The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-10-12
Great is HOke.

The remark is attributed to some
distinguished politician or writer on
governmental affairs that the interpre-
taton of law was of more import
ance than the making thereof; or, in
other words, that he cared little who
made the laws of country. if he could
be intrusted with the power to interpret
them. There has been much in the
history of our National and State gov
ernments that would tend to verify the
truth of this aphorism. A moment of
reflection will enable one to recall to
mind the list of interpretations of the
Constitution in the interest of slavery,
climaXing with the bred Scott decision,
and the later interpretations by the
supreme court of the legal tender act,
and SO on.
But why cite anything? Ones every
day experience of courts, juries and
public officers, shows him that however
conscientious and fair-minded an officer
may be, his Interpretation of law and
obligation is effected by education, en-
vironment and pre-conceived opinions,
and the judgment may be very different
from what others, reasoning from the
same standpoint, would have rendered,
and thus may seem to be far from JUS
tice.
1t sometimes happens that person
is placed in high official position where
he is clothed with great power for good
or i'll to others, and is actuated by selfish
interests, by sectional and party hatred,
or under motives of economy. The
rigorous exercise of authority, under
such influences, is certainly sure to be-
come disturbing. if not destructive,
force among the interests over which
his authority extends, especially if his
feelings and the feelings of those who
control him and to whom he owes his
elvation TO office happen to be inimical
TO the interests over which he has been
appointed to preside. 1t is fact which
every weil-informed man may verify,
on reflection, that it is far better for all
concerned that the man appointed to
exercise widespread authority in in
terests involving the rights and pros
perity of many others should be in
sympathy with those interests, and
those people, and the laws under which
he acts and which he must, in meas
ure, interpret.
We have, as the present time, one of
the most conspicuous examples of a
man in high position under the gov
eminent, and utterly out of place, in
the person of the Secretary of the Int
rior. Why the present incumbent
should have been selected for this posi-
ton it is not easy to understand-one
can only conjecture. 1t become pretty
evident during Mr.. Cleveland's first
pathy with the old soldiers and it seems
probable that in his appointment of
Hoke Smith to the Interior portfolio
he was actuated by the same petty feel
ings of spite against the deserving
saviors of the country that formerly
instigated him to veto so many of the
bills affording them pensions.
Secretary Smith is Southerner, an
eX-rebel, and possessed only local,
state reputation. He had not, nor had
others for him, given the country any
assurance that he was in sympathy
with the pension laws; that he compre-
hended the vast duties of the Interior
office, or had the ability to understand
and perform them fifty. He very
speedily, upon his advent into office,
illustrated to the country his animosity
towards the old union veterans. His
name is by-word all over the country,