The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-06-17
INGALLS, ON NEPOTISM.

Globe says:
Up 20 April "a. 1898, it was one of
the favorite arguments for democracy
that genius is not hereditary; that
statesmen do not transmit their quail
ties to posterity. 1t has passed into a
proverb that great men seldom have
great sons. The apparent exceptions
neither prove nor disprove the rule.
The highest types are not persistent.
Men, families, nations culminate and
then decay.
so our boast has been that we have
abolished the artificial distinction of
birth and rank and made merit rather
than pedigree the criterion of prefer
ment.
An honorable ancestry is nevermore
than good symptom. Renowned
paternity is not discreditable but in a
republic it only establish d favorable
presumption.
In selections for places of honor.
trust, profit and responsibility the
the search hitherto has been not for
con-sanguinity, but for capacity. We
have revoluti onized the civil service
by providing that no ambitious citizen
shall open a dead letter or paste
stamps on beer keg without having
first obtained certificate Of charac
ter and qualifications that would equil
the principal of rural seminary.
We have neither asked if the candi
date was born with & silver spoon IL
his mouth, nor if he wore an evening
coat after O'Clock, ate with his fork,
dined in courses, or had rich and eel
ebrated forbears.
We must have been wrong, for in
the last month we have seen the health,
we'll being, comfort and fighting ca
pacity of 100000 men; their food,
cl clothing, shoes, tents, medicine, arms,
ammunition, equipage and pay, in
volving the expenditure of hundreds
of millions of dollars and the protec-
tion OF the government against cor
rupt and incompetent contractors in
trusted to youthful and inexperienced
civilians for no apparent reason ex-
cepo the shameless Importantly of IL
fuential llinsfolk and greedy polite
ians with pull.
Grants son and his grandson, Lo'
gan's son, Blaine's son, Harrison
son, Alger's son, Gray's son, McNil
lan's son, Murphy's son, Mitchell's
son, Brice's two sons, Hull's son
Lees son, Strong's son, Sewell's son
Astor's son, Allison's nephew, anc
scores of less conspicuous heroes il
lustrate the development Of politica
atavism or intermittent heredity, which
is one of the most extraordinary feat
ures of the past thirty years.
1t is said that when the picturesque
lassemblage, not surpassed since F'al
staff's conscripts marched through
CoveItry. came up fer con.irma5io OF
the other day in the senate, Petit grew
who apparently got no pork, venturet
to ask if the military committee were
satisfied that the captains and major
and colonels were qualified for thei
important duties and responsibilities
The bluff old veteran, Hawley, testil
put the question by and said that h
knew that everyone was recommends,
by some senator or member of con
gress. WhereupOn, Hale, with pO.
ished sneer, intsrpOlated that the,
would gain experience in the field,
remark whose apparent cynicism is di
lninished by the fact that Hale's sol
had already been provided for in tn,
diplomatic service, as secretary of K
cation at Rome.
These examples will stimulate tn;
patriotic farmers Of the west, who ar,
urged to enlist as privates for sixteen
dollars a month. to migrats to the sea
board as rapidly as possible, becom,
the sons of great men and members O
Mammon clubs as the pathway to dis
tinction. They will inspire the veter
ans of the service whose lives hav,
been spent in loyal discharge of dut,
amid the hardships and privations O
the frontier, with renewed devotion t,
the flag, as they see the just reward
of fidelity bestowed upon the incompe
tent and undeserving.
l. Timothy, V. viii: ''Bus if an,
provide not for his own, and esreci