The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-15
The COmmissiOnership.


he commissionership first got bruited
about, THE STATESMAN despatched
one of the corps to the governor for
The facts in the case, not wishing to
10 injustice in any way. His excel
Iency stated explicitly that he had
NOT made the appointment. This
TIE STATESMAN accepted as final and
until later in the night the
positive proof of the appointment |
was made, and we were reluctantly |
forced to the conclusion that the
governor had either made a mistake
in his statement to us or he had lent
himself to the scheme to mi5lead the
paper on so trivial and unimportant
a matter as this. Yesterday TIE
STATESMAN published the official cor
respondence rendering the appoint
ment to Mr.. Uardenbrook, and it is
dated Austin, May Sd. 1884. In unof-
fetal and non-political life, what would
such declaration as the one made by
his excellency to THE STATESMAN
Saturday night he called, in the light
of the publication from Houston re-
ferred to above? Mr.. Hardenbrook's
declination comes through the same
channel and is explicit, and unmistake-
ably genuine and sincere. Now then,
it had been SAID often that the
racket made over the matter
of the appointment had so compli-
Gated the governor with leading and
important influences that he hardly
knew where to place the coveted plum
of official patronage, and further, that
he had an arrangement by which the
appointment was to be rendered to
Hardenbrook, which was to be declined
10y the latter, and thus could Maj.
Elliott step upon the scene with pro-
priety and infinite grace. THE STATES
MAN refused entirely to accept the
theory, as being unfrank and al! O.
gether unworthy the dignity of the
governor of great state such as
Texas. But what other conclusion can
be reached from the facts above given
unless, indeed, we conclude that the
appointment was made on Saturday
was mere blind. But in that case
what are we to do with the governors
explicit denial to member of our
staff made with such apparent earn
estness and sincerity Saturday night,
after the Hardenbrook appoint
ment had gone forward? 1t seems
that the situation is a rough one
indeed, for him. Either horn OF
the dilemma is bad one, and both TO-
gether, wretchedly bad. If the gov.
ernor simply meant to hoax us,we con.
graduate him on his complete success
1t was complete In every way
but there are some successes
which were better never won, and
this is surely one of them.
From all this we are reluctantly
forced to the conclusion that the gov
ernor has made this appointment more
In the light of rewarding friends and
disarming enemies than of the good OF
the state,-that the latter was the sole
and only reason. The Post, of which
Hardenbrook is the manager, has beer
all along, or since its sudden and vic
lent conversion, a thick and thin flu
gleman of his excellency. Itmight a.
suddenly relapse into Wash Jonesisn
as it emerged from it. The appoint
ment would settle all that an(
it was held out to him as the gildet
toy to the boy to induce good behav
ior. But the fact is incontestabl,
that he has refused ibid that il
time for the governor to appoint EI
lott on Monday morning SO as t.
get to Houston by the night train
Here is the disarmed enemy. Har
denbrook, the friend, is rewarded, an,
Elliott, the enemy, disarmed. On
stone never killed two birds befor
with greater certainty, more grace o
with nicer mathematical exactitude
The birds are thus disposed of, nov
ii remains to be seen if the mal-adroi
thrower will get out of tn
affair with equal credit an,
without loosing the su bstantial fruit
of the bestowal of patronage such a
this legitimately placed in the hand
of wise and discreet public func
tionary.
The appointment finally made is no
q good one. Maj. Elliott is a mic
gentleman, an honest man and a goot
fellow generally. But for all that i
would be difficult to conceive of a MAJ
less qualified to fill such position
or one by nature so inadequate t.
the management of an enterpris,
of such magnitude, and of suci
Importance to Texas. We sincerely
trust that it may disappoint us. We
would be pleased to learn that
we had moderated the fitness of Mr.
Elliott, and that the matter will turn
out better than we hope for, or ex
pect. None will be more willing, OF
will, with greater satisfaction, bind
laurels about his brow than THF
STATESMAN, if he makes a success OF
the business. This much we fee
compelled to say in vindication of the
course of the paper, and ia the future
we will do all that is possible to force
success, even with what we consider
inadequate means. If the war upon
either the appointee or the appointing
power is continued, we are deter
mined that the onus must rest with
hem, and not us.
"The Bulge"