United States senate on May 81 the
| number Of appointments made between
March 4, 1898. and April 10, 1894, from
which it is found that Georgia has re.
ceiyed 1906 appointments, while the state
Of Iowa has only received eight. The
annual compensation of those from
Georgia amounts to $40, $50, while the
eight appointments from Iowa amount
to So, $50. Iowa's proportion in both ap-
pointments and money amounts to only
per cent
The foregoing is suggestive. Georgia is
not stranger to this proportion of pub
lie patronage. Alexander n Stephens,
Democrat whom the Georgians honor
as being both trustworthy and truthful,
is responsible for the following state
ment. In January, 1851, in public ad-
dress while trying to persuade the peo-
pie Of Georgia not to go into secession,
he used as an argument the following
language:
What have we to gain by this pro-
posed change of our relations to the gen
eral government?
1--WE have always had the control of
it and can yet if we remain in it and
are, as united as we have been. We have
had majority Of the presidents chosen
from the south as we'll as the control
and management Of those chosen from
the north. We have had so years Of
southern presidents to their "a, thus
controlling the executive department.
So of the judges of the supreme court,
we have had Is from the south and but
II from the north, although nearly four
fifths Of the judicial business has arisen
in tl-o free states, yet a majority Of the
court has always been from the south.
This we have required SO as to guard
against any Interpretation of the CON
stitution unfavorable to us. In like
manner we have been equally watchful
to guard our interests in the legislative
branch of government
I'm choosing the presiding presidents
(pro tem.) of the senate we have had "a
to their IL; speakers of the house, we
have had %, and they 10. While the
majority of the representatives from
their greater population have always
been from the north, yet we have gen.
orally secured the speaker, because he,
to great extent, shapes and controls
the legislation of the country. Nor
have we had less control in every other
department Of the general government.
Attorney generals we have had IA,
while the north has had but five. For
eign ministers we have had SO, and they
but 81. While three fourths Of the
business which demands diplomatic
agents abroad is clearly from the free
states, from their greater commercial
interests, yet we have had the principal
embassies so as to secure the world
markets for our cotton, tobacco and sug-
ar Oh the best possible terms. We
have had a vast majority of the higher
officers Of both army and navy, while a
larger portion Of the soldiers and sailors
We're drawn from the north. Equally so
Of clerks, auditors and comptrollers fill
ing the executive department. The rec
ords show for the last so years that of
the 3, 900 thus employed we have had
more than two-thirds Of the same, while
we have had but one-third of the white
population Of the republic.
We hope Secretary Hoke Smith will
give public notice when Georgia s quota
is full.