The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-18
The Offices in the South.

The President has not made vet many
appointments in the south. In Washington
there is an impression that there are two
reasons for the delay. One is that the Pres j.
dent wants to appoint men who are infiuen-
tial in their respective communities, and
upon whom he can depend for Harrison
delegations to the national convention in
1892. The other is the difficulty Of di5cov =
ering who of the applicants ara tae most
worthy and are likely to give the most sat
isfaction.
In the north there is not so much trouble
in making appointments as there is in the
south for the reason that information re-
specting the fitness Of the applicants is OBJ
tanned from the republican congressman.
There are very few congressman from the
south who are republicans, and the Presi-
dent is not likely to consult with democrats
respecting appointm 3nts. If he were to do
so, however he would receive doubtless a
good deal of information that would assist
him greatly in getting the best men for the
Offices
In making southern appointments de-
pendence has to be placed to a great extent
plicants are always literally supplied, and
upon the advice of the few southern repub-
licans of prominence in whom conf lence is
reposed
The President is just beginning to find
out what sort of material his party in the
south is composed Of If he ever had
good opinion of it he is fast losing it. The
applicants for office, and their number is
not small, are making it very clear to him
why the southern Republican party has
not prospsred. If what the applicants say
Of each other be true, there are very few of
them who ought to be trusted with offices.
The Washington Post, which is edited by
Mr.. Frank Hatton, a stanch republican
who was a Postmaster General Of the Arthur
administration, speaking of the applicants
for postoffices in the south, says: "One
faction will convince the Postmaster Gen
eral that certain man should be appointed
postmaster at a certain place. They will
file petitions by the yard. They will pile
up certificates as to the applicants ability,
honesty and republicanism. The appoint
ment will be made, but before the bond is
filed and the commission is issued the oppos-
ing faction will file charges attacking the
appointee's ability, honesty and republican
ism, and oftentimes charging crimes of the
very worst nature"
Mr.. Hatton knows what he is talking
about. He speaks from experience. The
experience of the heads of other depart
ments with southern applicants for Office is
no doubt the same as that of the Postmast-
ter General. Is it 20 be wondered at,
therefore, that the President find, it diff
cult to decide upon men to fill Offices in the
south?
There are republicans in the south doubt
less who would fill the Offices wit credit to
themselves and the administration, but the
President will not find them easily. Unless
he applies TO the right sources of informa-
ton he will not know them even when they
are brought to his attention, because other
republicans will improve every opportunity
to give the President false impression Of
them. If the President, before his election,
was not satisfied that the southern Republi-
can party was as bad as it was represented
to be by the democrats, he ought to be sal
isfied now, and ought to make an earnest
effort to purify it. He might. perhaps, SO
improve it that it would attract, rather
than repel, the kind of men that he is
anxious to have Join it,