Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-09-16
PAYING FOR PARTY GOVERNMENT


Judge Hughes crtcises the Wilson administration be-
cause in some instances corrupt incompetent men nave
been appointed to office reward for party services
rendered No doubt this criticism is based on tacts-bt
the question is will Mr. Hughes be able to do any better IN
this respect when it is considered that ne pafsa
canddate that the workers of the republican party must
be rewarded at the expense of the government In case ne
wins?
Perhaps Mr. Hughes president would try always to
select men of good character and ability to fill the Offices
just Mr. Wilson no doubt has done-but there is the
pressure of the party leaders, the men VINO demand
recognition of their workers in order that the organza
ton may be maintained and strengthened The president
cannot know all these applicants personally ne accepts
the recommendations of the party leaders and frequent
ly taken in
The condition of which Mr. Hughes complains is one
of the penalties we pay for allowing political parties to
govern the country The hodes of democratic workers
had to be aken care of after Wilson was elected just
as lot of otherwise worthless citizens must be rewarded
for their good work" for the party in case Hughes is
elected Hughes may not want to appoint these men to
office any more than Wilson did, but before his term eX-
pres should he be elected most of them will worm IN
with the help of the party leaders and become atacheo 10
Uncle Sans payroll.
Because we always have rule by political parties
municipal county, state and national government Is load
ed down with horde of oicehoders many of them not
needed and majority of them making no effort to earn
the money they draw. Their work for the party has
won them the job they hold and the people have nothing
to do but pour the taxes into the treasury tat proVue
their liberal salaries.
The one great burning issue before the people of this
country today is the everncreasng burden OF taxation
which is throttng enterprise and rendering real property
vaeess because of the burep of assessments levied
against it. Government by political parties is largely
responsible for these conditions because of the necessity
of providing jobs at public expense for faithful party
workers-parases who flourish on fruits of anothers
labor.
Whether the people will ever be able to work together
and vote together on plan to make government an hon
est business not dominated by politicians conducted
legitimatey and economically very much doubt Con-
dtons have been going from bad to for many years
and both greaa political parties still flourish and the
voters are still whoopng it up for one or the other eX
cep that there is noticeable lack of enthusiasm during
campaigns indicating that the people generally are be-
ginning to realize that something may be wrong although
they do not know just what it is.
One of the attractive features and perhaps the finest
exhibit at the State Fair will from Harney county,
it being the orchestra composed of little bunch grassers
mostly girls, sun-browned and zephyr-kissed who will
play at the fair Monday and Tuesday They will certainly
furnish Salem and Salem visitors much pleasure and t
up to Salem to see that this is reciprocal and that these
little folks when they return to sage brush land carry
with them the memory of most delightful visit. The
good marons of Salem do more kindly or peasur
able act than getting together and arranging some plan
for giving these little visitors the time OF their ves