The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-11-08

neighbor Hoyt and are
I'VE fortunate in having estab-
| Il lished compromise with our
wives by which they permit
us to ignore their presence at the
breakfast table and to devote our I'M
divided attention to the newspaper on
condition that with this exception we
conduct ourselves as gentlemen to-
ward them at the other two meals
and for the rest of the day This ar
rangement leaves to Hoyt and me the
time we spend on the cars in reaching
the city for conversation, the subject
of which is invariably politics.
We both have had a pretty thorough
experience in local politics, and when
an enthusiastic reformer or mugwump
proposes g change we feel as If we
were rather superior persons in being
able to say whether the proposal is
within the possible bounds of practi-
cal politics or whether it belongs to
that class of political reforms to which
the plumed knight has given the name
lunar
We rejoice in our present salts
factory system of elections as contrast
ed with the bloody contests of fraud
and force which at a very recent date
disgraced our city. When we consid-
er the reason why these two systems
have worked so well we are obliged
to admit that it is to be found In the
nenpartisan features of the laws Great
ing them. The men who are in the
police and election boards are general
" good men, but no one can be blind
to the fact that were they in a board
without the nonpartisan features their
administration of affairs intrusted to
them would be tainted with the same
weakness that characterizes all other
municipal bodies. The efficiency of
the public service under a partisan
board Is necessarily subordinated to
political requirements.
Men are put in and kept in Office be-
cause they have controlled and are able
to control votes in their ward delega-
ton in the party convention.
Public Office Called Spoil.
If he is not inspired with sense of
duty, the more he can get out of the
office and the less work he can do the
better Is his bargain. Of course, in a
great many, perhaps the majority, Of
instances this is not the view taken by
party appointees, but the men who
look upon their offices under the city
and county government as property to
be worked for all they will produce
are only too numerous That this
should be the view taken by political
'bums and strikers who, not content
with the reward of honest toll which
they reap in conventions, force them
selves into Office as well, is not to be
wondered at. The surprise would be Il
they took any other view. But Hoyt |
and have concluded that the men
who look upon and treat public trusts
as public troughs are by no means
confined to those of the lower grade of |
political workers, whose shouts are
easily recognized. Hoyt is the happy
owner of some real estate adjacent to |
city property which it became neees-
sary for the city to buy. The city
officers charged with the duty of buy /
Ing offered some $500 less than Hoyt |
was willing to take Finally the com
mittee which had the matter in charge
concluded to come to Hoyts figures and
the chairman instructed TO report rec
ommending an acceptance of Hoyts
offer
One month and then another pass
ed and no report was made Hoyt
was glad to realize on his property, /
although the price was by no means
high, and so was impatient for the
matter to be closed, but he openly be
Tayed no anxiety. Finally the slug
gish chairman appeared at Hoyts
store, and conversation ensued which
will be better told after the history Of
The chairman is given. He has not
been many years in active politics.
With property enough to i've on com
he has no business Appoints
ng powers have always considered
themselves fortunate that he was avail
lble. and SO be has become sort OF
Pooh Bah. with many OF
t. departments under his control.
Somebody several years ago did sug.
test that be had acted IN matter
e the public ii a way rot highly hon
|EAble. but this Was regarded Us the