The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-10-25

want of the people. Offices are ere
ated not for the benefit of those who
are to fill them, but for the public
convenience"
There Is no doubt that this is in
deed the true theory of our institu-
tions.
When our government was form
ed neither birth nor wealth, nor rank
gave any title to an office, each of
the men who held them was intend
ed to be the servant of the people
and Washington declared in one of
his messages "In every nomination
to office l have endeavored $50 far
as my own knowledge extended on
information could be obtained to
make fitness of character my pri-
mary object
In the first 80 years of the history
of the government its six presidents
made only 112 removals and nearly
all of them left on record strong ex-
pressions of abhorrance of that po-
liticals system which degrades the
public service into mere reward for
partisan activity. They held that
public Office is a solemn trust.
In 1920 an act of congress gave
the first opportunity to the spoils-
man.
This act limited to four years the
term of Office of collectors of GUS
toms, Navy agents and army pay
masters. This was during the first
year of Monroe's second administra-
tion, and U. s. history says all poll
ticians engineered it through Con-
gress, but I could not learn who he
was. The austensible purpose of the
act was to provide for an examin-
alton into the accounts of these off,
GERS, and the popular understand
ing was that all those who stood the
test were to be re appointed. but re-
movals began to take place for par
tisan reasons and with the inaugura-
tion of Pres. Jackson In 1929 began
the prostitution of the public service
to intrigue and partisanship. He
began what he called his task of
referees" by making more removals
in one month than six presidents had
made in 80 years, and his first year
in office marked the dismissal of
1000 meritorious public servants
whose only offense lay in their po-
litical opinions. Jackson's apoli
gists have since claimed that 1t was
really Marten Van Buren,, jackson s
secretary of state who thus handed
over the government as prey to
the spoilsmen.
Van Buren, had been a desciple of
Aaron Burr when that willy politi-
clan had laid the foundation for
political Machine in N. Y. which lat
er developed into Tammany Hall.
But whether upon Jackson or Van
Buren, rests the ignomany of having
introduced the spoils system into
politics no one can deny Jackson's
responsibility during his administra-
tion, and he and Van Buren, are the
only presidents in our history who
have failed to express their detesta-
tion of a system which reduces
the public service to the spoils of
war.
In 1885 the first step was taken
toward reform. The abuses of the
system had become so great as to
materially increase expenses of the
government and the senate oppoint-
ed a committee to enquire into the
extent of the executive patronage
with a view of reducing it. Success
sive committees were appointed by
successive Congresses with the result
of practically no reform until In
1853 Congress met the growing COM
plants by passing an act, requiring
examinations in certain departments
but where their examinations ex-
cluded the most ignorant and Hitter
ate of the candidates, they proved
Intellectual to raise the general stan
dard. The spoils system prevailed
in the U. s. government for about
half century after 1880. 1t also
prevailed to a greater or less de-
gree in the service of the several
states and larger cities. 1t was not
confined to any party; all were more
or less corrupted by It. The effect
on politics was demoralizing. In
Nicholay and Hays Life of Lincoln
this is said the election Of 1850 was
largely decided by moral conviction
as In the history of the country.
Yet one month after he took office
President Lincoln groaned under the
burden of this pressure. II wish he
wrote n simDle phrase I could get