Year: 1859

| The most common cause of ineficiency in
Office, is inexperience. parties made it
rule to nominate none but the educated and
intelligent, lack of experience in particu-
lar capacity would be no great objection to
man; bnt when the single accomplish
ment of partizanship is made the all suffi-
cient qualification for ofice-or, in other
words, when the fact that man has been,
or is, ''useful to the party" is made the only
test of official capacity, parties owe it to the
country to prefer those for nominations who
have already enjoyed some experience as
servants of the people. This is the least
concession they can make to public interests,
and every citizens private welfare demands
so much A selfish politician, with expert
ence, ability and common honesty, can serve
the public more efficiently than an indepen-
dent simple minded man with little talent
with the so-called reform parties, has been
to confer Office upon men 'fresh from the
people," as they phrase it-that is, upon
persons of supposed integrity but mediocre
ability; good quiet citizens of some repute
in village circles, but green and infrm. No
party need look forpermanent success with
are its principles.


The most common cause Of bad-or weak
legislation, especially-is the inexperience
of legislators. This produces slowness, con-
fusion, neglect renders the passage of un-
righteous or unconstitutional laws an easy
task to those who desire it, and places the
majority of conscientious representatives at
the mercy of skillful parliamentary tacti-
clans. The legislature is Il great school, in
which man must complete an education
before he can be very serviceable to either
his constituents or his party. Many of our
| famous Congressman owe their reputation
and influence solely to long experience in
one capacity-they have been educated into
the position they occupy. In other branches
Of the public seryice-in the various county
|
bent can employ well qualified subordinates
for the proper performance of his duties
but the legislator can avail himself of no
such vicarious aid he must be himself
qualified, or all goes wrong. Hence the ne
cessity of sending tried men to the capitol,
of re-clecting those who have been found
worthy, or even those who have merely ac-
quired experience, if they failed to display
great talents. There is not so much differ
cnce in mems capacities but what most any
person of sound judgement could be made,
by little drilling, a useful public servant.
But the drilling experiment ought not to be
too frequently repeated. Better elect men
who have been already tried than be etcr-
nallX trying new ones.
| 1t is to be hoped that the three political
conventions which are to tell the people who
they may vote for, will be influenced in
| their choice of nominees, by some such con-
sideration as here presented Even that party
which is considered, or considers itself, in
the minority, should, so far as possible,
nominate experienced men. Honesty with
out experience is, of course, better than ex-
perience without honesty; but we think
they can be found united. Better be defeat
ed with good ticket than succeed with
bad one. Such defeat will only pave the
way to more gratifying triumph hereafter
| Voters have duties in this connection, as
well as conventions. They owe it to them
selves and to the commonwealth, to exer-
else wise selection at the ballot box We
cannot be convinced that any man is good
citizen who invariably votes clean ticket
and do net doubt that the number of scratch
ed tickets in any precinct, would prove a
correct criterion by which to judge of the
intelligence of a community. A tried man
who is honest, ought to have the preference
with voters, no matter on what ticket his
name be found to one who has never been
tried at all, and has not the endorsement of
private acquaintance.


- mo M Vl.1A