The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-04-14

that the people can hllord TO nave nllod ny
appointment, but for Ices ms important and
in which the rights aud welfare of the peo-
Pie IRE 30 much involved Ms those Of District
Attorney mud Sheriff We fail 10 comprehend
how tho people can Afford TO give up the So
lection Of tho iucumbcnts themselves In
this limo of opinion the Auomey-Gcnoral
but comedies with the Governor Mt least 80
far rs the appointment Of Distr Attorneys
nro concerned Tho Governor desired tho
Sixteenth Legislature to take the step @ far
as il could towards clothing the Governor
with this power as appears in one OF his
messages to that body, The legislature, be
il said to its credit, however, declined
to consent Why, If the Governor had
the power to sooct for each county in
the State Sheriff and for each Judicial dis
trict Prosecuting Attorney, he could by the
patronage he would CONTROL DO able ia
hold the position of Governor at will, unless
his administration was 10 Objectionable, 50
outrageous, rs to be absolutely UNDESIRABLE,
Already some of the present Governors mp.
pointccs, according to the public prints, are
finding time to spare from the duties incum'
bent upon them to 80 around clarifying him
in speeches and lay pipes for his
nomination for ro-electon. One OF
tho chief causes of complaint
against Mr.. Il. j. Davis when he was Coy.
crnor was the concentration of power in his
hands. lit WAS wrong then why is ii not
wrong now. To tnko from the people
the right to select their own officers
and put tho power into the hands of one man
is giant stride toward centralism, and CEN
tralism is what the Democracy is now fight
ing. 1t is the ground WORK of Republican, m
and what Republicans are clamoring for Is
strong government, and strong
government from their standpoint is
where the power is taken from tho
States and from the people and conferred on
one person We distinctly recall in this con-
necton memorable example of the ills
flowing from concentration Of power in the
hands of ono man. We were present in tho
city Of New Orleans nj the time and fought
the principle then. 1t was in 1868, in the
Yarmouth re ime when tyrany guarded
every door and a damnabe oppression brood
ed in every household ofthat afflicted city and
the State. The history has been thus told by
a correspondent ola Northern journal who
knew tho true inwardncss of the entire
schemings; "Undcr the new Louisiana consti-
tuition, and the registration and election laws
passed by the first Legislature, the power of
the Governor appeared to DO absolute. He
WINS authorized to appoint one Supervisor o +
Registration for each parish County, and re-
move him ut pleasure, without the concur
renee of the Senate. The decision of this
Supervisor was final on nil questions relating
to tho registration of voters, and
tho courts were prohibited from intor-
fering by injunction, mandamus, or
other process with the Supervisors OF
Registration or their assistants, and the Judge
of any court SO interfering was liable to
fine of $500, imprisonment for six months,
and removal from office. The Supervisor sp-
pointed three Commissioners of Election, who
were empowered to arrest any persons whom
they considered disordorly, and to keep them
in custody till after the close of the polls
These Commissioners were paid SIS day
during the time they were employed, but
the law made it necessary for the Supervisor
and Governor to approve their accounts
The Governor appointed the Supervisors of
Registration, the Supervisors appointed the
Commissioners cf Election and tho Commits
sioners could get their pay only when their
work won the Governors approval
Nobody could vote unless the Supervisor
Registered him and the two Commits
sioners saw fit to accept his ballot. 1t was
then optional With a Returning Board over
which fhc Governor presided, whether the
vote should be counted or not. With such
prerogatyes it seems easy enough for Gov
ernor Warmoth to perpetnate his power to
the end f his life. One thing stood in the
way. The Constitution of the State made
the Governor ineligible to reelection. War
moth did not mean that any such obstacle
should block his way, and in 1870 he an
nounced his intention 70 amend the Constitu-
ton by removing the restriction. His sub
survicnt Legislature readily acquiesced and
the question was submitted to the people
His Supervisors and Commissioners gathered
the votes and the Returning Board announced
that the amendment had been adopted by a
large majority" Thisis what concentration of
power, one man power, can and will do.
IF this Is government of the people
by the people, then the people must them
selves say who shall fill the offices of the
government, and the more direct from them
the appointment, the better. Mr.. McCor.
mic, too, Ia opposed to any change in the