The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-01-23
Stand Firm for the Right.


II the republican senators imagine that
they can cheat the incoming administra-
ion out of its just rights In the matter of
appointments to office they will most
likely find themselves mistaken. They
.re the last people in the world who
,ueht to complain if the democratic sena-
tors should refuse to confirm the nomina-
ions made by Governor Beaver on the
eve of his retirement from office. Have
they forgotten that in January, 1887,
when Governor Pattison was about to
give way to Governor Beaver, the repuo-
ican senators refused to confirm Govern
u. Pattison's appointments made during
he recess Of the senate? Are their men,
ories so short that notwithsts nding the
appeal made by Senator Watres { now
lieutenant governor-elecD to his fellow
republican senators to confirm Governor
Pattison's nomination of Lemuel Ammer-
man as supreme court reporter, the re-
publican senators rejected the nomina-
ton on partisan grounds. pure and SIM
nle2 The office to which Mr.. Ammer-.
man had been nominated is of a non-poli-
ical character and no personal objection
could be raised against the nomination.
Nevertheless it fell, a sacrifice to the par
isanship of the republican senator's. 9th
er appointments made by Governor Patti
son during the recess Of the senate were
sammarily rejected by the republicans of
.he senate.
A senator who is nothing II not re-
publican partisan has characterized the
course of the democratic senators in ask
ing that the nominations sent in by Gov
srnor Beaver be laid over as "peanut
politics." Pray, what sort of politics,
Mr. Senator, was that which the repre-
sentatives Of your party INDUCED In when
in 1887 they rejected Governor Pattison's
recess appointments II 1t be "pesnut
politics" on the part OF the democratic
senator's to use their power to prevent the
outgoing administration from handicap
ping Governor Pattlson with appoint
ments not in accord with his policy and
inimical to his ideas of good government,
was it not precisely the same thing on
the part of the republican senators In 1887
when they prevented the confirmation Of
Governor Pattison's nominations for a
similar purpose and like reasonsp But
the protection by the senate Of an incom-
ing administration from the intrusion Of
large number Of hostile Office holders
upon it by an outgoing administration, is
not "peanut politics." the opinion of the
sspient senator to the contrary notwith.
standing. 1t is politics Of the wisest and
highest sort. The incoming governor
will be responsible to the people for the
execution of the laws and the conslitu-
ton never intended that he should be
hsmpered and obstructed in his admins
tcati0n of the affairs OF state by subordi.
nate officials hostile to his views and pur-
poses. On the contrary, the spirit and
intent Of the fundamental law plainly
s"'oA WIZ oSNS'i'h W viz SoNSiu VI VI ulS
subordinate officers, subject only to the
approval Of their fitness by the senate.
The democratic senators will do well
to maintain their position. They have
not only right and justice and common
sense on their side, but they can resi-
their case upon the precedent set by thu
republican senators in January, 1887.
Let them not reccde single inch from
the proper and 'enable ground they hav,
taken in defense OF the just rights OF tn,
incoming administration. The threats OF
the republican senators are idle buster
Tae truculent tax of these effervescenI
Statesmen il the merest froth. T,
reuse to confirm Governor PATHS On,
cabinet appointm mis- in revenge for tn,
adoption OF 'he republican policy of 1888,
by the dem senators would be exu
u!sitely absurd, besides being clearly re
volutionary The democracy of the state
cMld ask . n, urr issue than that whict
such q course on the part Of the republ
can senate wound afford them. Lei
the d.m0cralc senators stand firm = Err