The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-02
ANOTHER ideal" APPoINTMENT.
Mr.. Clevelands New Fourth Auditor OF the
Treasury.

New York, Aug. IA Washington
special to the Tribune says in reference
to the appointment of Charles B. Nor.
ton, of Maine, to be fourth auditor oil
the treasury, Mr.. Morton is not unknown
to fame. On the contrary his is repu-
tation which may be called notorious.
Eight years ago he became candidate
for the postmastership of Augusta, Ne.
Mr.. Cleveland was about to appoint him,
but is said to have yielded to the earn
est protest of Mr.. Blaine, whose objec-
tions to Mr.. Morton's appointment
were based upon the scandalous state
ments touching his family relations
which Morton published in the news
paper he controlled during the Cleve-
land-Blaine presidential campaign. Mr..
Cleveland felt bound, however, to re-
ward Mr.. Morton for the work he had
| done, and though he regretfully yielded
to Mr.. Blaine he subsequently placed
Morton in the berth of commissioner OF
| navigation. The Marine Journal of New
York characterized the appointment at
the time as "a shameless prostitution OF
the only Office at Washington to whose
care has been committed the oversight OF
American shipping and the proper ad-
ministration of the navigation laws"
The same journal considered the Pres
ident's course .'mortifying and humiliat-
ing,' and grimly suggested that hereaf-
ter 1.-THE farmers of the country be sent
to sea and the sailors put to digging Pc
tatoes." Of Morton personally 1.-THE
Journal spoke as of "a man who has
never held any position of responsibility
or gained the confidence of a single COM
munity, man who has neither trade nor
profession, but is utterly uneducated in
any art or science" The subsequent
history of the administration of the bu-
| reau of navigation fully bore out the
justice of 1.-THE Journals" criticism.
There never had been, or has been since,
| a commissioner of navigation like Nor
ton, so utterly unfit to hold this Office, OF
| indeed any other which might have been
| bestowed upon him.
The problem is how he succeeded in
| inducing President Cleveland to violate
! the rule laid down by him when he en-
| tered upon his second term not to ap-
point, except for exceptional reasons,
men who had held office under him be-
| fore. The only Exceptional reason
| can be the role of slanderer, which Nor
| ton played during the campaign of 1884
| in the interest of Mr.. Clevelands candi-
dacy The duties of the fourth auditor
include the examination, adjustment
and transmission to the second CONTROL
er of all accounts concerning the pay, ex-
| penditures, pensions and prize money OF
| the navy. But is it credible that Mr..
| Cleveland would appoint to the dis.
charge of such important and RESPONSE
BILE duties man ''utterly uneducated, u
one that has ''never gained the conf
dence of single community except
for special reasons, such as those i'm.
plying sense of gratitude on his part
| for services rendered-no matter of what
| nature-at critical point in his career!
And this being the case, will not won.
dering public be justified in putting once
more the question, "Is public office again
| to be priya' 9 snap in these days Of
| purity and reform?"