Fair play., 1889-06-29
EAD APPOINTMENTS.
How the Grandson of His Grandfati IA
Keeps His Promise.

How the Grandson of His Grandfathe
Keeps His Promise.
"In appointments to every grade
and department. fitness and not party
service should be the essential anC
discriminating test" Such was Ben
Harrisons promise when he was look
ing after votes last summer.
Here is the performance of less than
a year later: y few weeks ago Presi.
dent Harrison appointed George p,
Fisher, Of Delaware, as First
Auditor Of the Treasury, one of the
most important offices in the Govern
ment and one calling for scrupulou-
honesty. George 7. Fisher is not UNI
known to fame. He was district at
torney OF the District of Columbi;,
under President Grant, removed. and
in lSG6 nominated for office again but
withdrawn. The New York Tribune
on that occasion spoke of him in
these terms:
The district attorneys Office in Washington
was, for u long while under Judge Fisher. the
chief lGlwar.; of the strict ring. There were
haichcd tire cOnsriracles TO convict innocent
citizens of felony, the plots 10 get r.d Of wit
nesscs the schemes to take burglars out OF
jail. Grimes OF the most dasrardlv character
were comm tied under The shelterIng caves OF
that scandalous establishment. Theft. AMI
riot, and bribery, and perjury received there
cncoura a"cncHt ana protection. Two OF the as
sstGnt attorneys have been tired IN the crimi-
nal court for grave oiIeuscs ANA are TO be tried.
again. George Z. + -hcr who was chief of the
Office during the Ierod when it wa, Il disgrace
10 the whole Nttjon. could not escape the re-
sponshilIty for the actions uf his suhort.nates.
Whether he WAS only foolish. inefficient and
weak, or was a0swer.ibie in some more direct
way for the doings of his son Charles and his
other assistant, Harrington, we need not in
quire. Incomrctency in a prosecuting officer
is 4 bad enough ofense even when the best IN
tentiOns wait upon Ii. At any rate, public
opinion would not tolerate Fishers appearance
In the safe conspiracy trial. and after some
miserable revelations of the misconduct in Ms
Office, the President obliged TO call for Ii: S
resgnit
And now General Grant names this same
George L. + sler Unilc,: States district attor-
ney for Delaware. The Senate mus, rejec. the
nomination without an hour : unnecessary de-
lay. No sympathy which Senators may feel
for the personal misfortuncs OF the nominee,
no conviction which scnl2 OF them may enter
tain that he only the victim of his own weak
ness, should deter them from Il duty VIII ch
they owe both 10 the couatry and the party.
II General Grant vii: not think OF Republican
interests, we hope Republican Senators will.
SO much for Fisher. President Har-
rison's choice for position where
millions of dollars of claims must be
adjudged. Evidently the election
bargains of Harrison are not all paid
yet.
A short time ago President Harrison
appointed Paul Nanaervoort superin-
tendent of mails at Omaha. Neb The
leading Republican newspa per in Ne
braska is the Omaha Bee 1t spoke
of Eandervoort when he was APP
pointed in these words:
Postmaster General Gresham dismissed
NandervoOrt because he had been iasubordi-
nate. had made false reports to the depart
nent and had been absent from his post of
duty two hundred and sXty-five days at
Omaha, in one single year. Fandervoort is an
inveterate hrargart aid liar. Wander
voorts associates, when he chief clerk
were ward bummers, oustabouts and rnwd,cs
Of the lowest degree. = He often de-
tailed railway mail clerks from the service to
assist h'm in packing ward caucuses and fight
ing AZ political primaries and substituted for
these regular mail clerks rrespons bic vaca-
bonds and bu,nmers who We're transported in
the mail ears IN charge OF the mails without
even taking the oath.
Unless hypocrisy Is stamped on
every page and line of Harrison
letter OF acceptance, tho appointments |
of Fisher and Nandervoort will be
Cancelled at once. They will not be |
canceled.-Albsny (N. " Argus