Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-07-04
BAD APPOINTMENTS.
How the GxaAdsOn - His GrandEAth
Keeps HI Pronise.

How the Grandson II His Grandfather
Keeps His Pro0lse.
I'm appointments to every grade
and department. fitness and not party
service should be the essential and
discriminating test" Such was Ben
Harrison's promise when he was look
ing after votes last summer.
Here is the performance of less than
q year later: A few weeks ago Presi-
dent Harrison appointed George p.
Fisher. of Delaware, a. First
Auditor of the Treasury. one of the
most important Offices in the Govern
meut and one calling for scrupulous
honesty. George p. Fisher is not un-
known to fame He was district at
torney of the District of Colum bia
under President Grant removed, and
In 1866 nominated for Office again but
Withdrawn. The New York Tribune
on that occasion spoke of him in
these terms:
The district attorneys ofice In Washington
was, for long while. under Judge Fisher the
chief bulwark of the district ring. There we're
Matched TIE conspiracies to convict innocent
citizens OF felony, The plots to get rid Of wit
ueSseS, the schemes to take burglars ont OF
jail Crimes OF the most dasiardly character
were committed under the shelterinR caves Of
that scandalous Establishment Theft and
riot, and bribery. and perjury received there
encouragement and protection Two Of the as
sistant attorneys have been tr1ed in the crinni-
nal court for grave o1enses. and are to be tired
again George p. Fisher, who was chief OF the
ONCE during the period when 1t was disgrace
20 the whole Nation, could not escape the re-
sponsiolity for the actions of his subordinates.
Whether he was only foolish. inefficient and
weak or was answerable in some more direct
way for the doings OF his son Charles and his
other assistant Harrington. We need not in
Quire- Incompetency in q prosecuting oficer
is = bad enough onense even when the best in
tentions wait upon IL AZ any rate. public
opinion would not tolerate Fishers appearance
in the safe conspiracy trial. and after some
miserable revelations o: the misconduct in his
ONCE. the Presiden, was obliged to call for his
resign nation
And now General Grant names this same
George p. F .sher United States district attor-
ney for Delaware The Senate must reiec: the
nomin alton without An hours unnecessary de-
lay. No sympathy which Senators may feel
for the personal misfortunes of the nominee.
no conv lotion which some of them may enter
tain that he is only the victim of his own weak
ness, should deter them from a duty which
they owe both to the country and the party
II General Grant will not think of Republican
interests we hope Republican Senators Will
So much for Fisher, President Har-
rison's choice for a 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 Vandervoort superin-
tendent of mails at Omaha. Neh The
leading Republican newspaper in Ne
braska is the Omaha Bee. 1t spoke
of Vandervoort when he was ap-
pointed in these words:
Postmaster-General Gresham dismissed
Vandervoort because he had been insuoordi-
nate had made false reports to the depart
ment and had been absent from his post of
duty TWO hundred and s.xty.fve days. at
Omaha. in one single year. Vandervoort is an
inveterate braggart and liar. . . Wander
voort's associates, when he was chief clerk
were ward oummers. roustsbouts and rowd es
OF the lowest degree. - He often de-
tailed railway mail clerks from the service to
assist HIM ID packing ward caucuses add fight
ing at political primaries and substituted for
these regular mail clerks irrespons bic vaga-
bonds and oummers, who were transported in
the mail cars in charge Of the mails without
even taxing the oath
Unless hypocrisy Is stamped on
every page and line'' of Harrison's
letter of acceptance, the appointments
of Fisher and Vandervoort will be
Cancelled at once They will not be
canceied--Albany On. Y. Argus