So it will
be easily understood why one of Mr. Lodge's temperament should
early have cast his covetous eye on the Senate, and at the first
opportunity moved over to that more select atmosphere, which he did
in 1893.
When Senator Lodge entered public life the flagrant spoils system
was rampant. A little band of earnest men was fighting to reform
the civil service so as to make it a permanent establishment with
merit and fitness the tests for appointment instead of political
influence. It was a cause naturally to appeal to the "best people"
of Boston, and Mr. Lodge, being one of them, having inflexible
principles and a high code of honor, threw himself eagerly into the
reform movement and became its apostle. His principles were so
stern and unyielding, he demanded such an exalted standard of
private and public morality, that, although he worshipped the
Republican Party with a devotion almost as great as the memory of
that grandfather who laid the foundation of the family fortunes,
with a sorely stricken heart he was compelled to differ with Mr.
Blaine and to flirt with those Ruperts of American politics, the
Mugwumps.
"The man who sets up as being much better than his age is always to
be suspected," says a historian, "and Cato is perhaps the best
specimen of the rugged hypocrite that history can produce."
As a summary of the character of Cato, this is admirable, but no
one would call Mr.
Pages:
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121