Objections to the Spoils System. the Spoils System. - Against the spoils system the following objections, among others, may be urged:

1. It tends to degrade the office of the Presidency. Mr. Colfax relates that a clergyman from a small town, calling upon President Lincoln in the interest of a postoffice candidate of his town, prefaced his business by remarks upon the cruel war and the great responsibility which it entailed upon the President. "Oh, it is not the war," Mr. Lincoln replied, "I can get along with the war very well. It is your plaguy little post-office that is killing me!" The spoils system takes up the time of the President with unimportant, and often contemptible, business.

2. This unworthy business involves congressmen as well as the President. Congressmen have taken advantage of the helplessness of the President in his efforts to distribute spoils, and assume to control the appointments in their own districts. This brings upon the President a new difficulty. The Constitution makes him responsible for making the appointments and conducting the business; but men who are not responsible select as officers those who are often wholly unsuited to his purposes. Many congressmen are thus hindered almost entirely from giving attention to their own responsible and constitutional business.

3. The spoils system tends to create a limited class of office seekers and office-holders. The great majority of citizens never seek for or expect an office, but it is for their interest that the best qualified should have a chance at every appointment. Successful spoilsmen get control of party machinery and strive to

limit office holding, both state and federal, to their own class.

4. The spoils system tends to destroy an interest in politics on the part of the great body of citizens. All intelligent citizens are naturally interested in the policies and the issues of statesmanship, which affect the welfare of themselves and of their families. The distribution of offices does not personally concern them. If the place for a statesman is filled by a distributer of offices, the multitude can have little interest in him.

5. The spoils system tends to destroy party life and party harmony. The life of a party comes from a common purpose to promote some principle or some policy of government. In so far as patronage displaces statesmanship it is a direct attack upon real party life. Those who are not office-seekers will lose interest in their party when their leaders cease to labor for its principles. The office-seekers in the party tend to divide into warring factions, who feel towards each other a greater hostility than towards the members of the opposite party. The assassination of President Garfield arose from a bitter factional war over the spoils of office. The "independent" voting which causes the defeat of a party often comes from a disappointed faction among its office seekers.

6. The system tends to promote corruption. It is theoretically possible under the spoils system that only those should receive office whose devotion to the principles and policy of the party would make them labor for party success as earnestly without the hope of office. Many offices are thus distributed and no taint of corruption is involved. But in other cases offices

are given to stimulate party workers. Nay, in some cases men receive office because they would otherwise work to defeat the party. This is bribery pure and simple.

It is in itself perfectly honorable and upright for an office holder to give money toward the expenses of a political campaign. Many give from true party interest. In other cases officers are made to feel that unless they give the sums specified by a party committee, they will be removed from office. Sums thus exacted lower the virtue of party committees.

Congressmen in whose interest the party funds have been expended are tempted to make good to officials their political assessments by increased salary, and to maintain idle offices for those who have worked or are working simply for the party. Here are involved the three distinct crimes of bribery, blackmail, and misuse of funds. Yet in each case the act may be with difficulty distinguished from an honorable deed or an error in judgment. The agent may find himself acting from a corrupt motive before he is aware of being tempted. It is the insidiousness of the spoils system which constitutes its peculiar danger, and which caused Horace Bushnell to say that such a system would corrupt a nation of angels.

Obstacles to Reform. If the President and congressmen would simply return to the method followed during the first forty years, the reform would be accomplished. It is difficult for them to do this. They have been elected under the spoils system. They have in many instances secured position, not by the advocacy of political measures before the voters, but by promises

of political favors to the few party managers. Many of these know that they would not be chosen to office for their ability to understand and state political issues. Some of them, seeing the general indifference to federal politics which the spoils system has created, have come actually to believe that the system is necessary in order to prevent a decay of political interest. It is doubtless true that in the case of individuals there would be a loss of interest. The reform is thus opposed by a large part of the official class. Its evils are not such as to be readily seen.

Present Laws.

In view of the many obstacles to reform by a voluntary change of habit, it is necessary to resort to compulsory legislation. Thus far the laws passed are: 1. One forbidding party committees to levy assessment upon public officers; 2. One forbidding public officers to engage in active party work; 3. A law requiring entrance to office in a part of the service to be through an open competitive examination. The last provides for a civil service commission to supervise its enforcement. The law also authorizes the Executive to extend the rules to classes of officers not named in the statute. The reform will be completed when, either by law or by custom in the federal service, the non-political officers shall never be called in question for their political opinions; when there shall be no removals for political reasons; when vacancies shall be filled with sole reference to business ability; when a candidate for a political office can no longer secure place or promotion by bestowing favors upon the few, but shall be required to convince the many of his ability to understand and promote political measures.

CHAPTER XXIV.

FOREIGN SERVICE.

Treaties. — When our revolutionary fathers adopted. the Declaration of Independence, and thereby expressed their determination to become a separate and independent nation, they immediately took steps to secure the recognition and assistance of other nations. They sent ambassadors to France; and after two years a treaty was signed with that government, acknowledging the independence of America, and promising assistance in the war against England. The co-operation of Spain in the war was secured in the following year. In 1783 a treaty was completed with the English government whereby our independence was acknowledged. At the same time a treaty was made with Spain, fixing the boundary of the United States on the south and the west. Florida was made the boundary on the south, and the Mississippi River on the west, while Spain kept control of the mouth of the river. In 1803, by a fortunate turn in the affairs of Europe, it became possible for the United States to purchase from France the vast territory west of the Mississippi River, since known as the Louisiana Purchase. This gave to the United States entire control of the Mississippi.

Other Purchases. In 1819, Florida was purchased of Spain; and a definite boundary for the Louisiana purchase was fixed. This boundary was so run as to States Oregon and Washington

give to the United

on the Pacific coast. At the close of the Mexican War,