The Bozeman courier., 1921-04-13
THE MASTER SPOILSMEN
OF MODERN TIMES

From the National Republican,
The prize for the most hypocritical
editorial of the week goes to the New
York Times, Wilson organ, which has
been sneering and snarling at the
Harding administration every mors-
ing since the new president took the
oath, on the ground that what we
have been getting is so little like the
sort Of thing the American people
stepped on last November.
The Times declares that Republican
members of congress who favor the
appointment Of Republicans to office
by the new administration are the
victims of a "singularly fossil state
of mind"
1t says that what these "spoils-
mne" favor is a return to the "Jack-
sonian era" Why the Jacksonian era
Andrew Jackson was an amateur in
craftsmanship as compared with
Woodrow Wilson, judged not by his
words but by actions which speak far
more convincingly. Andy was a re-
taller in political patronage; Presi-
dent Wilson was in the wholesale
trade. The patronage passed out as
party spoils by Andrew jackson dur
ing his two terms aggregated few
paltry millions in salary value; Wood
row Wilson has given out patronage,
on personal and partisan basis,
whicE can only be measured in bill
lions.
A few thousand men made up the
civil list Of Jaekson's tiMe; after
eight years of wisconsin with
quarter Of million new jobs created,
there are three quarters Of million
places. The narrowness of the part
isanship manifested by Mr.. Wilson in
leading out the political pottage
makes Andrew JacksoR's spokesman
ship look like the manifestation Of
an era of political good feeling. The
important diplomatic appointments
were turned over to the heaviest cam
paign contributors. The smaller plac-
es were given out to build up local,
state and national party machines:
This was the general practice
throughout the eight years of MIR.
Wilson's presidency, and to deny it
is to dispute what is a matter of
common knowledge to people living in
every community in the country. To
what depths of degradation spokesman
ship sank under President Wilson,
himself a former president of the
National Civil Service Reform as
sociation may be judged from the
statement, made out of the personal
knowledge of the National Republic
an, that in one case papers it was de-
sired to bring before the Senate Elec-
tion Investigation committee in the in
terests Of Governor Cox, were pur-
chased with cash payment plus the
appointment of the person making the
sale to a place in the department Of
justice!
A civil service commission which
proved to be insufficiently plant tx
the administration demands was
fired from the service and an en-
tire new board appointed. This wa
accomplished without protest from
the Times or any of the professiona
civil service reformers, who, as a mat
ter of fact, are never alive to the hor
. rors of the spoils system until Re
publican administration gets int
3 power.
In cases where the law provide
E that the opposition party must b
re presented, President Wilson, in vic
: Elation of all proceedents and the spin
: it of the law, insisted upon selectin
n henchmen of his own who were nom
} inally Republicans. He continued t
incompentent partiasn cabinet thru
out great war, and when he cam
s. to choose a peace commission, mad
it mixture of his own personalagent
and as the Republican Representative
selected one who had been out of tn
country for years and did not have
voting residence in the United State
The Wilson administration was th
most riotous orgy Of spoilsmar
ship this country has ever witnesses
The first two-term Democratic pre-
ident since Andrew Jackson hande
out as personal and partisan spoils
hundred times as many federal jof
B as Andrew Jackson ever dreamed {
s being at the disposal of the autocl
B attic head of a political machine. Ar
IS yet the chief organ Of the Wilson a,
minSstration has the unspeakable h.
h procisy to inveigh against the "spoi
IS system" and pretend that Republics
& members of congress, in recommel
M ding Republicans for office, are re-
4 erting to the stone age politically