The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-07
The Robinsonian Systenl-Appointmen
of Election Inspectors Mayor Cooper's
Indecent Conduct-Growing Power of
the Stalwarts-State OF Business


the Stalwarts-State Of Business.
New York, Oct. 4th, 1879.
Hoist with his own petar!' is the phrase
which will spring to everybody's lip who re-
members that Gov. Robinson called special
term of Supreme Court Justices to execute his
will in the matter of appointing Inspectors OF
Elections, and that they did precisely the oppo-
site thing to that which was expected OF them.
Now that this matter is happily settled after
great deal of exciting debate and angry contro-
versy it is impossible to withhold an express
sion of surprise at the pertinacity with which
the Mayor has striven to control the ac-
tion of the Board of Police and compel the Sc
lection of both the Democratic inspectors from
the faction of the party to which he belongs
People cannot help wondering what motive
could prompt such an extreme cagerness to
exclude the Kelly wing from any participation
in the business Of registering the names of the
voters of the city and receiving their ballots.
We have had in times past SO much ballot-box
stuf1ing, and false voting that citizens natural
ly feel sensitive when any proceedings are Ia
ken that are likely to have an injurious effect
upon the purity of elections. Moreover, it is
generally understood that Mr.. Tilden is the
master spirit who directs the movements of
Mayor Cooper and Governor Robinson, and
popular prejudice is running so strongly against
that gentleman just now that there are multi
tudes of men in our midst who really believe
that he is none too good to resort to the same
tactics that wrested the State from the Repub-
licans by fraud in 1868. For my own part,
am not prepared to entertain any such views.
l think that the course which has been pur-
sued is referabe simply to the extreme bitter
ness with which the combatants regard each
other. The Mayor and Governor have mani
tested disposition to serve Mr. Tildens inter-
ests by every means in their power. They
have imperilled their regulations as fair men
in their zeal to render him service. But cam
not conceive of such thing as their consenting
to any tampering with the inviolability of suf-
frage to advance his political fortunes
Suill the spectacle we have been witnessing
for the past fortnight has been unseemly in
the last degree. 1t has destroyed confidence in
the reform professions of the functionares who
have been the chief actors in it. 1t has inten-
sifed the i'll will which the two divisions of
the Democracy bear towards each other and
materially enhanced the probabilities of Re-
publican victory in November 1t is mon
strous belttling of the Office of Mayor to have
this continual meddling with the affairs
of department of the municipal gov
ernment. There is manifest lack OF
dignity in the whole performance. The
Mayor summons his own appointees to appear
before him and show cause why they should
not be removed. 1t takes good deal of the
time of the Republican commissioners to
defend their right to their seats. They are
liable at any hour to be served with warning
if their votes do not happen to chime with the
capricious views of the Executive. If they
pay the regular rates for legal services, the ex-
penses they are subjected to for counsel fees
must far exceed their meager salaries. The
truth is that to be Police Commissioner under
the present local administration is equivalent
to wearing martyrs crown. The Republican
incumbents bear it bravely. They are entitled
to great credit for the firmness and fidelity
they have displayed in time of severe trial.
Public safety demands that the Police Board
should be equally divided between the two
parties. Many efforts have been made to dis
turb this arrangement but thus far they have
been baffled. The present Chief Magistrate
was elected upon the pledge that he would
maintain the non partisan character of the
Police Department He would not venture to
violate that obligation directly. But his NOM
ination of one Sheridan Shook the other day,
as the successor Of Mr.. Wheeler, did look like
project for evading the compact, it being
popularity understood that the nominee would
have consented, had he been confirmed,
to the appointment of the anti Kelly
inspectors. However that may be, Mr. Shook
is, perhaps as unfit person as there
is in the city for the office of guar
dian of the constabulary. Certainly the Re-
publican ranks contain no one who is more OF
iectionable, if so much so. His last appearance
in public life was as a member of that memor-
able conclave, the Board of Supervisors,
of which Tweed was the ringleader.
Mr. Shook stepped out before the catastrophe
occurred, but during his connection with the
body no one ever heard of his protesting against
or Offering opposition to its scandalous trans
actions. Mr.. Cooper was urged to appoint him
when he first came into office; he examined
the record, and arrived at the very sensible
conclusion that he ought not to do it. Now an
exigency has arisen which silences his scru-
ples he makes the appointment, but majority
of the Aldermen meantime have become hos
tile to the Mayor, and they rejected his candi-
date summarily. The Mayor has thus placed
himself in false position without gaining his
point. His sincere friends aside from all par
tizanship will feel grieved that he should have
been persuaded to make so unsuitable an ap-
loD1 hoak
upon the act with regret in his calmer mo-
ments. Probably the Aldermen were not act
uated by any high moral views in refusing to
confirm the nominee; but whatever their mo-
tive their course was commendable; the public
! interests ought not to be trifed with to pro-
mote the success of political cliques
If were looking upon this interneclne DEM
ocratic wrangle solely from the stand point Of
\ the effect it was likely to have upon the Re-
publican cause, 1 should consider it a capital
thing. There is no doubt whatever but it will
help us to. secure q good State government
| But have an idea that that end would have
been accomplished in any event, and that there
was no need of such a sacrifice of municipal
| pride 1t seems to be good year for Repub-
licanism. The country is prospering as it nev-
er prospered before. In the absence of popular
discomfort, Democracy loses an effective ally
Then again the stalwart element in the party
| is gaining strength, We have been afflicted
| for half dozen years with set OF semi-he-
publicans who have never been able TO make
! up their minds till about election day Which
l side they would vote for. These dainty sentle-
| men have the habit of speaking OF the RepuD-
| lcan party in tone of depreciation and apoi-