Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-19
Why We could wish Gov. Howard were soine

why We could wish Gov. Howard were eoine
to remain in Michigan.
There is a long list Of President HAYES
appointments that have, Justly or other.
wise, been placed to the account of his per
eonal obligations to men understood in one
degree or other, % helping him to the pres
idency. Notwithstanding this, the presi-
dent has been presented 10 the country NJ !
particular champion ofa civil service re-
form having in view the destruction Of this
very practice in our politics. We regard
IT as less Objectionable on the part of the
president that he should make appoint
ments upon the recommendation of the rep
resentation the people have placed in con.
gress, though those appointments b sug-
gested from q standpoint of seltishness, than
that he shall decline to act upon those sug-
gestions only to be influenced in his nomin-
atoms by the political service that has been
rendered him or friends whom he may feel
know anything of the case We are discussing
are saying. Gov. Howard was at the head
of the Michigan delegation in the Cincin.
natl convention. The delegation went into
the convention to labor for the nomination
of James G. Blaine. After casting 4 few
ballots for him, at a critical juncture in the
history Of the convention, that delegation,
under the lead of Howard, changed to
Rutherford B. Hayes-22 votes. 1t may be
said that that action on the part Of the
Michigan delegation defeated the nomina-
ton of Blaine-certainly, that it rendered
the nomination of Hayes possible. Well,
now, the political sense of this country is
not going to fail of putting this and that
Neither will it fail, in liberal
at least, in holding the action OF
the president in this regard to be most in.
consistent With his WARMLY avowed purposes
with reference to civil service reform. This
is another of the reasons why We could wish
with some degree Of heartiness that Gov.
Howard were going to remain in Michigan.
Delegate Kidder, Of Dakota, urged the
reappointment of Gov. Pennington. He
was supported in this by many influential
and by the representation in
Washington of Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota
and Wisconsin, as our information is. The
president said, upon more than one occasion,
that the record Of Gov. Pennington in the
Office was unobjectionable, and that his in
dorsements were all that any man could
ask. These things, taken together, seem to
afford a pretty substantial reason Why the
president should have made the appoint
ment upon the recommendation Of the rep
resentative of the people of Dakota is
Washington, rather than as q reward to a
man who did him service at Cincinnati.
Herein is another of our reasons.
Mr.. Blaine and his near friends also have
reason to feel that the president has acted in
this matter as if he were Indifferent, to say
the least, whether the breach between them
were closed or not. 1t is idle to say that
Mr.. Blaine is to be no more regarded in
such things han any other citizen of the
republic, for the proprieties in politics can
with no more wisdom be d~isregarded than
in other relations which men sustain. We
shall not presume the president intended an
affront to Mr.. Blaine, but We shall presume
that there was no occasion justifying the
creation of the impression in any quarter
that he improved the opportunity to indi-
cate his indifference to the feelings of that
gentleman.
We might write further, 10 say that the
president perhaps should have considered
whether or not the appointment Of a young
er man, With vigorous, growing year. before
to the territory and we do not hesitate to
duu tuAo pOAus " OuE EedSOus WHY VIC COutu
wish Gov. Howard were to remain in Mich.
igan, because if importations are to be thus
made it seems to u, they should be made
with reference to the material as we'll as to
the political advantage of the territory.
But We have said enough, and may be
more than enough, save as to one thing
which is, that We shall hope for Gov. How
ards success as an officer Of the government
in the new home of his old age.