The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-06-10
HUNTING THE JOBS

administrations, regardless OF party,
to permit officials to serve out the
terms for which they were commits
stoned. 1t has been true in Washing
ton, as well as in Missouri. President
Wilson did not undertake to displace
Republican officers with Democratic
appointees until their terms expired.
1t is also noticeable that there is no
disposition on the part of President
Harding to attempt to disturb the of
fetal tenure of President Wilson's APP
pointees until they fill out the terms
for which they had been named. 1t is
only in Missouri, where we have Re-
publican Governor elected by Demo-
cratic votes that we find extreme man
ifestations of partisan conduct, with
coarse efforts to throw out Demo-
cratic incumbents, for the sole pur-
pose of contributing to the upbuilding
of Republican machine.
The policy of allowing officers to
continue throughout their terms is
founded upon principles of good adj
ministration, and is indisputably in
the public interest. 1t is not good bus
mess policy to continually engage in
wholesome shake-upss with the APP
pointment of inexperienced men, for
the single object of caring for appli-
cants for office. The efficiency of the
service is involved, and some conside-
ration must be given to this factor. In
many positions, when national or
state administration changes, the
heads of departments or bureaus re-
sign, and permit the new executive to
name their successors. These places
are those involving the question of ex-
ecutive responsibility, and are vastly
different from administrative offices
in which the duties of officials are
clearly ministerial, and can best be
administered when those engaged in
the work concerned are given fixed
tenure and permitted to continue with
out partisan Interruptions.
The administration of Gov. Hyde,
however, has been distinctly narrow
and partisan from the beginning. Even
though the Governor must know that
he was chosen by Democratic votes, not
Republicans, he has manifested the
most jealous desire to get rid of all
Democratic officials, without refernce
to their efficiency or the length of
their terms The consolidation bills
were actually designed and intended
merely to rearrange the various minor
bureaus of the state, abolishing offices,
and re-creating them in order to facili-
tate the appointment of Republicans.
The plan was hypocritical from the
start, and never contemplated the pro-
motion of efficiency or economy. 1t
was purely partisan.
The referendum of the Democrats,
based upon the soundest doctrines OF
good administration, and in the inter-
est of economy, saving the state event.
ually millions, through the defeat of an
extravagant machine program, has
worked wonderful change in Mr..
Hyde's public professions. He does
not even pretend now to be after any
thing except to "get the jobs" he
told Mr.. Bradshaw that he simply had
to have the places, Notwithstanding
the statutes or the fixed tenure of COM
missioned officers. We do not hear
anything now about promoting state
efficiency by eliminating useless Of
fees" no offices are to be eliminated,
but many new ones are TO be estab-
lished. We do not hear anything now
about saving the state money; it is all
about jobs.
Nothing will serve more to stimulate
Democratic activity than unfair deal
ing on the part of the Governor in mat
tiers of this kind. He may make
charges against officials, based upor
trumped-up trivialities, and then act al
prosecutor, judge and jury, all for thu
sake of getting the jobs, but there arr
still courts left in the state--evei
though the legislature has assailed thu
integrity of the judiciary by abolishini
al, of the judicial circuits and re-creat
ing them, with the idea of getting Ri
OF Democratic judges elected by tn
people. Wilful oppression in offic
and drastic measures of the executive
purposed and designed to advance par
tisan interests, will be reviewed in tn
courts, and we will ascertain whethe
q Governor can deliberately ignore tn
statutes, in order TO accomplish hi
machine plans. The public viii folloN
the performances of Mr.. Hyde in thi
behalf with great interest, and we vii
find out how far careless Governor
s..l;aaras,t b, Y,recadent or tauV wi