Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-12-18

SATURDAY EVENING, DEC. IS. IL
hi PETITION PRACTICE

The practice Of preparing petitions
for every conceivable purpose Imagin-
AIRY, when some appointive position Is
looked forward to, has long since be-
come one of the useless AMI Ineffective
habits of the American people.
Perhaps no custom is SO generally
uphe d., and so little accomplished by
1t, as this petition question. Any one
can prepare a pc ition, ORA ne cannot,
there are plenty who can and will pre-
pare it for him, and tor any position on
earth. Nor is this al ne petitioner
a have IN a comp arttivtiy short timr
innumerable o mes upon his paper
without reference " the tNc what the
position is that IS sought or the gu Il.
cation of the patty to fill it, or whetnef
he is actually wanted for the pla 70 o.
mot. Hundreds and thousands Of names
60 down upon papers CT This character
every day OF our lives without the Least
knowledge upon the part CT those who
place them there, as to the facts they
subscribe TO. The petitioner may de
clare hi mself honest, capable and de
serving and assert forty other lies, and
the whole thing is acce pied and signed
without a murmur. Then there are
again, others who never take time to
read over these misrs presentations,
but swallow the thing, feathers and
all. Then, again, there are Others
still, who know what they subscribe to
contains matters and asks for f4vers
Inconsistent with their ser s. Of pro-
priety, yet. through fear Of creating
hard feelings, will not say ''no." L.
the petition business, there is almost
always both carelessness-which a
times is almost criminal-and SELF sh-
ne-s combined, upon the part of those
who indiscriminatelv sign them. They
are careless ia not satisfying them
selvesithat there is truth aud merit in
the petition, and selfish in he fac
that they are mol themselves seeking
the position, and 9 see nothing tha
will injure them financially or morally
by signing it.
The thought Of what will ba the re.
suit 10 case the applicant is app ,intrd
scarcely ever enters their minds. N,
doubt that the appointment of persons
20 office, and, cons quen'ly, their
Official misconduct Or Inability to fl
the position conferred on them,
Is tracsable. in mtny Instances,
TO this petition practice, but the
day OF successful p~etitioning,
In the form alluded to, has
past. Those 10 authority realizs thai
the unworthy can get up a petition as
quickly as anybody aud in mnst cases
quicker, from the fact that they are
generally a cneeky set at best, and
conseq lently in this regard possess
advantages over the really meritoriou
OF course we do not say that all peli-
tious are after the description alb We
given, but we do say that the proper
ton Of such petitions whicn have no
merit is so great that it ref ects upon
the petition business.
P%stitioning is a good deal like carry.
ing letters of good reputation. Il js
only those whose reputation is bad
that need such Ie~tters, and il is a raro
thing that they d, the bearer aoy good.
Considering the fact bat they are
easily secured, aud h other fart TIA,
a person Of good repu . does not need
them, they as q ruiz sre not very
eHrc'ual. Psusior ira u an off hand
manner, besides IN sck u wisdnn
attending il ota Vi hos
who lend themselves 10 the habit.