Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-05-06
BOWEN = K1NGsBURY. Prep'ts.

The house committee on territories, on
the I'd inst, reported untavorably the
house bill requiring the governors OF tho
territories of Arizona. Dakota. Idaho,
Montana, New Mexico. Utah. WASHING.
ton and Wyoming to be residents Of said
territory at least two years prior to ap.
pointment. The report rups as follows;
The present system of appointment
has been in force twenty i've years, aud
the committee is not advised Of any such
troubles IN its operation that would re.
qnire change Experience has shown
that in many instances, owing to party
complications and unhealthy alliances
IN these territories, it was almost i'm
possible to select impartial persons COM
petent to fill the Office of governor from
tue state. 1t often happens that schemes
exist in tie territories, or q certain policy
prevails, that congress is anxious to sup.
press and put an end to, which every
resident. otherwise lit to he governor, is
not only identified with, but is exert,ng
himself to maintain by force; and to
limit the selection of residents, as re-
qaire.i, this bill would, in such cases,
augment strife and disccrd, and result
i'll breaking the peace and law an execu-
tive IS supposed to desire to keep and
preserve intact. Tho general law
has wisely left the president free to select
the officers from aby part of the country
he may choose. 1t is extremely doubt
fnl whether any law could limit the pres
ident in this respect. The power OF ap.
pointment given by the constitution is
broad aud without limit. The commit
tee is Of the opinion that law could as
we'll restrict the president in this matter
to residents IN any one state or persons
OF certain height or weight or Of par
ticular complexion. Such law would
be manifestly impolitic il not liable tu
executional objection.
There is possibly some force in the pre-.
sumption that law of the nature pro.
posed would clash with the constitution
Yet the committee is not sufficiently Ger.
tain about it to make positive asser.
tion in that direction. Had the com.
mittee been satisfied With presentation
of the constitutional point and omitted
its extraneous reasoning upon the al.
legged inability of the residents of terri.
tories to manage their own affairs, the
report would have been more acceptable.
The theory that because of the liability
of internal dissensions, the head OF the
government must be left in posit, on
to calm the troubled waters by casting
therein carpet bag governor soundl
more like an excuse than reason for
killing the bill. The people Of the states
manage to get. along very vel!
under the exercise of the privileges
asked for by the people of the territorie,
aud no serious evil has resulted from the
acts of governor who is resident o
the state he represents. The history OF
the territories will show couclusiveiJ
that their most serious troubles hav.
been engendered and kept alive by th,
presence Of foreign adventurers acting
under commissions from the president
Tnat these troubles will continue 9,
long as the present system of appoint
meuts continues is beyond question
But it seems in these days that the terri
tories have no rightsin the estimation o.
the congress of the United States.