The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-28
PURITY IN PUBLIC LIFE.
4 High Tribute to Our Prominent
Politicians.

Politicians.
The following is from an address before
the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Hobart Col
lege, by Hon. Frank w. Hackett, former
assistant secretary of the navy:
For thirty years it has been my lot to
pass the greater part of the time at Wash
ington. In the practice of my profession
before the courts before committees Of
Congress and at the departments, l have
continuously. during this period, been
brought into contact with men prominent
in public life
Upon first coming to the national capital
l was firm in the belief that most of our
public were solf-seeking and con-
trolled by a low estimate of duty. 1 i'm
agined, in fact, 1 thought I knew, that
these officials were chiefly occupied in look
ing out for their own personal advance
ment, and what they might gain by dealing
out the spoils of Office rather than guided
by just conception of their public obhga-
tons
l must confess that it did not take me
long to discover that 1 had much to
learn. found myself mistaken in the views
which 1 had so positively held. of the mo-
uves and aims of public men taken as
body. From that day to this L have not
ceased to be grateful to this class of men
for the purity and fidelity which have
marked their administration of the task
laid upon them by the people The great
majority land of those most influential it
is safe, 1 think, to say alb have been and
are honest, hard-working, conscientious
men, alive to a sense OF duty, and bent
upon doing all in their power TO serve their
country we'll
The keenest, no less than the fairest per-
son TO pass judgment upon the capacity
and character of a public servant is after
all, to be selected from among those who
nave been associated with him in the per-
1ormance of his duties. When a consensus
or opinion has thus been obtained, you will
discover that ii puts high estimate upon
the character of the average public man.
The other day, accidentally falling in
with the secretary of agriculture (the last
remaining member of the original Cabinet
OF President Mckinley, L questioned him
| upon this subject. Secretary Wilson eX-
/ pressed himself as being in complete ac
cord with the views just put before you.
In confirmation he related the following
incident: From 1873 to 1875 he said, Il
sat in Congress next to lockwood Hoar,
OF Massachusetts. We got TO know each
other very we'll l regard him as a great
man. The last day of the session Judge
HOar turned TO me and said that when he
was elected he had an idea that members
of Congress were far from what they
ought to be. His experience in the House
I
his mind, and had learned respect them
and TO think highly of them"
John r. Proctor, of the Civil-service Com
mission, recently said to me: After an
experience OF nine years / give ii as my
opinion that public men here at Washing
ton, In the legislative and executive
DrdncheS or the government, both in the
highest and in the subordinate places. are
doing their work faithfully and zealously."
! He emphasized the conduct, as a rule, of
/ those holding minor offices, how diligently
/ k, how CheerfQllN doing
! full measure OF duty, and in some instances
! even more. No one has had larger facil-
| tiles for getting at the truth in this inter
/ esting field of observation, or has been
/ more directly concerned to lay hold upon
/ it than Mr.. Proctor.
A gentleman of still longer experience in
public life, a close observer, who exercises
/ rare powers of discrimination. is Hon. Car
! roll ID. Wright, head OF the Labor Com
| mission. He has lately used very nearly
/ the same language in reply to question of
mine upon this subject
1t will be generally admitted that no
man now prominent before the country has
constantly held to a more rigid standard
! OF conduct, as applied TO the discharge of
| public duty, than Senator George +. Hoar.
! OF Massachusetts. This is what that ac-
/ compliShed statesman wrote in the Forum
| in April, 1897:
LAS many good and wholesome laws are
/ enacted to-day as have been at any other
period of our history. / believe the
people, as a whole, are better, happier and
! more prosperous than ever before, and
/ believe that the two houses of Congress
| represent what is best in the character of
the people now, as much as they ever did. -
1t is striking fact that the United States
! government to-day has in its employ an
army of able and loyal wOrkers-many of
| them toiling with remarkable talent, at a
cost TO the public treasury much below
| what private interests are glad to pay for
| like services. L am speaking, of course,
! of the higher grade of employment, such,
! for example, as that where an officer-a
| civilian-has, besides other duties the di-
1sa~l,.,
| $l0O,OOO00O a year, receiving as an annual
| salary the of S.500
One may observe in the various depart
| mental bureaus in Washington men of SUI
/ periOr scientific attainments experts. lead
| ers in their profession. a few known and
| hOnored abroad we'll at home, who
| are giving their best days TO governmental
work, because they find in such employ
ment a cOngenial field wherein to prosecute
! the labor they love. The value of the serV-
ices of these specialists it is not easy to
compute in money. They accept a small
salary and keep on working unselhshly fol-
the public 1t is the spirit of a Joseph
| Henry, of George Brown GOode, ami
mating the searcher after truth
Somewhat of this same spirit guides more
than one man, let me assure you, whom
we see i'm the thick and hustle of the po-
litical strife of the day. OF course selfish
individuals are in public station as else
where But it is no more than the plain
truth TO declare that the unsefishness OF
the great body of our public men, their
numerous acts of Kindness their repea tee
sacrifices of time. money and strength, out
of pure desire to do a good turn TO some
body less fortunate (much of this being
done in a quiet, unObtrusive way), are
features of their walk in life, whose eX.
istence is unsupported save by their closest
friends.
But. says some one, what need of this
assurance? We have never doubted tina
the great majority of our public men have
been, and that they continue TO be, honest
and we'll meaning; there is. however, al
evil tendency in the manipulation of party
politics. and men who of exemplary pri
vate life will consent TO that in political af
fairs of which they ought to be (and per
haDs secretly are( ashamed
To this L reply: The instances are neither
so numerous nor so gross as some people
are apt to imagine. Again. they have littl,
to do with the business of chiefest impor
lance, and that is the enactment OF statute
and the enforcement of the law. The fac
remains-and l would have it CONSTANT,
borne in mind-that the great work of gov
erning is carried forward in the main by
clean. honest. competent. willing hands
/; | Herein il is not too much to say, lies tn,
safety Of the Repubic-the reasonable hop
! of its permanence-
The Biters Bitten.
| State Journal