Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-24
THE PATRONAGE.
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ISioux City Journal.
"Why should congressman give an
office TO man who has worked for
him. asks the Cedar Rapids Repub-
lican. Isn't it bribery? 1t is a bar
barrie system" There is little to be
said in behalf of the spoils system.
And yet too much is to be expected OF
everyday human nature. 1t has been
d pretty uniform rule in politics that
one must be loyal to his friends.
The congressman is a weak man II
he simply represents himself. The
general understanding is that he rep.
resents an organization. and that the
members of the organization are con-
WINGED that the welfare of the people
Is involved in the work of organization
seeks to push along That IS the only
excuse congressman has for giving
the offices TO the men who worked for
him. Theoretically. at lea ST. he must
hold to il that the work for him was
work for the party-work Cor The poll
c;es for which the party stands. and
for which the congressman stands as
a representative of the party.
IT is not an easy matter to draw the
lire between men who are controlled by
principle and men who are governed
by their estimate of personal advan
tage. Possibly Il is regrettable that
there IS nothing more attractive in
politics than the bandWag on. Success,
however won. looks good t. the multi
,ude. and failure. however honorable,
opens wide the door TO unavailability.
To differentiate u 50 fine a point as TO
exclude barbarism from our politics
appears 10 be practically impossible.
Men who make a business of poll
tics are likely TO be N office or saturat-
ed With desire 10 ge, Office. When ii IS
announced that one has retired from
politics" il is understood 10 be an an
nouncemenc that he has ceased TO be
a candidate. When he ceaSes 10 be
candidate i, often happens that he can
stand BY and see the country go 20 the
devil without apparent mental disturb
ance He neither spends time nor
money in tbs work Of salvation. This
pronounced element OF personal con-
sidera ton. observable from top 70 bot
tom of our political system. represents
the burden of its weakness SO far
as known the system Will have 10 stag
ger along under this load for some time
To come.
There is no embarrassment 10 the
work Of regulating big business equal
TO tina, Of the politics directly involv-
ed II is popular 10 say that there
must be no place in our politics for the
corporation. and Yet as preliminary
70 regulation the corporation is put INTO
politics by statute. If men engaged
in corporate enterprises fail to pro-
tect thu enterprises they represent.
their enterprises VIII 60 to smash The
same result will follow il their best ef-
forts became impotent
The law power. dependent upon the
viii Of the people seeks TO protect 1T
self. II mistake is made il is in guess
ing what the VIII IF the people is, or In
what il viii be al election time. The
congressman is looking out all the time
for his personal interest When he an
swers 70 roll call he thinks of how the
vote will strike them at home, and it is
not infrequent that he is in such
doubt that ne lodges the vote
The average congressman in dispos-
ing Of his favorable recommendations
considers first the political influence
of applicants. He may not require a
bond redeemable in the ca npa ign, but
he is disposed to favor men understood
10 be reliable-men who have reputa-
ton of being true to their friends
There are instances where the obliga-
ION is placed in writing 1t may be
agreed that in all such ca ses bribery is
involved. The congressman who will
enter into such compacts is unworthy
OF his office. Whatever his pretense.
he holds to low ideals and is cor
rupter of the public morals.
Nothing is inDnrt9 in the ri,blip
service as honesty-honesty in dealing
with ones neighbors; honesty in deal
ing with public trust: honesty in the
company Of courage in dealing with
public questions. Honesty is the es-
sence Of 1.-The square deal
The first duty Of the congressman
in giving out offices Is TO consider the
honesty OF applicants and their fitness
for the places they seek. In short. his
character IS deficient e he does not
place the public service above his de-
sire TO placate the men who can, or
claim they can. deliver votes in blocks.