Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-03-05
Some Pertinent Queries.
We Pause for a Reply.

T. ian kEEroE 90 Tm OEEsoSIAN
Las; Fall Gov. Ferry stated 10 the
neml-Fs Of the Legislature. that if
they appointed hIm Code Commits
saoOer and he vas resppOlnted 10 has
present Position. be would make no
charge for revising the laws. Next
II order 9 petition was presented
them for signatures, by which they
we're made TO request the President
t. Appcint him for q third term
Tins proceeding Vas not generally
known to the people Now bis
EKcelleIey Is causing petitions to
he circulated IN every county i'll
the Territory, to be signed by the
people. and requesting tbs Pres
ident to resppoint him. The can
yass Is intended TO be thorough and
allow none to escape who can be in
duced to sign.
On the above state OF facts. / wish
TO PROFOUND a few questions and
possibly you may he kind enough to
answer through the columns of the
OrcgOnidn. We print the questions
but do not undertake to answer
them, says the OregOnidn.-ED.
/. Was ever the Territorial Gov
ernorship known to be sought for in
this manner before?
2. If it is proper for Territorial
Governor to apply to members Of
the Legislature for their influence
toward retaining him in office, how
far may he 60 in the way of making
his application to them effective?
3. Would it add anything to the
dignity or purity Of the administra-
ton, if Governor would say to one
member, 6" will use my influence to
have your bill pass, and I will sign
it, if you and your friends will petit
ton the President for my reappoint-
ment? ?" To another he could say on
the same condition: Il will ap-
point you or your friend to some
Office" and to another he might
say, Yes, l will pardon the man
you want out of the Penitentiary,
and, by the way here is petition
for my reappoinment, wish you
would sign it," and so on, on the
principle of liquid pro quo"-indef-
inatcly. These are supposed cases,
but they might easily occur.
4. Is it proper for Governor, in
seeking a reappointment to send out
petitions for the people to sign? and
if it is, how are his rivals for the APP
pointment to proceed? Shall they
all appeal to the people by petition,
and will the President be influenced
in making the appointment in ia.
vor of the one having the greatest
number of petitions?
5. Suppose Governor should
send or cause to be sent petitions all
over the Territory, requesting the
people to sign, asking for his reap
pointment, and in fact not more than
one man in every ten are in favor of
his reappointment, how are the nine
dissentients to protec. themselves
against the influence of the one man
who signs? Is it natural or practi-
cable, to expect that they must Or
ganize and circulate remonstrances,
or to be bound by what every tenth
man NAV be induced to do?
6. Would the adoption of such a
practice tend to elicit the will of the
people?
7. Would the principle be safe
one in Republican form of govern
merit?
8. Should petitions take the place
of the delegate as representing the
will of the people?
In conclusion, we say that we deem
it entirely safe to estimate those who
are opposed to the Governors reap
pointment to O third time at least
three-fourths of the voting popula-
ton of the Territory.
| REPUBLICAN,