Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-07-03
Felix Still Unhappy.
"AcoMA, June %, 1855.

TACOMA, June %, 1885.
En-. STANDARD:
As you were kind enough 10 pub
Iish nv letter of the 18th ult and
give 1t a little of your attention, |
Lave presumed that little more
may be said in the same direction
From the tenor of your remarks, |
fear you did not fully understand the
purpose of my letter. 1t was not
Mr.. Voorhees, alone that | wished to
arraisn. While l think that Mr.
Voorhees, has no, pursued wise
course-tbat he has presumed too
much upon his position AS Delegate
-endeavored to use it TO secure
place for "A few of his fvoritt :, and
not considered wisely the interest of
the party III the Territory, he is not
alone censurable. If | mlstake not,
his course has doomed himself and
friends to disappointment. The re-
suit finally will be that the Demo
cratic party of the Territory will not
be considered by the Administration
in making official appointments
within the Territory. Why should
it be? Why should President Cleve
land consider the Democrats of the
Territory of any account. or consult
the party's wishes, when it does not
agree upon the candidates to be ap-
pointed. Look for example: There
are four or five candidates, perhaps
more, for the office of Governor.
Each candidate is we'll endorsed by
his friends. Mr.. Voorhees, can only
endorse one of the number. The
same may be said i'll relation to other
positions, like Secretary, Chief JUS
tice, and all the other Territorial
Offices that are in waiting for Demo
cratic occupancy. Now it must be
clear to the President, when these
several candidates present to him
their petitions and various endorse
ments, that our Delegate does not
represent the Democratic party of
the Territory, but only fraction of
it, his few personal friends. He was
not elected for the purpose OF select
ing for the Democracy Of the Terri
tory its public officials, and the
President and his Secretaries know
this full we'll, and he ought to know
it and not attempt such responsible
tiles. Should the President appoint
the men that MIR. Voorhees, recon-.
mends, is it at all likely that they
would be satisfactory to the Democ-
racy in the Territory? Would not
each candidate who was not honored
be put out and displeased Most
certainly, and very justly too, for
Mr.. Voorhees, was never attended to
be clothed with any such power OF
authority.
There is but one thing for the
President to do under the cream
stances, that is, to act independently
and upon his own best Judgment, as
be most likely will. Select good
tirst-class men within the Territory,
if he can, or from without, to fill the
places when changes become neces-
sary or desirable.
Had a convention of the Democ-
racy been called and convened, and
made recommendations for the prin-
cipal positions to become vacant by
expiration of term of office. or by re-
moval for cause, the President would
have an expression of the party that
would be tangible and worthy of at
tention and consideration. Those
who were recommended by such a
body would most likely be satisfac-
tory to the public and the party;
and those who submitted their
claims to the convention and failed
would have been content. Such
convention would have left our Del
egate quietly at home to look after
his business and clients, and relieved
his mind of much anxiety and tIou-
bic. But such has not been the
course taken; on the contrary. before
President Cleveland was fairly inau-
gurated, enthusiastic candidates cir
culated petitions over the Territory
and obtained endorsements of their
friends and officials, certifying to
their character, fitness and ability
mot few of whom would require
affidavits to prove them to be actual
residents of the Territory, and when
they procured sufficient number of
letters, names and marks, posted off
to Washington to look up Delegate
Voorhees, ana Mr.. Kuhn and get
their endorsements; whereupon they
piled their precious missives in upon
the President and his tired Secre-
taries. Who will blame the Presi-
dent if he should become disguised
with the opportunities of these Office
seekers and their friends? MIR.
Voorhees,, because he is Delegate,
assumes to act for the whole De.
mocracy of the Territory, and, on
the other hand, Joe Kuhn, because
no is Chairman CT the Territorial
Committee and member of the Ma
tional Committee, thinks he is the
political sohitie tyee, and, therefore,
should dictate for the Democracy of
the Territory.
If President Cleveland possesses
the discernment that he is credited
with, he will cast these petitions all
aside, and take his own tabalar rasa
and fill it out to suit his own iude-
ment and fancy. Should he do so.
the Democracy of the Territory will
not complain. The guerilla warfare
of : candidates ana individual greed
for Office will make such a course
necessary, and that the Pr sident
will do this is now the most likely
thing to presume. Such a course
will harmonize the discordant ele-
ments in the party, and all the can
didates for the various positions will
hereafter stand on an equality before
their happy constituents. Should
the President adopt such q course,
it will be hard to find man in the
Territory, except, perhaps, MIR.
Kuhn or Collector Beecher, who
will admit fhat ho moo ova. n oo.1: