The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-04
GOVERNOR IRWIN's PLAY.

Governor John n. Irwin, of Idaho
is the subject of much praise in th
newspapers because Of his return t
the U. S. Treasury of the checks fo
his official salary for two quarters
The conduct of the gentleman il
this matter is peculiar and singular
So far as we are aware his act i
strikingly original, and if his motiv
was merely to do right, his return
of the money was greatly to hi
credit and suggests that morally b.
stands head and shoulders abov,
the average Territorial Governor
But was it a keen sense Of right ane
justice or fear that induced
Mr.. Irwin to send back
the drafts? It was last
spring or early summer we believe
when Irwin was made Governor oil
our sister Territory, and soon there.
after he repaired to the province.
He loitered some time Ell route
spending a few days in Salt Lake,
and stopping at two or three ether
points before he reached the capital
Of Idaho, Boise. There he remained
a week. one whole, long week,
when he discovered that the climate
did not agree with him. Society
was not to his liking, the duties of
the Office we're not such as he adj
mired, or his mercantile busi-
ness in Iowa demanded his
attention. Whatever the cause
he returned to his home,
and has since remained there,
doing and caring nothing for Idaho.
Latterly the mumblings and grum-
blings over his conduct have been
growing louder and deeper; not a
fortnight before he sent back the
unearned checks, we saw a letter
from an Idahoan. severely denounc>
ingIrwin for retaining the governor
ship and drawing the pay without
the semblance of performing the
duties of the Office. The newspapers
began to talk earnestly about his
negligence, and to call for his sue
cessor. In the midst Of these I'M
friendly criticisms and just stric-
lures, Twins second check
reaches him from Washington, and
he returns that, together with the
previous one, which, by the way, he
had held three months. In the light
Of all the circumstance it looks to
US as if the gentleman had been
frightened into giving back the
money. It was either that or he
imagined he saw an opportunity for
point against those who
had been making things very IN
pleasant for him. There is another
matter in this connection which
may also explain the previous re-
markable display of o1ncial consci-
It is an open secret
in and about Keokuk that Irwin as
pires to represent that district in
Congress. He has been laying the
wires to that end, and we may
expect the public announcement
Of his candidacy one of these days.
A little incident like the surrender
Of salary he never earned might be
to do good service in a
nominating convention and with
the people. We are inclined to be-
lieve that Governor Twins motives
were purely selfish, and that his act
was not dictated by any sentiment
Of generosity or magnanimity.
Whatever the moving cause, how
ever, the government is $1,000
richer, and a good example has been
set before Territorial officials gen.
orally. We do not believe that
Twins disease will prove "catch>
ing" for as rule governors
Of Territories are not in a
financial position to warrant them
in giving Up anything upon which
they get their hands. Irwin has
been successful in life, and is fairly
well to do so far as material wealth
is concerned, hence he can afford to
a few hundred dollars;
but the average Governor, being
unable to gain an honest living by
his own efforts. is given the Office
as a means of support, and the sal
AIRY lacks so much Of being prineely
in its proportions that the executive
cannot well lose any of it, even on
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