Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-08
No Rurden III Pntronage

The Burden OF Patronage,
In the opinion Of Representative Per-
kins Of New York, Federal patronage is
a burden to members of Congress. In
the course of speech recently delivered
in the House of Representatives. Mr..
Perkins declared: "We do not want TO
exercise patronage solely to give happi-
ness 10 some dear friend, but we are actli-
ated by the idea that it may be Of some
value TO ourselves politically A job
may help the man who gets it, but as a
general rule Il harms the man who gets It
for him." Il was his solemn judgment
that no one thing has done so much TO
shorten the average term Of congressional
life as the possession Of patronage, and
the increase in the duration Of congress
sional life, he claimed. was due 10 the
fact that patronage had been largely
reduced Mr.. Perkins contended that
no matter how many places a Represen-
taiive might have, no could not satisfy
one man out Of ten, and all the disap-
pointed ones Immediately began TO work
for the nomination of some other candi-
date who would turn out those that were
ia and put new men in their places.
"Civn Service REFORM" he said, "has not
IN all respects worked benoicially. but for
Representatives it has been an unmixed
blessing. Il has made their lives happier
and their tenure OF Office longer"
Representative Perkins discovery is
nothing new. Other public men, local,
State and National, have learned TO their
sorrow that the patronage which they
looked to for political strength has brought
about their political weakness. Many
a public man has been destroyed by a dis
tribution Of official patronage which he
depended upon TO make him invincible.
The great trouble in the distribution
of patronage lies IN the attractiveness
Of public office. As a rule, the offices are
few, compared 20 the number of appli-
oants The official who has the distn-
button in charge endeavor to so distribute
his favors as TO make the most promising
alliances for his reelection, but where
there are many applicants for one place,
ho is bound TO make enemies of all who
are disappointed. Frequently, the COM
bined influences Of the disappointed ones
outweighs the influence of the successful
applicant, and the dispenser loses more
than be gains by the operation Il also
happens that the recipient of the official
favor finds himself much less influential
when in Office than he was as a private
citizen
Frequently the possession of Federal
patronage upon the State organization oI
dominant political party is disastrous
and in no State has this stern fact beer
more completely demonstrated than II
Delaware. For thirty years prior 3,
iSSi the Democratic party had PROVED
itself invinciblc, despite the strongthenin,
OF the Republican party by tho onfran
chisement of the negroes. Il had n,
Federal patronage to divide its loaden
and disrupt its following. The Repub
lican party. during nearly an of thi
period, was constantly distracted b,
struggles for Federal office.
With the administration Of presiden
Cleveland oamo "a change. Then, for th
6rst time since 1861, the Federal Office
we're available to Democrats. and tn
struggle was fierce. Factionalism wa
engondered and the Democratic part,
soon fell into a condition which made IN
State an easy prey 20 Addioks when n
entered upon his campaign for the Dur
chase Of seat in the United States Sen
ate
The administration Of Harrison gav
the Democratic party Of Delaware
breathing spell, as it transferred the fac
tional struggle for Federal patronage L
the Republicans once more. Then cam
the second administration Of Cleveland
and again the Democratic party felt IN
baneiul effects Of ferce struggles for Fed
eral Office.
To-Day the oehnitating influence q
Federal patronage is seen in the Reput
lican party Fights for Federal ofiie
intensified the factional differences b,
tween Unions and Regulars, first one sid
and then the other baslxing in the favo
Of the national administration. Thi
alone, it is reasonable to assume, woul
make Delaware a Democratic State ono
more. if money could be eliminated fror
the Republican campaign methods
Federal patronage is a dclusion and
snare, and the political party that enjoy
IT not IS thereby benefited. Il tends {
disrupt party organizations, rather tha
strengthen them. 1t is rarely a profit
able political asset.