The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-01-31
TWO IMPORTANT POSITIONS.

Gov. Bates appointment OF Coi-
A. J. McWhirter as Commissioner
of Agriculture, Statistics, Mines and
immigration has not been favorably
received by the press or public, out
side a very small circle of Nashville
gentry. From all sections of the
State come inquiries, Who 10 Nc
Whirter? What arc his qualifica-
tons? Since the memorable and
mysterious exit of Hobbs never has
an official entire caused more sur
prise or attracted more comment
than that of Mr.. McWhirter. The
Judgment of the press and public is
not restrained in the opinion that he
is not fitted by nature or education
to take the lead, as he should, in the
agricultural and mining operations
and developments of the State. The
information we have of his antece-
dents is, briefly, that his life has
been devoted almost. entirely to 9th
err and quite different pursuits.
From a merchant in Nashville,
through the vicisitudes of fortune,
he became a drummer for q Cincin-
natl clothing house, and was taken
from that position to fill the import
ant and lucrative Office he now holds.
He has never, so far as we are in
formed, been seriously identified
with the cause of agriculture and,
in fact, knows nothing about it and
cares less. He may be, and doubt
less is, a gentleman. The Commls-
missioner of Agriculture should al
ways be a gentleman, but this of
itself is not a sufficient qualification
for the proper discharge of the du-
ties of the Office. If that is all the
qualifications he has, the appoint
ment is a burlesque-an outrage
upon the people and espec . ly upon
the farmers of the State. The only
claim that we have heard urged for
the appointment of Mr.. McWhirter
was that he was in some way con-
nected with Gen. Bates command
in Confederate war times, and they
''Slept together in the Leares." We
have no complaint to make about
his being in the Confederate army.
That depends. 1t was or was not
virtue just as people choose to de-
ternIne it. But it should have been
no incentive to the Governor to APP
point him in the absence of the re-
9uisite qualifications. No, we do
not believe that simply "wollowing
in the leaves with the General will
be taken as valid reason for this
by the people interest
ed in the proper discharge of the
luties davolving upon such an Off
,er. With the light before us we
write dow n the appointment of Mr..
NcWhirter as an egregious blunder
IN the part of Gov. Bate.
But if he missed the right man
or the place in the case of Mr.. Nc
Writer, he shit the nail on the head"
n the appointment of Hon. Thomas
L. Paine, of Savannah, West Ten
lessee, as State Superintendent of
public Instruction. 1t is a good APP
ointment. We have long known
Jol. Paine and are proud to number
i'm among our personal friends. In
he whole State we do not believe a
lore competent man for the place
ould be found. He is in the prime
f life, full of energy and intellectu-
| vigor, and a man whose moral
haracter is irreproachable. His
fe has been almost entirely in the
chool room, and his time and ener-
Y have been given to educational
latters. He has not been an office
ecker, yet his people have honored
i'm to more than one position of
rust and honor. In 1875 he filed
18th distinction a position second
My in political honors to that of
overnor-Speaker of the Senate.
turing the contest for L. S. Senator
that time his vote was recorded I
or 80 times for Gen. Bate. We
,cognize no higher virtue in hui
anity than gratitude and fidelity
friends. As long as his selection {
ing fire in the Governors sanctum
and if he had to divide his salary {
ith another applicant before his
lme was finally slated-we con-
the people and especially q
70 teachers of Tennessee in the APP Z
ThOs. III. Paine. Every >
,rson who may feel interested in :
e cause of education may rest as 7
red that he is the right man in !,
e right place. Y
:;
The Memphis Avalanche publish a