The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-23
OFFICIALS ron THE "oOIDNIEs.'

II we are TO enter upon colonial policy,
and II seems we are, both in the West
Indies and Asia, there Ia no subject Of such
the character Of men we place In author
ity over these new possessions. Upon our
selections of officials will largely, IL not
wholly, depend our success In avoiding
troubles with the natives and inspiring re-
spect for our government
There never was In our history, In short,
a time when the spirit Of the civil service
law, or freedom from part!sanship in APP
poihtments to office. was 10 enphatically
necessary as in the solution OF this coll
onization problem. Just so sure as we send
political favorites to the Philippines, to
Porto Rico and to Cuba as governors, as
customs officials and even as subordinate
place holders, merely because they are
political favortes, we will continually con-
front dangerous conditions. possibly open
riot and revolution. In proportion as we
fail to put men In office 10 the colonies
whose tact. skill and honesty would com
mand popularity and confidence. in that
proportion will We have to depend on large
garrisons aud brute force. Mr.. Dorman B.
Eaton Of the National Civil Service league
said the other day:
These truths are equally fundamental and
Important That community can not main
tain its political morality, improve It's govern
ment or oven prevent tho decay OF both with
out habituaily bringing into It's official leader
ship true representatives OF Its best character
and capacity. These great truths should be
regarded as all tle more admonishing and as
HAY nj In. nrnr Hal tah,
ment lntervenes In the affairs OF u foreign
people while proclalming Its purpose OF estab-
fishing its own dominion for their improve
meDt"
able to discover the evidence of a practical
recognition OF these great truths at Wash
ington. La Porto Rico, already, there ia
wide spread dissatisfaction in consequence
of the tactless and arbitrary conduct of
war office favorites who were given su-
preme authority there, and yet these same
favorites, or others OF their kind are be-
ing placed in tho responsible positions In
Cuba whilc better men for these places are
being passed over. What further will be
done In the same direction as our govern
mental establishments In tho West Indies
and Philippines broaden out and begin to
assume the civil as well as the military
administration, can be easily imagined
There is q general apprehension that ia
making even honest expansionists uneasy,
that an era OF shameless carpet -baggism
VIII be forced upon our new pos ess. ons to
the Disgrace OF America and possibly to
the precipitation OF bloody conflicts.
Hers Ia occasion for some wise and pat
riotsc and statesmanIike action on the
part of congress- when II comes to deter
mine the character OF government to be
given our new subjects" And the sooner
congress acts the less danger OF friction.
Merit. special fitness familiarity with the
peculiar problems 10 be solved, distin-
gulshed character and proven executive
ability, courded with a reputation for
tact. ought TO be made the Indispensable
requisites or qualifications for official no
sitlon in the colonies" The conserva.
tive, honest press OF the nation should i'm
press these views upon congress at once
and insiet upon non-partlsan action In the
premiees