Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-05
THE NEW POSTMASTER GENERA

The president passed by the multitude
of statesmen. great and small, whose names
were industriousIy connected with the
cabinet vacancy, and went to Indiana FOR
his postmaster general, in whom he found
the person of United States District Judge
Walter Q. Gresham. As q rule the political
appointments from that state have not de-
vsloped man who have become a credit
to the public service, and the large ma
iority Of them have been smirched by
scandals of some sort.
The selection of Judge Gresham was
made because he belongs to the Grant
clan, and several OF our esteemed and able
Republican contemporaries assume to see
in the appointment an opportunity for
making a political impression upon the
results of the immediate future
il IndiRRs. This is a ride
ulosity, though nc doubt the executive and
his chums had this notion, and caught at
the drowning mans straw. The President
took one judge off ths bench and put him
IN his cabinet, and the unlucly wight has
shown up as the heaviest part of a mill
stone, and enjoys the distinction of being
the best rspudiated politician the
people OF any stats ever pronounced
upon. IF the executive can learn and
profit By experience, it would seem that he
judiciary.
The effect upon Indiana, politically, is
already, and farther on will prove to be
the reverse of what was intended and
hoped for. John G. Nsw's nose is out of
joint, and this already disappointed and
disgruntled politician will do moro mis-
chief than platoon ct pos tmaster generals
can repair, and besides that a
regiment of sacn selections as this
could not save the state. When
ever Indiana has gone Republican
it has been because of unnatural appIi-
ances and rotten methods, and the RESULT
of 1880 cannos pc repeated while the
present generation are on earth.
1t is Easy to ses that the President is
schsning to control the next nomination
of his party, and in. tia interest of the
stalwarts. Thus far the eject OF his policy
has been to widen the breach in thu ranks,
for if there is any one thing more
unsayory than another to the majority of
the old Republicans it is to witness the
favors shown to the stalwart class, and the
effort to revive the obnoxious rule oe
Grantism.
Judge Gresham IS IN the prime OF life,
good fellow among his neighbors, but
enjoys no distinction as a jurist. lie
abandOn5 a iife-oftice which, owing to his
wealth, IS not necessity TO
him, and accepts an appointment
80 position for which neither MS habit of
mind or training qualify him. IF the
president had desired to impress the coun-
try that he wished 10 promote the useful
moss Of one OF the most important arms of
this public service, he could not very well
have made an appointment SO Httle quail
fed TO produce such 3 result. His first
appointment was weak one. and he has
seriously blundered again.
The country has ceased to hope for any
good thing at the hands Of ths present ex-
ecutive and his administration. These are
indeed the days Of small things, and small
men cannot be expected to produce other
than small results. If the welfare of our
public service and the general prosperity
of the people is not seriously impaired be-
fore remedy can be reached by consti-
tutional methods, it will not be because
the men temporarily in power are pos
sessed of the capacity and patriotism to
perform the acts which their high trusts
impose. The people have been and are
being trided with beyond the limit of
reasonable endurance.