The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-10

fitness, and simply to ingratiate him
politician. or to settle some political
debt. were only obscured in their real
Importance by the larger scandals
which grew out Of the management of
the war department; and many reasons
still exist for the belief that, in a
measure, the inefficiency Of the COM
missary and Quartermaster bureaus
might readily be traced to these ex-
ecutive selections.
But the latest and most unblushing
evidence Of Mr.. McKinley's persistent
weakness in these matters is referred
to in the following extract from the
Washington correspondent of the Chi
cago Record:
Among the passengers on the military
transport Sherman, which left New York for
Manila yesterday, were Adelbert Hay, son of
the secretary of state; Eugene Hale Jr. son
OF or the s senator sen from Maine; John M. Dalzell.
son OF the representative from Pennsylvania,
and James W. Wadsworth Jr., son Of the rep
resentative from New York. who graduated
together from Yale last summer, and on
tneir way to inspect the new possessions OF
the United States, and will make a tour of
the world. In order to secure passage on the
transport they were booked as clerks to one
OF the quartermasters without compensation.
Every one Of these young men, with
the possible exception Of Dalzell, Is the
son of a millionaire. All are we'll bred
and doubtless of excellent character.
But, If it was desirable or necessary for
the completion of their education that
they should inspect the new possess
sions of the United States" and
make tour Of the world, the regular
passenger steamers Of commerce were
at their service by the payment Of the
cost of transportation and travel from
the bank accounts of their wealthy
fathers. 1t Is well enough to endeavor
to throw dust in the eyes Of the public
by announcing that "in order to secure
passage on the transport they were
booked as clerks to one Of the quarter
masters without compensation" But
everybody with any sense can under
stand that they are practically guests,
forced through executive order upon
the officers of the ships. They will
doubtless have an enjoyable trip; but
they are nothing more than ordinary
spongers upon the government, after
all.
1t may be said that they constitute
small fry" upon which to- base
criticism Of the president Of the United
States. That is true, and, furthermore
they become much smaller fry-and in
this classification their fathers share
the Observation-Disclosures they accept the
bounties Of a weak president who could
not resist the solicitation of their sires
in their behalf. But it is the principle
involved which makes the incident
notable; and this incident emphasizes
the gradual advancement of the
spirit Of governmental aristocracy
and the Development Of an office-hold-
ing class with superior, but unwar-
ranted privileges which are inimicaI to
the we'll being Of democratic republic.
Thus the criticism is shown to be not
only justffable, but dominating duty;
for, unless that criticism is made and is
constant against the principle involved,
the evil will expand in dangerous
measure and especially in view of the
1mper1alistic tendencies Of the present
day and administration of the coun-
try's affairs. The results of that ten
dency are always in the direction Of
license if the spirit is not crushed in
its earlier growth, just as was done in
the first Grant administration. The
danger is in precedent. No one today
believes that Gen. Grant would
have yielded to Caesarism and i'm
perialism; but the time may come
within the next century when one with
as strong hand, but possessed Of less
patriotism and greater selfishness, may
do, on an enlarged SCALE and with the
assumed rights of an imperator acts
no worse in principle than Grant in
nocently performed in his practice of
nepotism or than President Mckinley
is doing today in a spirit of sub
serviency to influential representatives
OF the legislative branch Of the govern
ment.
This practice Of official favoritism is
becoming abominable and should be
checked.