New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-15
A DIVIDED RESPONSIBILITY.

A DI|IDED HFSI ONcIDILIII
The disadvantage Of bright men is that they
DO not always think to the bottom OF things.
Mr.. Williams of Massachusetts, is without
doubt bright, and has been making some lucid
and breezy remarks about the functions OF the
people in the process of self government lie
thinks it crying evil. and the root of many
evils. that when the people elect a certain man
their President there are about 300, 900 per
sons in the country, more or less, who consider
that they have been elected to part of the
Executive Office. and who insist upon sharing
the Executive power. This is perhaps as bright
a way as any of stating a common objection
TO the existing mode of selecting officers.
This objection is that the people deliberately
se,cc. a Chief Executive because they know
him. have considered his record and have salts
fed themselves that he would use wisely and
with fidelity the powers of that office, particu
laly the power of appointment and therefore
he has no business to delegate or share that
power with any other person, nor have other
persons any business to expect that he will.
But what is the appointing power? Has Mr..
Williams ever thought ont that matter fully !?
If so, he must realize that it is physically i'm
possible fer any President to know personally
all the candidates for Office. or all the persons
he has to appoint. The utmost he can pos
sby do is to inquire with fidelity and I'M
partially. and to obtain such accounts as ne
can regarding the fitness of applicants from
different States. The appointing power can
by no possibility mean more in the great ma
jority Of cases than the power to obtain, weigh
and decide upon such information.
IT, then the President is forced to act upon
information, he must perforce rely to a great
extent upon the prominent and active men III
different States whose extensive acquaintance
enables them to speak with knowledge, and
whose great personal interest in the success OF
a party or Administration gives reason to ex-
pcct them to Judge carefully and report truly.
Should President begin by relying for IN
formation in any state upon some man not
interested in public affairs, he might be Justly
censl;rable as failing to seek the most trust
worthy nformation Should he begin by rely
ing upon men not experienced in or acquainted
with the active men of state or county. he
might reasonably expect constant misnforma-
ton. Should he rely upon written recon-
mcndationS, or in ordinary cases upon some
sort of caucus resolution or vote. every sensible
public man would laugh at him. Thus it is
part of the appointing power, in the very nature
of the case, that really large share of the
Executive power and responsibility should de-
volvc upon those in every part OF the country
from whom the President has the greatest
reason to expect abundant and trustworthy in
formation. His power to judge OF them by
their conduct to judge of their recommends
tons by results and to give greater or less
confidence where greater or less appears to be
justified by experience is after all i'll a great
majority Of cases the most important exercise
of the appointing power that is possible
In the light of these considerations, il does
not appear entirely absurd that those whose
personal activity and usefulness in public af-
fairs have led the people in different States or
counties to uphold them as Senators, Repro
scntativcs or managers should expect TO have
some responsibility ard some power in the
! selection of officers by President politically
in accord with them. 1t would be utterly i'm
possible, indeed, for any President. however
| able or worthy, to carry on an Administration
with success and with public appreciation
| through any other process OF selection. When
| he finds reason in any locality TO distrst or
reject the suggestion OF this or that man, he
| takes the responsibility with full right to do
So But it is not to be expected that any
President can make all appointments upon his
| personal knowledge. Forced to trust some
| body, he is compelled to throw part Of the re-
| sponsibilty upon somebody.