Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-04-03
lanraster fl1tclligeruer.
TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 3. lse
The Postmaster Generalship.

The Postmaster Generalship.
The president is advised by the attor.
ney general that the law allows him but
ten days in which to make up his mind
as to whom he will make postmaster gen.
eral. We should think that the presi
dent would not want more than ten days
for this operation. But this fact Of his
asking theesAttorney general whether he
could lawfully take more time seems to
prove that he wants more. A president
who cannot find in ten daysa postmas-
ter general just suited to his mind, must
be a very slow man, indeed, in his men
tai operations; unless we admit that the
proper postmaster general material is
very scarce. Perhaps it is in the circle
of men who make up the presidents ac-
quaintance but that would show that
his acquaintance among good men Is
not very great. Yet, notwithstanding
Mr.. Arthur halls from New York,
and was hail fellow well met
for many years among its lower
stratum of politicians, he has shown
very fair Judgment ordinarily in mis- Sc
lections for office. lie has made some
very creditable appointments in the
higher rank of offices and has shown
that he knows what sort of man it
takes to do credit to an exalted place
When he fails to appoint good man, as
he often does, it can hardly be charged
to his ignorance of What is required, bu:
needs 20 he credited to his weakness in
failing to act up to his conceptions. He
has not a remarkably good cabinet, in
anybody's opinion; and it is, we find,
remarkably bad in the judgment of one
section of Republican politicians who
are urging Mr.. Arthur to tumble the
whole concern overheard, and fit
himself out with brand new
lot. Mr.. Arthur, doubtless, has
no such intention, since he has no
adequate excuse for such wholesale
performance, even though he would like
to undertake it. Still, he may he con-
templating a practical reconstruction :;
otherwise it is not easy to account fOr his
desire to delay the filling of the vacant
postmaster generalship. There are plenty
of ardent patriots who would take the
office: and Mr.. Frank Hatton, the
weeping first assistant Who caused every
one in the country to do without their
mail matter for three hours the other
day while old Mr.. Howe was being
buried, is quite satisfied that the presi
dent might go down to Florida on his
fishing trip with perfectly easy mind
after signing his commission as post
master general.
We are sorry that the attorney general
will not give Mr.. Arthur an indefinite
term in which to fix up his hard looking
cabinet. If he could wait awhile,
old Mr.. Fulger, too, might die.
And with two gone, the aged Ere
linghU sen might .bs sent over to
Europe. Then with these eX-patriated
members the work O; cabinet recon-
struction would be easy. Probably,
however, the ne. cabinet, should it be
formed, will SUI. the politicians less
than the present one. Mr.. Arthur Of
late has been giving signs of disposi-
tion TO please himself in his appoint
ments. He tried faithfully for over a
year to hold UP the Stalwart standard
but, making distinguished failure of it,
now inclines to unfurl the Arthur pen
nant. Mr.. William Chandler, it will be
remembered, has designed one for his
special use and Mr.. Chandler proposes
to sail under it in close company with
his chief.