The Saint Paul globe., 1897-12-06
MIR. LEONARD SHOWS VIEWS.


MIR. LEONARD SHOWS VIEWS.
We print in another column a letter
from Mr.. Leonard Snow, of Elk River,
Mimi, in which he gives expression to
his opinions anent the reform Of the
civil service by the adoption of the
merit system, under which the ability
of the applicant for place in the federal
service to do the work of the place
is ascertained and his partisan affilia-
tions are not considered. In order that
full weight may be given to Mr.. Shows
views we have requested the COM
positor and proof-reader to follow
copy literally in putting Mr.. Shows
views into cold type. Ordinarily, of
course, soundness of judgment is en-
tirely Independent of accuracy in spell
ing, but when a man attacks a sys-
tenn that adds to others an educational
test, it is but fair to him and to the
cause that his ability or inability to
stand that test be also shown, that
the impartiality of his judgment may
be fairly weighed.
We were not aware that the metro
politan papers had Suppressed" the
news of the result of the vote in Mary
land On the proposed amendment to
the constitution adopting civil service
methods for that state. Our recollection
is that they stated that the majority
against it was some $4,000. But Mr..
Snow is mistaken in saying that this
is theofirst time the voters Of a state
had an opportunity to express their
judgment on this reform. The consti-
tuition adopted by the voters of New
York in 1894 has a section establishing
that reform in the fundamental law,
and it was confirmed by large ma
jority after ample experience under
state laws as we'll as under federal
laws. Perhaps it was too much to eX-
pect that the voters Of state which
has had German for it's political mas
ter for so many years and who, when
they discarded him, selected yelling
ton for boss, would look with intelli-
gent favor on a measure that proposed
to take from the bosses their principal
strength, but Mr. Snow might get light
from the fact that the voters of New
York put the reform into their constt-
tuition against the bitter opposition of
the Platts and Crokers.
It was forty years after the Inaugural
tion of Washington that there came to
the presidency a man of peculiar tenn
permanent, unable to understand that
men who differed with his political
opinions were not rascals, to be turned
incontinently out of office and replaced
by those patriots who shared or af-
fected to share his likes and dislikes
Until that time successive presidents
continued in place those subordinates
not connected with the executive func-
tions whom they found there, during
their efficient discharge of their duties
Washington and Jefferson, Federalist
and Democrat, both rebuked persons
requesting changes to be made for par
tisan reasons. 1t never dawned upon
their simple minds that they were
'overthrowing the theory of majority
rule by putting men at work or keep
ing them there who could do that work
best, without once considering whether
they were Federalist or Republican,
Whig or Democrat.
This puts upon us the duty of de-
Gliding between those founders and ad-
ministrators Of our government down
to the reign Of Jackson and Mr.. Leon
ard Snow, as to the antagonism of the
merit system to the theory of major
ity rule; and, much as we regret to
have to differ with a living statesman,
our Veneration for the great departed
compels US to decide with the former
Certainly either they were very sim
ple-minded folk, witless Of the danger
to the government they had established
with so much agony, by making merit
the test Of appointment, or Mr.. Leonard
Snow and his associates. including the
Hon. Charles H. Grosvenor, representa-
tive in congress from an Ohio district,
are needlessly worrying their souls
about a danger that exists only in
their limited and unframed imagina-
tions. We think the latter is the case.
--a1
"SITTERS,o NOT SETTLERS