own to
give fat pensions to its favorites had been pared down to very modest
proportions, but another great abuse still flourished like an evil
weed in rich soil.

For generations, public offices had been regarded as public plunder,
and the watchword of the politicians was, "Every man for himself, and
the National Treasury for us all." Under this system of pillage the
successful party in an election came down like a flock of vultures
after a battle. They secured all the "spoils," form petty clerkships
worth 100 pounds a year up to places worth thousands.

About the middle of the last century (1855) an effort was made to
break up this corrupt and corrupting system, but the real work was not
accomplished until 1870. In that year England threw open the majority
of the positions in the civil service to competitive examination.
Henceforth the poorest day laborer, whether man or woman, might, if
competent, ask for any one of many places which formerly some
influential man or political "boss" reserved as gifts for those who
obeyed his commands.

The next year (1871) the purchase of commissions in the army was
abolished.[1] This established the merit system in the ranks, and now
military honors and military offices are open to all who can earn
them.

[1] Up to 1871 an officer retiring from the army could sell his
commission to any officer next below him in rank who had the money to
buy the position; whereas under the present system the vacancy would
necessarily fall to senior officers in the line of promotion. In the
year following this salutary change the entire British army was
reorganized.

The Registration Act of 1843 required every voter to have his name and
residence recorded on a public list. This did away with election
frauds to a large extent. It was supplemented in 1872 by the
introduction of the "secret ballot" (S591). This put an end to the
intimidation of voters and to the free fights and riots which had so
frequently made the polls a political pandemonium. The Bribery Act of
1883 was another important measure which did much toward stopping the
wholesale purchase of votes by wealthy candidates or by powerful
corporations.

610. Reforms in Law Procedures.

During Queen Victoria's reign great changes for the better were
effected in simplifying the laws and the administration of justice.
When she came to the throne the Parliamentary Statutes at Large filled
fifty-five huge folio volumes, and the Comm