The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-05
SOME ABUSES OF INFLUENCE.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
'The most abused Of all good things is
influence" This was the remark recent
ly made by an experienced and efficient
clerk In one of the great bureaus of the
interior department when he found a
comparatively inexperienced and notori-
ously inefficient associate promoted over
his head in defiance of the principles OF
civil service reform and In violation of an
executive order promulgated by Presi-
dent Harrison and still nominally in
force, although as a matter OF fact II
has been completely ignored since the
4th OF March, 1898. The Influence re-
referred to is that Of the pclitician-sen-
ator, representative, or other potential
partisan. The clerk who In this case was
unfairly promoted-promoted not for
merit, but in spite of the lack of it-had
great weight of influence in the friend
ship of a senator who cuts a wide swath
In political affairs, state and national
The clerks who were jumped y this pro-
motion had come into the bureau through
the regular civil service channel, and
depended on their records for advance
ment. They might as well tie their hopes
to the spots on the sun or the man in the
| moon. Patient continuance in well do
ing" Is a good rule in all the walks of
| life. 1t is commended in Holy Writ to
| those who seek for glory. But It will
| not give a department clerk of the first
| class with n salary Of 8, 200 any assurance
or any reason to expect that he will not
be asked to instruct and assist desk
! mate jumped from $1,000 to 81, 400.
%
1t is unlikely that the statesmen or
politicians who exert their influence to
| secure unearned promotions realize the
character and extent of the wrong of
| which they are guilty. While they cannot
| m nryin hoN a
legal nor a moral right to meddle either
with appointments or promotions in the
| classified service, IL is charitably assumed
that they do not intend to perpetrate
outrages on faithful public servants and
to inf1ict serious injury on the service
through the Generalization resulting from
| hagrant injustice. The Pest has suffl-
Client respect for the average senator or
representative to believe that II he really
understood the situation, II he could see,
| for instance, a 5000 clerk patiently ex-
planning simple matters to and daily help
Ing along a stupid, ignorant, ''no-ac-
| count" pet OF q statesman drawing $1,600
a year. he would reform.
| But many and great as are the abuses
of influence in this sphere, this is not
the only field in which that power ic
wrongly and disastrously exploited. Re.
sponsibillty for much of the sickness and
mortality in the camps of the volunteers
last year is directly chargeable to the
appointment of incompetent men to mill
| tary offices upon the recommendation
and Importantly of politicians. There
| was, of course, no malicious intent, but
| the effect was just as bad as II there had
been conspiracy to propagate typhoid
| The worst phase of this subject, however
the gravest injury which the influence
Of politicians inficts on society, is in con.
nection with the duties of the executives
national and state, in their relation ia
criminals. The politician who uses his
| influence to secure unmerited favor fol
a criminal, either in retarding or pre-
venting justice, is not only doing an In
| jury to such executive, but Is inflcting
an irreparable wrong upon society
Statesmen who rally to the support of a
convicted criminal because he has dis.
tinguished social connections, and who
by such support, secure for him favors
that are not extended to poor and friend
less culprits, are making a use of influ
ence that is incompatible with good citi
zenship. 1t is a gross abuse of friend
ship, political or personal, to employ &
in efforts TO shield proven guilt. 1t /!
an outrage alike on an executive and or
the public to try to secure executive &C
ton that will accentuate the already too
prevalent disrespect for the law and th'
administration of justice.