St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-04-08

sion to see the papers of rival canAi-
dates
One old man from a northwestern
state went SO far as to intimate that he
would give five hundred dollars for per
mission to see the papers Of one of his
rivals. The appointment clerk replied:
'You wrote q letter here stating that
that man had committed heinous
crime. The department has irvesti.
gated the matter, and finds that your
statement is untrue. How would you
like to have me show that man your
libelous letter concerning him? lie is
in the city and would like 70 see it."
The old man saw the necessity of hav-
ing himself protected. and then was
able to see the necessity of protecting
the other candidates. Every scrap of
paper written to one of the executive
departments in Washington Is held in
sacred confidence. No power can COM
pei the executive branch of the govern
ment to violate that confidence. Tho
United States senate may resolve" and
re-resolve, but cannot compel the pro-
duction of papers of that nature.
Hence, throughout all time, IL our pres
idents understand the situation, as they
probably will, the senate will be
obliged to consider executive nomina-
tions in secret session.
The trouble which would arise from
the publication Of all facts concerning
presidential nominations would be very
great, but, in comparison with other
troubles which would result, the sem
atorial phase would be small. There
ore about six thousand presidential ap-
pointments, while there are nearly
seventy thousand post Office ap-
pointments. II the facts concerning
the candidates in each presidential of
flee were given to the public, the people
in all towns and villages would have .
right to know why certain appoint
mcnts were made, and they would de-
nand, reasonably enough, the publica-
ton Of all facts in each case. You can
scarcely realize what this would mean.
There are always from two to twenty
candidates for the small post Offices.
Why, even on the frontier prairie
where . new town is starting everybody
wants to be postmaster; not that there
is any money in it, but for the honor Of
il. These candidates ascertain who the
other candidates arc and write all man
ner of scandalous gossip concerning
them tending to demonstrate that all
other candidates are either dishonest or
In some other way unfit for the posi-
tion. If the rival candidates in some
g. ~ Ans- So
some new town site on the prairie, could
only know the contents of those let.
tiers there would be rifles. .re~olvers and
bowie knives in the air. Villages would
date their local affairs from the time
when such and such . man was killed
1t such and such cross roads. Every
neiyhborhood would be in . fcrment and
feuds would blossom upon every grocery
counter in the hamlets and ut the cross
roads. These things would ultimately
result from open executive sessions Of
the senate.
During the last session Of congress
there was an important nominstion
pending for one Of the middle states,
and = distinguished senator. whom
many believed might be nominated for
the presidency, appeared before = com
mittec and made statements which
would have caused trouble il they had
been seen in cold type. II the case re-
ferred to had been considered in open
session, the senator would have been
compelled to cause trouble in an inn
portant city. I do not believe that we
shall ever have open executive sessions
SMITH d. FEY.