The Advocate and news., 1898-06-08
Ingalls, ON
NepOtism.
Western Farmers Become PrlVates
While Youthful Civilians With
q Pull Get Good Places.
GENIUS is NOT HEREDITARY.

Atchlson, May 3l.-JOhn j. lngalls, III
a letter to the Globe says:
Up to April "a, 1898, It was one OF the
favOrite arguments for democracy that
genius is not hereditary; that statesmen
do not transmit their qualities to pos
terity. 1t has passed into 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, ma
tions 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 never more
than good symptom. Renowned pa
ternity is not dIscreditable but in re-
public 1t only establishes a favorable
presumption.
In selections for places Of honor,
trust, profit and responsibility the
search hitherto has been not for con-
sangulnity but for capacity. We have
reVOlutlOnized the civil service by pro-
Viding that no ambitious citizen shall
open a dead letter or paste stamps on
beer keg without having first obtained a
certificate OF character and qualiiica-
tions that would equip the principal of
q rural seminary. We have neither
asked II the candidate was born with q
silver spoon in his mouth, nor II he wore
an evening coat after o'clock, ate with
his fork, dined in courses, or had rich
and celebrated forbears.
We must have been wrong, for in the
last month we have seen the health,
well being, comfort and fighting ca
pacity of 100000 men; their food, cloth
ing, shoes, tents, medicine, arms, am
munition equipage and pay, involving
the expenditure Of hundreds Of millions
Of dollars and the protection OF the gov
ernment against corrupt and inCompe-
tent contractors intrusted to youthful
and inexperienced civilians for no ap-
parent reason except the shameless i'm
pOrtunity Of influential hnsfolk and
greedy politicians with a pull.
Grants son and his grandson, LOgan's
son, Blaine's son, Harrison's son, AL
gers son, Gray's son, McMillan's son,
Murphys son, Mitchell's son, Brice's
two sons, Hul's son, Lees son, Strong's
son, Sewell's son, AstOrs son, AllisOn's
nephew, and scores Of less conspicuous
heroes illustrate the development OF pO-
litical ataVism or intermittent heredity,
which Is one Of the most extraordinary
features OF the past thirty years.
1t Is said that when the picturesque
assemblage, not surpassed since Fal-
staff's conscripts marched through Gov
entry, came up for confirmation the
other day In the Senate, Pettigrew, who
apparently got no pork, ventured to ask
II the military committee we're satisfied
that the captains and majors and colo
nels were qualified for their important
duties and responsibilities. The blum
old veteran, Hawley, testify put the
question by and said that he knew that
everyone was recommended by some
Senator or member Of Congress. Where
upon Hale, with polished sneer inter-
polated that they would gain experience
in the field, a remark whose apparent
cynicism is diminished by the fact that
Hale's son had already been provided
for In the diplomatic service, as secre-
tary Of legation at Rome.
These examples will stimulate the pa
triotic farmers OF the West, who are
urged to enlist as privates for sixteen
dollars month. to migrate to the sea-
board as rapidly as possible, become
the sons of great men and members Of
Mammon clubs as the pathway to dis
tinction. They will inspire the veterans
OF the service whose lives have been
spent in loyal discharge of duty amid
the hardships and prlvations of the
frontier, with renewed devotion to the
flag, as they see the just rewards Of
fidelity bestowed upon the incompetent
and undeserving.
|. Timothy, v. viii: "But II any pro-
vide not for his own, and especially for
those of his own house, he hath denied
the faith and Is worse than an infidel"
Infidelity has not been prevalent since
Anri1 % 1909