EUAL YPTUS. 45 



notice in the public employ. In fact indifference and inca- 

 pacity is a recommendation to machine boss methods for 

 political employment. Even rank scandals involving cor- 

 rupt catering to corporate interest by public officers often 

 fails to neutralize the strength of our political machine 

 and the outcry of public indignation is deadened by the 

 din of the partisan tom-tom. 



How long the supposedly intelligent American people 

 will continue to be played by the partisan pannel game is 

 impossible to foretell. 



I have a particular prejudice against our partisan follies 

 because they continually confront me in all public interests. 

 Even good and able men in public office secure and main- 

 tain their places by their lower and not by their higher 

 faculties. The political machine generally dominates the 

 public business, but its indifference to public interests, its 

 incapacities and degradations are distinctly countered by 

 the currents of public opinion. The growing altruism of 

 humanity is against the use of faction, sordid private in- 

 terest or the ministering of personal pride to organize 

 bands of partisans to exploit public office and public taxes 

 for private plunder. 



Well, well ! Let us look on the bright side for the 

 future and trust that the strong young seedlings of popu- 

 lar demand for capacity, honesty and responsibility in the 

 public service will grow like blue gum saplings and like 

 them clear the political malaria away that makes us all 

 sick. 



In repeating experiments, such as those in San Fran- 

 cisco harbor, it may be noted that the teredo thrives best 

 in clear sea water and dies in clear sewage. The resist- 

 ance of piling to teredo may therefore be very different 



