New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-27
WHEy Will GOTERNOR HILL RESIGN'

UHEN WILL GOTERNOR HILL RESIGNf
David b.. Hill may he regarded as having
formally announced his intention OF not resign
ing his office of Governor when his term as
United States Senator begins. That is to say,
''The Albany Times" his nearest newspaper
representative, in an article bearing the title
" When VIII the Governor Resign? - clearly
intima'es TINT he has no intention OF surrender
ing the GOvernorship on the 4th of March, but
will retain possession Of it until the assembling
of the Lid Congress. on the first Monday OF
December. There is no law on the statute
book forbidding q citizen of New-YOrk to hold
these two great offices at the same time, and
taking advantage of that fact Mr.. Hill proposes
to give an exhibition of greed for oiiiceholding
which has never been e~qualled.
BIT in order that his position may be ac-
|curately understood Nr. Hill would do well TO
answer 4 few questions. In the absence OF an
express prohibition, how many Offices, Mr.. Hill.
do You think You could hold with pr0priety II
you can hold two, why not three, or four. or a
dozen? What is the limit which, in your view,
you could not safely pass beyond without run.
ming the risk of being accused of not knowing
when you had enough? Suppose, owing to a
distressing combination Of circumstances, you
should he elected this spring County Judge OF
Chcmung County, and Mayor of Elmira, and
Superintendent of Public instruction, and Di-
rector of the State Museum, and State Ento-
mologisi, and State Botanist. and Inspector of
:.aS-Mcters, and COMMISSIONS Of the Adiron-
dack Sarvey. and Custodian Of the Asylum for
Feeble Minded Women, and Chaplain of he
sing Sing Prison. would you feel warranted in
accepting them all. and filling them all at the
sane time. and trying to get delegates enough
10 secure YOU n few more? And if not, Why
not Where do you draw the line, and for
what reason? Would not the argument upon
which You rely in justification of holding two
Offices be just rs etlicacious. so far As the prin-
ciple involved is concerned, if the number were
twenty-five?
That is the fist point. Mr.. Hill, to which your
attention is directed. Tho second is this: Does
the fact that the Constitution contains nothing
f. prevent YOU from becoming a double headed
oriceholdcr furnish you with a perfectly salts
factory excuse for appearing in that role? Are
no; some things to be taken for granted? Does
a person whose munitions arc correct need the
mandate of a written Instrument 10 convince
him that il is grossly improper that the same
o1iccholdcr should concurrcntly fill the highest
prblic place At the State Capitol and orc Of the
highest at the National Capitol? lou recoc-
MIC the unwrittcn law in mai things, why
not in great ones? You would not presume to
attend a dinner party in high top-boots, IN
ulster and a red plush w~aiStcoat even in tho
absence Of 4 constitutional prohibition. Why?
Because YOU bow 10 the unwrittcn law? Why.
then, not bow 10 tina; law and quit talking about
what the Constitution doesn't say when your
ambition tomptS you to appropriate two chairs
one in Washington and the other in Albany
Stir another point, Nr. Hi. The party to
which you belong steadily and solcmnly de-
claims against ccntaliZltionISm. One of It's
recent National conventions adopted n platform
a plnk Of which declares against " ccntraliza-
tionism and that dangerous spirit OF encroach-
mcnt which tends to consolidate the powers Of
ali the Departments in one, and thus 10 create
whatever be the form of government. a real
dcSpotism." Democratic platforms are full of
iha; sort of'talk, and yet the course upon which
Won have resolved. Mr.. Hill. If taken by a Re-
publican would be characterized Il an entering
wedge OF ccntralizationiSm," and rs fraueht
with the dangerous spirit of encroachmcnt,
by every Democratic newspaper in the country.
However. peanut politicians arc a law unto
themselves. II Hill has made up his mind 10
be Governor Us we'll - senator. Senator rs well
As Governor. he Is not likely TO be induced TO
reconsider his determination by any consldera-
tionS touching the %prOpricty of the step. IN
official. many Of whose state papers read like
>tump-SpccchcS, may reasonably be expected TO
treat the Goycrnorship and the ScnatorShip just
as though they were a brace of his personal
pcrquiSitcs.