The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-24
SERVING ONES COUNTRY.

SEnN lNu
 It has been more of a practice of re- cent years than formerly, for men in the service of the United States to re- sign their honors on account of the | pressure of their personal needs Off, cers in the army and navy are fre- quently tempted from the service by f1attering offers from private concerns. | Service in the diplomatic corps is prac- l tically reserved for those who have either a private fortune or additional means of increasing their income. It is but few years ago that Tom Reed of Maine, legislator of immense in fiuence and power, confessed that his duty to his family demanded that he should retire from public life and be- gin to make a competency for their support after his death. The resigna- tion of Senator Spooner is of more re- cent occurrence but his reason for seeking the emolument of private prac- tice was the same as Mir. Reeds. It was said of Senator Spooner when he retired that the country had experi- enced positive misfortune so pro- found was his knowledge of constitu- tional law.
 The resignation of Representative Littlef1eld of Maine Is now announced and for the same reason, the need for the accumulation of competency. Mir. Littlefield has been most useful mem Der of congress and of the not too large number whose acts can be traced to the power of an alert conscience. There can be no question of the seriousness involved in the loss of men from the federal halls of legislation who are pe- culiarly fitted by practice and ability to legislate for the country; nor can there be any question of the serious ness of set of social conditions which compete with the government for the benefit of personal service of the high est character. Owing to recent legis- lation members of the Presidents cab inet, and senators and representatives are in receipt of larger incomes than the average succ assful business man enjoys It is not Q question of keep ing the offices filed The size of the income will take care of that, and yet ! 1t Is 8 question of getting the best ability, and the best quality is none too good for lne United States, nation confronting strange doctrines of gov ernment and untried policies of re- straint. The alternative is not to be looked for in offering private business undertakings the competition they of- fer the government, any more than the revenue problem of Yale university is to be solved by uniform raise in tho educational tolls. The problem be- comes elusive the moment 1t is meas ured by commercial principles and commercial undertakings.
 The fact is, in connection with these three statesmen, that they wanted money more than they wanted service in the government of the United States,  no matter how honorable it is. We dc not speak of that fact in spirit of criticism. They had a perfect right to make that the goal of their ambi- tion just as the average man does. But we carrot help but wonder, if not in- ouire, if there are not reasons in the accumulation of competency, tha, led them to quit public life for a diff. ferent career? Was there not possi- bly at heart d disappointment after all with public life rather than a sudden realization that it brought with it lit. tie of the coin of the realm to them It is very rare that one hears of a col. lege professor abandoning his choice of an occupation because of tempting offers made him in other channels oi industry. There is more than one member of the instructing force oi Yale university, who has declined tt consider an offer from another college at higher rates. The reason was no a contempt for the additional comfort: of life an increased income would bring but a profound realization that a professors services and his content ment of mind have to be measured b, facts and conditions which money lack, the power to determine. There would appear to be something similar in thu temptation, or attraction, which public life and teaching inspire, a satisfac ton which men have been unable to SC cure in other ways, and yet of the twt occupations that of the professor give fewer illustrations of stde-steppins fol