The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-03
MAGUIRE AND DAGd.

remove Superintendent Daggett of the
! [ nited States mint at San Francisco,
on the charges preferred by Congressman
Mcguire, some evidence that Mr.. Carlisle
is what everybody familiar with him
knows he is not. a very practical politi-
clan, and entirely in sympathy with the
conception of public office it is alleged
Superintendent Daggett is possessed of.
This construction of the secretary $ &C
tion in the Daggett matter is obviously
strained one.
In the first place the charges preferred
against the superintendent. If correct.
and OF course that officials denial OF
them was entered at Washington, while
indicative OF reprehensible indelicacy on
his part, were not of the character to
Justify creating the oommotion and dis
turbance Of the public business which
would be the result OF changing the man
agement OF the San Francisco mint
| They doubtless would, If sustained
against his denial. operate to prevent his
appointment in the future to the same
or any other position under the present
adm nistration. But in the form that
they were made public there was nothing
to indicate that the superintendent has
neglected or nismanagsd the affairs OF
the government mint, and the manage
ment OF that institution is what the pub
lie is chiefly interested in; the public is
not nearly so much worked up over the
fact that The superintendent hired his
friends, instead OF his snsmies, as the
Express seems to think.
The charges, if true. simply establish
the fact that Mr.. Dsggett mas not so high
minded an idea of Official prcprieties a.
he ght have. In this delinquency he
has a numerous company in San Fran.
cisco.
There is no warrant whatever for sup
posing that because ecretary Carlisle
did not put the government to the eN-
pense Of investigating the charges. such
as they were, that he couienancet the
acts alleged against Daggett. In fact,
the Information which mas leaked out
concerning the presentation Of the
charges to the secretary shows that he
did not view with favor the sins laid to
Mr.. Dsggett. The San Francisco Call, in
an article relating to the Macuire-D aggett
war, has this to say OF Mr.. Caflisle's con-
sheraton OF the allegations:
at is quietly told that when Mcguire
saw Secretary Carlisle few weeks ago,
the story about Dageett taking the mint
washing away from Senator Buggy be-
cause he had not given his compliment
airy vote for bin for senator, was the
thing that surprised Carlisle most. al
though he took serious interest III the
rest of Magu.re's story. including the
sacrifice OF tha relatives Of other senator's,
the Rosalie mine stock scheme, and so
on. ~
|, would hardly seem from the forego-
ing that the secretary indulg cd in a warm
Endorsement of the conduct imputed to
Daggett.
1t is worth remem bering that the sec
rotary OF the treasury department OF the
United States has number of things of
vastly more importance to engage his at
tention than the failure of mint super
intendent to draw fine distinctions in the
| makeup of his staff.
The wav to cure such abuses as Daggett
is charged with is to take the appointing
OF all but his confidential assistants out
OF the power Of the su 1erintendent Of the
mint. This can be done by extending
the provisions OF the civil service law
which now obtain in other branches of
the treasury department and in the post
office department, so as TO include the
milts. Let the numerous subordinate
places ne filled from a list of applicants
who have passed competitive examine
tions.
What the Examiner says about Score,
tary Carlisle failure TO remove Dsggett
is imnaterial to the Democratic party,
possibly excepting portion of it IN San
Francisco. The Examiner is unquestiona-
bly, one OF the really great journals OF
the country, but it long since ceased 10
be u Democratic journal. 1t is not Dem
ocratic in principle for it has time and
again advocated propositions that may
be Republican, POpulistc or Sncialistc.
but that certainly are not Democratic.
1t is not Democratic in policy, for it has
unreasonably and viciously assailed and
DETAINED an administration that has done
more to realize Democratic Piles
than any other in quarter OF q century,
and which was elected on and is trying
to carry out a platform which Che Elk am.
liner protested tc approve at the time OF
its adoption.
ii Congressman Mcguire has more SER
ious charges to prefer against Mr.. Dag
sett, charges that affect the latter
utility or integrity a. a public officer it
is to be hoped he will prefer them; 1t
Will be his duty to do so, aid if he docs
there is little doubt they will receive the
right sort of consideration from the sec
rotary ana the president.
If he has not more important allega-
tons he had better drop the case. Con-
gresham Mcguire is too big a man sto
fritter away his time splas hing around
in the mud puddle of san Francisco
politics.