Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-16
The Tack esfors Hughes.

The Tack eefors Hughes.
Mr.. Hughes reiterated his declaration
| for Q national budget system.
II do not know anything In the line
| of constructive work in this country
| that Is more needed than that" he
| said. 1T Is fundamental. But I tell
| you you cannot do 1t II you are running
the departments Of our government for
| mere partisan expediency or to reward
political workers with Offices that they
| are not qualified to I'LL"
| Mr. Hughes said he considered the
| elimination Of the pork barrel as
| constructive policy.
| I'VE have poured too much American
money into streams a few inches deep
and have nothing to show for it," he
said. How are you going to correct
| It? You will never do so unless the
executive takes his political life in his
hands and opposes. Is that construc-
tive:"-News Report Of a Hughes adj
| dress.
The West, seeing Hughes, is believing
| what he says. The East remembers
what he did when governor Of New
York; we remember that he meant
what he said.
Theodore Roosevelt taught the
country to THINK on some Of the
abuses into which they must see the
country drifting. Today the people
are ready to understand a man like
Hughes.
Mr.. Hughes demands a budget sys-
tenn and elimination Of you kiss me
and I'll kiss you" legislation. Mr..
Hughes demands that the country rise
to the need Of an executive who will
promptly and properly characterize
attempted pork barrel legislation for
what It is.
with q session Of Congress provid-
| ing for the expenditure Of billion and
ee-quarters dollars, without any at
tempt at economy, it is high time the
people gave thought to the reckless
drift Of the aw-making body. 1t is
time, also. for the people to give
thought to this plan of running the gov
eminent for the good Of the party in
power instead Of all the people.
Mr.. Hughes is making "pitiless pub
licity" mean something. He is showing
up with fnerciless precision the filling
Of government offices with incompet-
ents because they have been good pol
itical workers, and turning out gov
eminent employees Of skill and expert
ence without regard to civil service
provisions.
Mr.. Hughes is showing that the mer-
it system has been thrown to the
winds. An exchange recently said of
the demonstration:
Secretary Redfield's flare Of indig-
nation at Hughes charges regarding
Director Durand of the census bureau
brought such shame to the administra-
ton, when the Redfield statement was
proved false, that the shouting is at
an end.
For a decade or more up to 1918 the
diplomatic service had been handled
with reference to ability. and with pol
itics as a secondary consideration. John
Hay. in the State Department under
Mckinley was a strong advocate of
merit system. His successors devel-
oped that idea with great credit to the
United States.
In 1918, Of nine ambassadors seven
had risen to their posts through ex-
perience in lesser positions Of the for
eign service. Nearly all the United
States ministers to Latin American
republics had come up from years of
work in the service.
with Wilson's advent, eight of the
nine ambassadors, men whose study
Of foreign relations had become life
work, were swept out of the way to
make room for Deserving Democrats.
Only one Of a dozen capable ministers
remains in the Latin-American field.
Ambassador Morgan, in Brazil. has
been transferred from Chile to Mexico
are the survivors.
1.-The others in the service today are
neW-so new that in many instances
they do not speak the languages of the
countries to which they are accred-
ited."
Mr.. Hughes is daily discrediting the
turning Of the White House into pol
itical alfnshouse. He cannot hope to
reach the ignorant, hand-to-rnouth ele-
ment that will not read or listen. To
that element the present administra-
ton has been turned by the war-good
demand for labor at good wages. That
element can see no farther ahead. In
1t lies a serious danger to the country.
An hour has arrived when the think
ine American should weigh public
questions carefully and separate reason
from opportunisrn.