The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-11-20
TERRITORIAL APPOINTMENTS.
A Just Arrangement of Cleveland for Stuisify-
ing Himself.
FROM he Minneapoiis Tribune.

'~'.t SeO -na1scuPVtto AfUNHc.
The federal Offices in the territories are
rapidly passing into the hands Of President
Cleveland's appointees, the large majority of
whom are "tender-feet' from the states. 1t
Is noteworthy fact that the Presidents
views have squarely changed upon this
point. His professed intention at the outset
was to name all territorial officials from
among the bona tide residents of the territory
in question. His party had professed adj
herence to this doctrine and was wont al.
ways to criticise Republican appointments
which disregarded 1t. By the national plat
form OF 1884, moreover, the Republicans also
espoused the doctrine unqualifedly. West.
ern people whether inhabitants of the terri
tories or Of the neighboring states whence
the territories have largely drawn their pop
ulatIon, had strenuously advocated the
justice and good policy of appointing resi-
dents, and supposed that at last the PROPOSE.
tioa had won general acceptance.
The administration has avowedly aban-
doned the plan, on the plea that it works
badly. 1t is claimed that territorial residents
are so generally involved in land schemes,
timber schemes, mineral schemes, cattle
be chosen as federal office.holders. Such
offices as surveyorships, judgeships marshal,
ships, rcgisterships and receiverships are
deemed more wisely entrusted to non-resi-
dents; and as a matter of fact they are being
bestowed almost exclusively upon Demo
! cratic place-hunters of the South and East,
who are coming into possession of the land
offices, Indian agencies, and judicial situa-
tions in a manner that the old-timers of the
territories truly despise.
The President is probably sincere in be-
lieving chat public interests are better served
| by his policy of appointing strangers; but he
Is egregiously mistaken. The hack politi-
clans and party workers who are rewarded
with places in the territories too generally
60 west con the make" They are in ma
jority Of cases more susceptible to unlawful
influences than men who are reputably
identified with the development of the re-
| gions in which they have made their home
After all, 1t is for the territories themselves,
and not for the rest Of the country that the
| territorial administrations should be con-
Quoted. For instance, If the people Of Mon
tana find 1t advantageous to them to use
timber taken from public lands, the people
| of Illinois or Kentucky have no real grew
ance. The federal laws ought, certainly. to
be honestly administered; but this should be
done for the best possible advantage of the
territories; and residents are in the nature Of
things much better qualified than strangers
can be.
There are plenty of worthy and suitable
men in the territories, and the contrary i'm
plication is insulting. The Presidents new
policy grows out Of the cranky, Hostile and
stupid dealing of the land commissioner, and
| certain other bureaucrats of this administra-
ton, with western affairs. 1t is distinctly
bad and retrograde policy, and the excuses
advanced for it are not valid. Western men
are exactly rs honest as Eastern men; and
there is no more reason for sending seedy
New York or Carolinian politician to fill a
federal Office in Montana, than for giving q
Montana man the collectorship of the port
of New York or of Charleston. Iri Just as
reasonable to say that New York city mer.
chant or politician would probably be in
collision with custom house frauds if made
collector, as that Montana citizen would
copdone and abet land frauds if ri ven sur
veyorship or land Office receivership
Western people and the western press should
emphatically resent the charge that residents
cannot safely be entrusted with the admins
| tration of the local federal offices.