Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-18
TW ELVE PAGES
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY is, 1899.
PUBLIC DEGENERATION.

I'VE are touching the lowest ebb."
said an old friend, who in his time had
sounded all the depths and shoals of
honor. represented by State and
Federal office. Of high and low degree,
lin the public service, and there must
be n change in the tide Officers of
government used to be gentlemen, nj
any rate. faithful and fairly competent.
If not able. Since the war, notwith-
standing civil service reform. the per-
sonnet of our government has been
steadily deprcciating. from the greatest
to the lowest places, both in character
and capacity"
I'VE still have some good and true
men," it was suggested.
Yes" replied the old gentleman.
Eyes. there are some; but they are few
and far between: rare exceptions. Not
counting Lincoln and Grant.-for what
good. high, or able quality has any
President. since the war. been noted or
distinguished? Not one has risen above
the grade of petty politician. and
hardly one above that of n cross roads
or ward ofiice-seelier. Even Cleveland.
the strongest OF them all, though the
least INSCRIPTIONS. was an Sheriff
and an cX-Mayor. who had graduated
in crap politics and in the states
manship of snal-beer and personal
thrift"
Even James buchanan. the last of the
ante bellum Presidents. though no great
man. in any sense, understood his
trade" and worked at it honestly; but
since then, with the exceptions noted.
1t is not unjust to say OF our Chief
Magistrates, (whatcver II may be to the
tel-clerks) that they have averaged
up to the capacity and dignity OF the
second-class Hotel-clerks or OF COM
mercial travellers who have more airs"
than samples One of the least Of these
potentates, after having had n confer
ence with one of his own officials. (who
thought no small things of himsclr) 50
impressed that gentleman with his
tremendous assumptions Of manner.
that he reported that he had had an
Interview with God Almighty"--w which
escapes profanity because no less a
comparison would fairly Indicate the
awful style or side" rut on by the
President in qucstion.-and who vet
was spaniel in his obsequious de-
meanor to a northumberland.
I'VE probably have touched bottom
with Hanna and his little men: little in
everything. EXCEPT In their greed for
place, power and pelf. Like master.
like men: and the fall of the Repub-
lican party from Lincoln and Grant to
Harrison and Mckinley. was inevitable
with such bosses" as Plat. Quay.
Hanna & Co. Alger and Gage: and the
rest came in. of course, as birds OF
feather flock together. How can Judge
Hoar and other Republicans OF his
quality remain in that party and play
second fiddle to the Hanna gang, cs-
Decially as one Of these (whats his
nameD an upstart from Staunton,
virginia, has declared: WE can nr-
ford TO part with Hoar cheap to any
other persona?
our navy seems to he the only
branch Of the Federal service that has
not yet fallen under the blight of this
porcine infection. The army has the
contagion badly. and If tt be enlarged
and re-organZed under the Hull bill.
by this Hanna administration. the best
th'ne That could happen to 1t. and the
Algerinc war department. would be for
them TO rush violently into The sea and
be drowned. Our private soldiers anu