St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-26
POSTMASTER CASTLES TRIBUTE

POSTMASTER CASTLES TRIBUTE.
A happy sequence to the editorial in
the G | o b c of yesterday is the adj
dress of Postmaster Castle TO the car
riers which we print this morning.
The editorial told how far progress
had gone in the removal OF the service
from the spoils Of political parties
and their conflicts. and Mr.. Castle
comes to supplement that and tell his
carriers and the public how meritor-
ious. how beneficial to the public and
the men is this reform. Mr. Castle
speaks from an experience that has
seen both sides Of the case. For many
years he has been one of the active
managers Of his party. He saw the
Office over which he presides, as well
as the others, made the game of party
politics, and he has seen for years
the same Office removed from that con-
troll. He is not speaking, either, with
any expectation of tavors 10 come from
this administrati IN. for his term is al
ready expired, ana i'll q few days he
will retire to private Efe. 1t is the
honest tribute of an honest and ex-
perienced man speaking with no other
motive than to tell the truth.
What could be more democratic than
the condition he depicts? He knows
the political opinions of no more than
one out of twenty o. his carriers. He
has appointed those whom it came to
him to appoint, with Il knowledge only
of their competency as shown by an
impartial examination He was linn
tied in his choice to the three standing.
highest on the eligible list, and he
would have committed a crime had he
made inquiry of their political afilia-
lions prior to making the appointment
No party gain could have come bad
he removed any Of the men, because
he could not choose as successors
whom he would. The object of making
vacancies, attainable under the spo;ls
system. is impossible now. Ard is
not the position Of the men themselves
under the present tenure purely demo-
cratic? Democracy is indivi1uaiis1m:
the right of the man 20 his opinions.
and to serve the public regardless of
those opinions and solely on the merit
of his service and mis- ability. There
can be no individualisin, no healthy
condition Of public sentiment, when
men must muzzle their thoughts and
dare not express them lest they lose
fhnir rN1a
democracy, it's equal chance on his ,ner-
Its for every young man, rich or poor
regardless of party or political influ-
ence, to get into the iublic service,
that the Globe is an ardent SIM
porter of the reform.
1t heartily agrees with Mr.. Castle
In the wish that the reform may move
forward until it embraces every sub
ordinate office of a clerical nature in
the state. the city and ,he national
governments. We KNOW no good rea-
Bon why man whose sole duty 1t is to
transcribe deeds and mortgages ac-
curately should not DE chosen for his
qualifications for that work 1t is one
VI Tie ctAidiilIlS 1DSIItllCleS OF our
present system of selection that quail
ifications for the work to De done in
any of these Offices are never thought
Of considered or discussed in nom
mating conventions. Children playing
at office-making and filing would do
precisely as our conventions do; and
this fact is one Of those which demon
strates that men acting en- masse act
with the unwisdom of children.
A larger benefit would result Now
state or national campaign moves
along until the county conventions
have been held and the nominations
made. AS soon as that happens the
great questions of state and nation are
obscured by the dust OF the strife of
rival candidates to get the title Offices
they are after; and legislators, gov
ernors and presidents are mere trad