The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-07-05
BAD APPOINTMENTS.



I'm appointments to every grade
and department. fitness and not party
service should be the essential and
discriminating test Such was Ben
Harrisons promise when he was look-
ing after votes last summer.
Here is the performance OF less than
year later: A few weeks ago Presi-
dent Harrison appointed George 7.
Fisher. OF Delaware, as First
Auditor OF the Treasury. one OF the
most important Offices in the Govern
ment and one calling for scrupulous
honesty. George r. Fisher i not I'M
known to fame. He was district al
torney OF the District Of Columbia
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withdrawn.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 ONCE IN Washington
was for long while. under Judge Fisher the
chief buiwark OF the dIsfrict ring. There were
hatchee the conspiracies 70 convict innocent
citizens OF felony. the plots to get rd OF wit
nesses~ the schemes 70 take burglars out OF
iasi Crimes Of the most dastardiy character
were committed under the shelserlng caves OF
that scandalous establishment THEFT, md
riot and bribery. and perjury received there
encouragement and protection. Two OF the as
sistant attorneys have been tired 10 the crini-
nal court for grave ofenses. and are 10 be tried
again George p. Fisher. who was chief 81 the
once during the period when II was . disgrace
70 the whole Satioa. could not escape the re-
sponsibsliiy for the actions 81 his suoordinates.
Whether he was only foolish. inefficient and
weak or was answerlble in some nore direct
way for the doings Of his son Charles and his
other assistant Harrington. we need not IN
Quire. Incomp@ tency IN prosecuting osncsr
Is bad enough onense even when the best n
sentiors wait upon II. A. any rate. pubic
opinion would not tolerate Fishers appearance
in the safe conspiracy trial. and after some
miserable revelations OF the misconduct In ms
once the President was obliged 10 CAL Tor he
resign alton.
And now General Grant names this same
George p. Fisher United States district attor-
ney for Delaware. The Sena.e must reject the
nomsn alton without an hours unnecessary de-
lay. No sympathy which Senators may feel
for the personal misfortunes Of the nominee.
no conviction watch some OF them may enter
tain that he is only the victim OF his own weak
ness. should deter them from duty which
\ they owe both TO the country and the party.
| II General Grant viii not think Of Republican
-.
So much for Fisher. President Har-
rison's choice for . position where
millions OF dollars OF claims must bs
adjudged. Evidently the election
bargains OF Harrison are not all paid
4 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:
Postmasier-Generai Gresham dismisses
vandervoort because he had been insuoordi
nate. had made false reports 10 the depart
ment and had been absent from his post 9
duty Two hundred and s'xty-nye days.
Omaha. IN one single year. Vandervoort - a.
tnyeterate bragrart ana liar. Wander
voorts associates when he was chief clerk
we're ward bum mers. roustabouts and rowde
or the lowest degree. He often az
tailed railway mail clerks from the service :
assist HIM In packing wari caucuses and ngn'
ing at political primaries and substituted 70
these regular mail clerks rrespons bic vaga
bonds and bum mers who we're transported 4
the m all cars ia charge OF the mails withou
even taking the oath.
Unless hypocrisy Is stamped O.
every page and line" Of Harrison
letter OF acceptance, the appointment
Of Fisher and vandervoort will b
cancelled at once. They will not b
Cancelled. Albany N. ~ Argus