New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-02
coySyDER1yJ0ys or EXpEDIENcY

Nr. +. s. 1obry of Boston, appointed
Commissioner of Indian Affairs in place OF +.
z. Smith. who, it is understood, has been re-
moved from that position To the more intimate
and delicate relation Of confidential clerk to
Secretary Chandler In immediate charge OF
business coming from the Bureau OF Indian
Affairs, has after taking time for considering
the matter. declined the position. Secretary
Chandler, it is stated, is consequently very
much di,appointed-haynS found in Mr. To-
hey, as he believed, the right man for the
richt placc-and is call at sea- for a Com
missioner. Not knowing precisely what Secre-
tary Chambers ideas are OF the qualifications
required IN a Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
we are not prepared to say whether his keen
sense of Disappointment at Mr. TobeyS de
clnati0n is complimentary OF not to Tie 0ihcr
gentlemen who are still candidates for the
place. Indeed, Secretary Chambers own policy
has not vet been sufficiently developed to war
rant any one in saying that the person whom
he might select as his Commissioner Of Indian
Affairs or those whom he rejected, might feel
most complmentcd. 1t i stated in the General
Press dispatch that Mr. Tobcy is q retired mcr-
chant OF the highest standing, and IiesI-
dent OF the American Missionary AsSo-
caion of which the retiring Commissioner
was Secretary Also, that Commissioner Smith
was aupointcd up0n the recommendation Of
Mr. Tobcy's predecessor in that organization,
the late Senator Buckingham. Whether these
facts winch seem to have been carefully col
lated for the Associated Press, are intended TO
furnish the public some idea of the special
fitness OF Nr. Tob,y for the place or to show
ft.,'H . it.plu IN
officer that his successor must derive his APP
pointmcnt from the same source, we are OF
course unable TO say. The inference Is very
plain that, although M Smith has been re-
moved il has been only to take him into more
intimate and confidential relations with the
head of the department, and that the only man
who is fitted to succeed him is some one who is
recommended by Mr.. Smiths sponsors, and
who comes into Office under the same aus
pices.
We make no doubt that Mf. TObey would
have made an efficient and honest officer. The
fact that he was the candidate Of Postmaster
General Jewell for Postmaster at Boston Is in
his favor Mr. Jewell has SO far applied bust
ness principles to the administration of his
department that it is only reasonable to sup
nose that al officer of his selection has fitness,
capacity, and iutc.-ity. But the effort to mix
up--so to speall-Ar. Tobey with Mr.. L. T..
smith seems little strange and UNI
usual We are told with something
like authority that Secretary Chandler
and President Grant have entire confidence in
Mr.. +. L. Smith, and the dispatches from
Washington have repeatedly stated-With
unnecessary repetitions indeed that the
faith of these gentlemen in him is unimpaired
The removal from the Office Of Commissioner
TO the more intimate and confidential position
near the Secretary is proof enough OF this,
without continued reservations. And yet the
public is informed that he has been removed
from considerations OF expediency. That is
well enough. No doubt they were
considerations of cxpedioncy that die
tated the change. But why was the
change expedientl Why not he frank about
it? MIR. Deano went ont of the Interior
Department under cloud. He was either
inefficient or corrupt. If he was inefficient or
corrupt, lis Commissioner of Indian Affairs was
participator in the ofcnse. Mr.. Delano
APPOINTED his own Committee of Investigation,
and even that tribunal was forced to judg-
ment which, in the opinion of the general
public, was heavy censure upon his admin
istration OF the department. When he went
out of office, it was not the Opposition only but
the Administration press also that applauded
his departure, and congratulated the country.
Mr.. Chandler succeeded him, and the Admin
stIati0n press, with an emphasis that must