St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-12-21

believes that this is just what will hap
pen.-[ Waterbury Record.
The Vermont collectorships, ii we may
believe the state newspapers, are not Po-
sitions in connection with which consid-
erat1ons of character, ability or faithful
service need be taken. They are federal
favors to be passed among the faithful
for political service rendered, and they
are utterly inadequate TO meet the recog-
nized claims. There are already seven
candidates for the two Offices besides The
present ncumbents.-[ Brattleboro Re
former.
You are wrong, brother Reformer. No
newspaper, so far as we have seen has
made any statement that could be hon.
estly twisted into your Interpretation of
it. The News has said, and repeats, that
the Office of collector is purely admin
istrative office requiring neither tech.
nical knowledge nor skill, but only good
business ability, honesty and good com.
mon sense. No special training is required
to administer these offices, and it is
an offence to the citizenship of this state
to say that there are not many business
men in Vermont other than those now in
office who are fitted by character and
ability to conduct these Offices success
fully.
The office of district attorney is of
little different stamp. It must be held bva
lawyer of good ability. La that office
the choice is limited to the leading mem
bers OF the bar. But it would also be an
offence to common sense to say that only
one man in the state is fitted to success
fully conduct the affairs of that Office
Burlington News.
Everybody recognizes that these collec-
torships-the richest pickings in Vermont
and among the richest in the service
are political plums bestowed on men Of
| personal worth, who have performed
| special service for the party. So far as
| the duties are concerned, they have been
well discharged by the present incun-
| bents, but there is not the slightest dan
| ger of injury to the service in case of any
| of the new aspirants for the places should
| be elected. It is well understood that
| the requirements are mainly of a routine
| character. The collector cannot drum
up business for Uncle Sam. He sits in
his office and superintends the admission
| of such goods as naturally come to his
| port of entry. He sees that the laws and
regulations regarding such entry are
faithfully administered. And that's
about all, aside from the onerous duty of
drawing his very muni6cent salary.
| The special plea for Messrs. Merrill and
Mansur that they should be retained be-
cause they are Experienced" is hollow
| bluff. They were named in the first place
because, being perfectly capable, nobody
had quite SO good claim as they to the
fat pickings that were bound to go to
someone. They have held these places
eight years. Each of them has drawn at
least 800 900 during his term. What
more should he expect? Isn't that srecog-
nition' aplenty? Hasn't the account
been about squared? Has no one else ever
done anything that merits like reward?
Each of the present collectors has been
made wealthy through his emoluments.
| Why not give someone else a chance,
now that these men have been generous
| ~ rewarded?-[R Randolph Herald and
| News.