Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-03-18

papers in each town where post Office
appointments were pending, asking for
the names of the men who were known
to be seeking the appointment, and the
politicians who were backing each can
didate. 1t was just the thing to do.
Every newspaper man saw at glance
that they were suppressing the news
at Washington, and also sympathized
with the correspondent who was try
ing to get the news. Inside of two weeks
! had letters giving complete statements
of the cases in hundred towns. With
this information in my possession, !
could talk with post Office officials here
and CLEAN additional facts. Finally,
when these matters were published in
prominent newspapers, Postmaster
General Bissell called up his clerks, as
sured them that nothing but rank
treachery could have permitted these
things to be made public, and discharges
of clerks were about to be made. This
rendered it necessary to expose the
method of obtaining news, in order to
save innocent clerks from being dis
charged. Then the postmaster-general
threw up his hands, and stopped trying
to run bureau of secrecy.
The people have right to know what
their public servants are doing. They
have right to know what the books
show is being done. 1t makes no differ
ence what party is temporarily in
power, the administration is the servant
of the people. Men who get into high
official positions usually suffer with
cranial enlargement, and mistake the
government for personal possession.
Clothed with a little brief authority.
they strut like Muscovite ducks, and
imagine their waddling to be the more
graceful when it is the more grotesque
When man becomes pompous, he
ceases to be gentleman. When one
ceases to be gentleman, he should
cease to be public servant.
The trouble with past administra-
tions has been that advice has been too
freely taken from self-seeking, holdover
clerks who would magnify their own
Importance in order to retain their po-
sitions. The same trouble confronts
the present administration at the out
set. Without being spokesman, man
of experience in national affairs can
not but view with some disfavor that
law which prevents a member of the
cabinet from appointing his close per-
sonal friends to positions near him.
Just as the tides agitate the ocean. as
the waters flow in rivers. and as the
blood courses through the veins, there
should be rotation in public office, for
the public health. The stagnation of
men in public office, think, is detri.
ment to good government. There
should be new men in public places, and
they should throw open the books to the
people whom they serve.
President Arthur gave this country
an excellent administration. Within
the memory of man there has been no
more commendable administra ton. 1t
was an open book, seen and read by all
men. One of the maxims of that ad-
ministration was the declaration of Mr..
Arthur to the members of his cabinet:
LET the newspaper men know every
thing about our domestic affairs, and
!" hoC VIC oiS we are uOt ptT-
mitted, however, to tell the public what
is being done in foreign affairs, because
the other nations may not desire pub
licity in certain matters of Importance.
But in all domestic affairs we are the
servants Of the people alone, and they
have a right to know what is being
DONE"
OF course. where Great Britain, or
Russia, or some other great civilized
power is concerned, this government
would not be justified in letting the
world know what the other nations
might want kept as an international Sc
cret. But in all domestic affairs Presi-
dent Arthur was right in giving recog-
milton to the sovereignty Of the people.
1t is to be hoped that the new admin
istration will soon learn to take sim
liar view of the situation.
SMITH ID ERY