The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-06-30
THE NEW YORK coLLEoroRsHlP.

The President in making his selections
for the New York customs offices, seems to
have done what he has frequently done be-
fore. He has attempted to bolster up an in
different, if not actually bad, appointment
by one that is conspicuously good. Nobody
doubts that the appointment of Mr. Silas
W. Burt to the naval office is good one.
But the selection of Mr.. Edward L. Hedden
for the collectorship is one that ought not
to have been made. 1t may turn out we'll,
1t may turn out badly. But in the case of
so important an office as the New York col
lectorship the President should have taken
no risk. A man should have been selected
concerning whose character and abilities
there could be no doubt. Plenty of such
men could have been found had the Presi-
dent been searching for them. To be sure an
attempt is making to create the impression
that Mr.. Hedden is business man and was
appointed at the earnest solicitation of bust
ness men. But it turns out ON investigation
that he has not been in business for some
years, and that even while he was in business
ne was not conspicuous among the business
men of New York. Outside of New York
nobody knows him nor ever did and had the
business men inside the metropolis been
called together to choose one of their number
10 fill an office closely identified with their
interests they never would have thought of
selecting Mr.. Hedden.
1t was Hubert o. Thompson who discover
ed Mr. Hedden, and Mr.. Thompson is an
active politician prominently identified with
one wing of the New York Democracy and
not q hucinpac To -,
the matter he obtained the signatures of a
considerable number of business men to Mr.
Hedden's petition, but nevertheless it re-
mains the fact that Hedden is Thompson's
candidate and not the candidate of the bust
ness men, and Mr.. Thompson supported him.
there can be little doubt, because he believed
he would prove a subservient tool in build
Ing up the wing of the Democracy with
which Mr.. Thompson is identified Mr..
Thompson may be deceived in his man. Mr.
Hedden may turn out to be more indepen-
dent than he supposes. Mr.. Thompson may
not be able to use him, but that he expects to
there can be no shadow of doubt in the minds
Of anybody acquainted with Mr.. Thompson's
career. The President knew the source of
Mr.. Hedden's strength was Mr. Thompson
eHu nc kucW MI. thompson lie was per-
fectly well aware Of Mr.. Thompson's corrupt
and extravagant management of the depart
ment of public works and he should have
fought shy of any man Doomed" by him.
This is a case where the plea of ignorance or
bad advice which has excused so MANY bad
appointments>on the part of the President
VIII not avail. The President may have a
limited knowledge of the politicians of other
States but with those of New York he is
thoroughly familiar.
The fact is, and it cannot be successfully
concealed, that in appointing Mr. Hedden the
President has truckled to the politicians Of
the County Democracy, and not to the better
class of them either. He did not dare to
truckle to them to the extent they desired
by appointing Thompson himself, but he ap-
pointed Thompson's man.
The New York Times, which is inclined to
take the most favorable view possible of all
the Presidents appointments, has this to saw
about Mr.. Hedden's
This appointment will be criticised more severe
ly than any other the President has made for it is
not naturally and conspicuOusly fit but one re-
quiring explanation calculation, and even excuses
ana paluatlOn. Into the most important office
outside of the Cabinent, which the President has
been -ealled upon to fill he has put man not only
almost unknown to the business community Of
this city, and absolutely unheard of Outsid New
YORK, but, so far as he Is known, man VIII o rep