The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-18

David B. Hill, the Governor-Senator Of
New York, may have reason to rue his sell
fishness and disregard for public opinion in
hanging on to the Office of Governor after
the commencement of his term as q MEM
Der Of the United States Senate. About
the propriety Of his course, as a question
of taste, there can be no difference of intel
ligent opinion. 1t adds to his income and
political power, however, and with him
these considerations have outweighed any
regard for propriety or public opinion.
But it seems that there may be also a
serious question about the legality of his
course, the effect of which may be to cut
short his career as Senator much sooner
than he has expected. The point against
him is that the constitution of his state
expressly and in clear terms provides that
no person can hold two state offices" at
one and the same time. 1t is said to rest
on the high authority of Senators Ed
munds ana Hoar, concurrcd in by all of
the best lawyers in congress, whether Re-
publicans or Democrats, that the Office of
Senator is a State rather than a Federal
Office, which seems to be sustained by that
clause in the Federal constitution which
declares that mo State, without its con-
sent, shall be deprived OF its equal suffrage
in the Senate"
Governor Hill has tacitly admitted the
improperly Of performing the duties of
both offices at once, in that he has given it
to be understood that he will resign the
Office Of Governor before he is called upon
to take his seat in the Senate at the session
to commence next December. But since
the 4th of March he has been Senator TO
the full extent that he viii be next Decem-
Der. drawing pay as such and therefore by
fair inference supposed to be giving his at
tention to the duties of the Office.
II is authoritativeiy stated that on the
4th of March General Arson G. McCook,
the secretary of the Senate, on the author
ity of certificate to that effect which had
been forwarded to and filed by him, placed
the name of David B. Hill on the payroll
of the Senate as Senator from New York,
and Will consider it his duty TO forward
by the first of each month his check for
S4l6e6 TO said d. b. Hill as such Senator,
which beyond ali reasonable doubt said ID.
b. Hill viii proceed to cash and appropri-
ate as such Senator and for his services
thereas.
As il may not be assumed that the gov
eminent by law is paying something for
nothing, il must be assumed that duty and
services are coincident with compensation,
and are not limited TO the time passed in
sctual session. Therefore Governor Hill is
at this time under pay and obligation to
perform in behalf of the state of New York
the duties of two offices, Governor and Sem
ator. As the question cannot be investi-
gated until the Senate shall have met, he
viii perhaps claim that then the eondi-
tons complained of will have ceased to
exist. but If these things are improper,
dishonest and therefore disgraceful, and it
shall be shown that he has been guilty of
them since his accession to the office, most
clearly they will come within the broad
powers conferred upon the Senate to Judge
of the qualifications" of its members.
And thus the hyphen which connects the
two titles may prove to have been an ex-
pensive luxury to this first. as it Is to be