The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-15
DISHONEST MUeWUMP CRITICISM.

The New York Times's indiscriminate
abuse of the administration leads it into
some glaring absurdlties. Starting out
with the view that the best appointment
possible to be made by President Har-
risOn is worse than the worst that was
made by Mr.. Cleveland, it sometimes
finds difficulty in making its theory agree
with the facts, but in such case the Times
evidently thinks so much the worse for
the facts.
The appointment of Professor Menden-
hall as superintendent of the Coast Sur
vey is a case in point. On this the Times
has the following editorial comment:
The change in the head of the Coast Sur
vey, though not SO scandalous as that in
the Indian Bureau, is made from precisely
the same bad motives. Professor Menden-
hall seems to be a man of fair attachments
and training in scientific pursuits kindred
to those with which he will have to deal.
He is not distinguished, however, in this
direction to q degree to command the un-
questioning confidence OF those who ought
to be the best judges of what is needed.
Obviously and necessarily he lacks the ex-
p~erience that the retiring head of the sur
vey has acquired, and his fitness has not
been demonstrated in the complete and
convincing manner that the fitness OF the
latter has been. The one reason for the
change, and the only effective one, recOg-
nized by the administration is that the new
man is a Republican and his predecessor is
not. Now, there is no partisan politics in
science. A man is no better head for great
scientific work because he is a protection
list or because he is a free-trader, because
he voted for Harrison or for Cleveland, or
would have voted for Blaine, or did not
vote at all. If he be fit or unfit for other
- A.
Office, and ought not to be considered.
Now, what are the factsq When Mr..
Cleveland came into Office the position
of Superintendent of the Goa st Survey
was filed by Prof. j. E. Hilgard, a scien-
fist of worldwide reputation and ex-
tensive service. He had been connected
in various capacities with the Smithson-
ian Institution, with numerous scientific
commissions, and was known throughout
the scientific world as one of its leading
authorities. He had spent two-thirds of
his life in the service of the government.
Early i'm the Cleveland administration
he was removed, and was succeeded by
Mr.. Frank Manly. Thorn, of New York.
The Times did not censure the removal
of Professor Hilgard, although it was
deprecated by scientists in this and
other countries. From the fact that it
approved the appointment of Mr.. Thorn,
it would naturally be inferred that he
was q scientist of at least equal attain
ments with Professor Hilgard, who was
removed. Here is a brief biographical
sketch of Mr.. Thorn, as published in a
recent work:
Frank Manly Thorn, superintendent of
the Coast Survey, born in Collins, n. Y,
Dec. z. 1886. He was educated at common
schools in Erie county and at the Fredonia
Academy. After studying law, he held the
Office of clerk of the ~Surrogate's Court in
Erie county, New York. in 1870. Subse-
quently he was occupied with professional
work and as a journalist until 1871. when
he was chosen a member of the County
Board of Supervisors. continuing as such
until 1880. In July, 1885. he was appointed
chief clerk in the Bureau of Internal Reve-
nue. in Washington, and a few weeks later
was made superintendent of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey, which
office he still fills.
From this sketch of Mr.. Thorn it ap-
pears that he never had any technical
OF scientific education whatever, nor any