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The Merit System -- An Essential Of Good Government, Murray Seasongood

Vanderbilt Law Review

Burke, in the trial of Warren Hastings, observed, "Law and arbitrary power are in eternal enmity." The same irreconcilable conflict exists, in this country, between professional politicians and sponsors of the merit system. This is because the aims of the two camps are completely antagonistic. In no other place where the two party system obtains, is the filling of offices and positions on the basis of vote-getting service and strength and political contributions made or secured for the party,so predominant a part of political activity. Patronage is the backbone in the United States of the political parties in federal, state …