Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-03-14
rnE APPOINTMENT OF rorrs.

The wisest OF men are liable to err ct
times. and President Hayes seems to be
no exception to tho general rule. His
"civil service reform" policy was
doubtless conceived with the best OF in
tsutions, but its practical operation has
not always been productive OF the great
est good 10 the greatest number. In
deed. this President Of ours Is sur
rounded by psrplszitiss which would
vex the soul OF any man not gifted
with 4 supernatural degree OF wisdom.
Opposition from the Democrats has not
been prevented by his concessions to
them, and these same concessions have
evolved q bitter spirit Of hostility in the
ranks Of these who should be his polit.
ical friends. In fact those Republicans
who have thus far chung to him the
most closely. and sustained his policy
the most vigorously. are now beginning
to seriously ask themselves II "concil-
istion." as displayed in the exercise OF
the appointing power. is not beng car
ried 4 little too far. and II Mr.. Hayes Is
not prscipitating = catastrophe in which
himself and his party will DO alike
buried in the general ruins 2
We would not DO misunderstood rs
predicting such . dire calamity to the
nation. a. the disruption Of the Repub-
lican party would produce. But Ii is
the part Of good policy to foresss danger
and guard against its effects in good sea-
son. Mr.. Hayes is 10 conscientious man.
and whatever be does Ia done from the
best and purest Of motives, but even he
10 liable to mistake the signs 81 the
times. and by becoming too closely
welded to one idea. to ruin where he in
tends TO build up. When he appointed
General Key Postmaster General. 1t was
foresesn that many southern Democrats
would receive ~postofiees in the South.
No objection TO this was made by tho
friends Of the Administration, who
wsre willing and eager to see the soon
citation % experiment thoroughly tested
at the outset. But prudence was neces-
sary even in conducting this experiment.
and the supporters Of Mr.. Hayes will
view with alarm the lack Of policy evil
dencsd in the nomination and confrma-
ton Of Mr.. Potts as Postmaster at Pc
tersburg. Virginia.
The case Of Potts Is peculiar one.
He Is q Democrat. like many Of the
other Presidential nominations. but un.
like the others. he is q Democrat in the
midst Of q largo Republican constitu.
sney. Petersburg is the center OF the
only Republican district In Virginia,
and IL would seem polite for the Presi-
dent to do something toward ~"concili-
siing" these Republicans. and keeping
them together. They made several
nominations Of worthy men, and urged
them eagerly at the White House, but
Mr. Hayes turned a deaf ear to his po-
litical friends, AMI nominated Potts, at
the instance Of General Key. to whom q
Baptist minister. who bad once stopped
at Keys house, had recommended him.
This seems very much like carrying
"Civil Service Reform" to extremes.
but 1t is to DO hoped that the President
will not have cause to regret his action
In the future. All the same. n little
"conciliaiion " occasionally. toward the
men who elected him would not seem
amiss TO the great body Of sincere Re-
publicans.