, 1883-11-22
Territorial officers,

habitants of the Territories from the
visit made to several OF them during
the past summer by President Arthur,
and that Is the selection Of residents
Of the Territory to ill the various
official positions therein. The tele-
graph has already announced that the
President has decided to follow that
policy IN making future appoint
ments. 1t viii, however, be hard
work for him to do so without the aid
of Congressional enactment, as the
seekers after places where they can
grow up with the country are very
numerous and persistent; and they
are supported blythe opportunities Of
senators and representatives who feel
it necessary Ito provide for their
friends who have neither the am
bition or ability to pioneer Il new
country without an official place to
begin with. If Congress could be
induced to pass a law requiring the
President to commission the Cover
nor, Secretary, Judges and other
Territorial officers chosen by the
qualified voters of the Territory at a
general election, it would relieve the
President from vast amount of i'm
portunity for office and do much to
make the inhabitants of the Territory
content with their official surround
ings Ii the Legislative Assembly of
Washington, now III session, would
memorable Congress TO this effect, it
would be a move in the right direc
ton. If its action should be fol
lowed by similar memorials from the
other Territories, something might
be obtained from Congress.
In recent editorial the St Paul
Pioneer-PreSS said: Since the South
ceased to be an asylum for broken
down politicians it has been the prac-
tice to place as many as possible in
the territorial offices Not always
have such officials been men of char
acter, fit for the peculiarly trying posi-
ton they have to fill. Their powers
are not very extensive; but in the
absence of an unaccountability to the
ballot box, territorial governors have
not infrequently run counter to the
wishes of the pdople they are sent to
govern, and in a measure to repre-
sent. Few of them make their resi-
dence permanently among the people
over whom they are placed, for the
change of an administration may be
the signal for their removal. Hence
transient estimate of opportunities
and a disposition to look upon the
position as a satrapy, to be turned to
the best account in making money,
When things assume 4 more perma-
nent phase, and the political outlook
brightens with the prospect of a
territory being admitted to the Union,
there is har lily any limit to the com
hinations open to shrewd man in a
territorial governorship. 1t is the
exception that the residents of u
territory are pleased with their gov
ernors Even in the case of good
men there Is natural aversion to a
non resident. There is not today Il
single territorial governor who came
from the population of his territory.
After naming the governors of the
different territories, the Pioneer
Press continued. Most, If not all,
of these men are political remln-
iscences in their native States, and
were sent out to the territories to
spite unappreciative constituencies
Under them, in the minor offices, are
usually their relatives, and lesser
political Migrants for whom official
shelter had to be provided. There
is no need of putting such power
past lumber into the fabric of young
would-be States. Native populations,
in these times of railroads and rapid
development, can generally furnish
the handful of capable and upright
men necessary for territorial gov
ernment. Where. as in most of the
territories, there is such population,
it is in direct contempt of the spirit
of american institutions that out
siders should be appointed. Self
government is as precious to the
citizens of a territory as of State.
|
A dispatch states that Vice Presi-
dent Oakes is coming west over the
Northern, and that his pathway is,
metaphorically speaking, strewn with
terror and death. That is, official
positions on the line are being blotted
out, useless employees being discharg-
cd and nepotism sat upon. The en-
tire management of theroad IS being
reorganized and all superfuous
weight being trimmed away, By the
time the practical hand of Mr.
Oakes has passed across the payroll
of the company it will doubtless
present far more pleasing footing
to the stockholders, and, at the same
time, detract nothing from the
efficient operation of the Northern
Pacific. On all eastern roads re-
trenchment and greater enconomy
has become the order of the day, and
the Northern Is wisely trimming its
sails in Ike direction--SedttLe ChroR
icie.