The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-13
DEMENT, CONFIRMED.

|
Ard so Mr.. r. S. Dement, has beer
confirmed Surveyor-General of Utah
notwithstanding the adverse report oil
the committee. This may be regarded as
one of the most remarkable instances OF
duty being subordinated to that vicious
thing known as senatorial courtesy
that has ever occurred. Dement, went
to Washington a few weeks ago, his
Imagination charged heavily with
ideas of creating a sensation, and his
tongue loosely hung on pivot ready
for operation. About the first people
that he encountered, as is usually the
case with persons of his calibre, were
the newspaper correspondents, and TO
them he unloaded himself, giving full
play to his imagination, and free run
to his tongue. The consequence was the
general publication throughout the
country of cock-and-bull story OF the
most sensational and untruthful char
acter. Wholesale frauds in the land
Office were charged, officials were reck-
lessly slandered and a whole commun-
ity was grossly libeled; bribery and
corruption in high places were alleged,
and all that seemed good or great in
this world was Mr.. Richmond :. De-
ment, who had done the talking. When
the gentleman's story appeared in print,
for the first time he discovered that his
tongue had gotten him into bad box;
he realized that his Imagination had
supplied the facts which lie had al
legged. but it could not finish the
Yerifcation. Being called upon to es-
tablish the truth of his assertions,
he simply did what many another man
has done under similar circumstances
he put on bold front and denied that
he had made the statements ascribed to
him. The men to whom he had talked
were then forced to defend themselves
from the charge of having libeled and
lied, and this they did in a way to leave
no doubt that Dement, had told them
exactly what they had reported. The
upshot OF the whole business was that
the committee of the Senate to whom
the nomination was referred, unani-
mously decided that Dement, was not a |
fit man to hold the Office of Surveyor
General, and recommended that his |
be rejected. The report
vas accepted by Mr.. Dement,, his friends
md the public, as meaning that he had
been retired, and that would have been
he result ordinarily. 1t is rare indeed
hat such report fails of adoption by
he Senate; but it seems that in this
INST ince Dement, had a friend whose
efforts were more influential than a
recommendation. Dement,, |
it appears, is protege of John A.
Logan's, strange as it may seem, and in |
the Illinois Senatorial contest last |
year, acted as spy and reporter
Tor Black Jack. Democrat though De-
ment claims to be, his cause is es-
poused by the blachest of Republicans.
and through the latter's personal ap-
peal, the confirmation is made.
Senatorial courtesy"is understood to
mean that the Senate will confirm the
,ppointee when the Senator from his
State requests it, though it is not usual
or the Senator to work for one of
opposing political faith, as against an
capable and faithful member of
lis own party, as in this case. If
senator Logan is not roughly handled
or his course in this matter. we are
in the newspaper CORES
who exposed Dement,, and to
yhom he gave the lie. The average
correspondent does not take kindly to
reatment of this character.
Meantime, it is no sure thing that
4r. Dement'S confirmation is final. He
lad the majority in the Senate. but
Teller, the gentleman whom he charged
With accepting brioe of $25 GOO from
he Mormons. was not present, and a
notion to reconsider the vote by which
te nomination was confirmed was
in order that Teller might
lave a chance to be heard in opposition
o the confirmation. Under the cir
tances Teller's appeal should have
more weight than that of Logan, and
be probabilities are that Dement, will
ct be bounced. We hope SO.
The CONFIRMATION of Surveyor. en-
raj Dement, will encourage Judge