San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-14
PUTT STRAIGHT.

an article complimentary, though
somewhat fulsome, to Hon A. j
Evans, of this city, and congratulate
ing the western district of Texas up
on that gentleman's appointment as
United States district attorney, turns
from the appointment of Mr.. Evans tt
that of United States Marshal Frickt
concerning whom and his appoint
ment it says:
Regarding the marshalship, while
we do not doubt that the appointee
Mr.. Fricke, although not of the dis
trict, is in all respects worthy, and
will so discharge his duties as to re.
fleet credit alike upon himself ana the
government, and will secure to
himself the respect of all persons in
the district, save and except, of course,
the law-breaklng portion, yet, we can
not overlook the fact that there was an
applicant from within the dis trict-an
old and respected citizen, sound re-
publican, brave man and efficient
Captain r. p. Fly, our worthy sheriff,
whose appoin tment to the position be-
slowed upon Mr.. Fricke, would have
been, in our opinion, peculiarly graft
flying to the repu blicans of the state at
large. We had the pleasure of endors-
ing the Captains application for the
place indicated, as did also the very
best men of this and adjoining coun-
ties, irrespective of party utilization,
and we express but the common SEN
timent in stating that. had Captain
Fly possessed less of that modesty of
character in pushing his own personal
interests, which our people have long
since noticed in him, he no doubt
would have gone to Washington, and
going would have secured the appoint
ment."
The LIGHT has looked for a little
better statement from the Times than
the above, which with its special plea
for the Corpus Christi relationship
was evidently written for politi-
cal effect somewhere. The
editor of the Times must
certainly be aware that Washington
county is one of the most populous, if
not the most populous, of all the coun-
ties in the western district of Texas.
1t is as certain as that two and two
make four that Mr.. Fricke was a resi-
dent of the district in which he was
If the Times does not
know that fact it does not know
enough to pass all intelligent judg-
ment upon the action of the federal
administration in making that APP
pointment. Mr.. Fly's presence in
would not have effected
that appointment one way or the
other. There were candidates from
this city and from Kinney county in
Washington, either one of whom
would have had a better chance for
that marshalship than Mr.. Fly, be.
cause they had stronger backing and
republican records which
were accepted, appreciated and rec
ognized at the national capital. All
this, without saying or intimating
that Mr.. Fly would not have made a
god marshal, for of that fact
the LIGHT knows nothing. The
fiat, however, had gone forth
Mr.. Fricke's appointment could
not have been defeated, and it is USE
less to attempt falsely to show that
the administration made a mistake
by appointing a man outside the dis
trict when such is not the case. On
Wednesday, March q, 1889, the
LIGHT, for the very and express pull
pose of preventing any farther criti-
cism of Mr.. Fricke's appointment on
the ground of his not being a resident
of the district, mapped out that dis
trict and distinctly stated that Wash
ington county WAS in this district.
Now comes the Cotulla Times six
weeks later, and rehashes the old
untruth. 1t is time the matter was
understood. Let the geography of
the district be studied by those who
essay to criticise an appoin tment
made within it. If material error is
made in so clear and easily to be as
certained a case as that of the
geography of the district, how are we
to expect a correct judgment on the
weightier and more difficult matter of
qualification for office.
THE Isthmian states are looking