New-York tribune., 1899-07-16
PROTECTION DUE PUBLIC OFFICERS.

PROTECTION DUE PUBLIC OFfIChhS'
Governor Roosevelt is entitled to general
sympathy and support in his announced deler
mination to protect himself from the incursiohs
of bores with axes TO grind ana triviahues u
discuss. He is certainly entitled to reason
able measure Of privacy in his country nome
and n liberal allowance of time at this season
of the year for rest and recreation. Inc 1o'-
ernor is neither an indolent man nor an un-
sociahle recyse who holds himself aloOf from
his fellows and their concerns and seeks 10
nerform his official duties in solemn dignity
and egotistical disregard of the opinions ana
knowledge of others. He never fails TO seek
the best available advice on all public questions
presented to him. He keeps Thoroughly ID
touch with the varied interests OF the people
Of the State. There is no reason why every
crank with n notion and every fellow Win
selfish scheme should feel 1t his privilege 10
indjct himself uninvited and unannounced upon
the Governors time and attention.
This rule against impertinent intrusion ap-
nlies with special force In the vacation sea-
son when even public officers are entitled to
q chance TO fit themselves physically for the
buster time of year. But it Is also rule mat
might we'll hold good in winter. Probably no
with so little consideration we do. NO prl-
vate employer would ever think OF engaging
man to take charge of his business and then
compel him to devote ten hours day 10 re-
ceivog calls from all sorts of people on all
sorts of errands He would know that such
intcrruptions interfered with his usefulness.
But the public employer never seems 10 uh-
1erstand that. The President or Governor is
roif si1
os his nersonal errand boy. who might be
spoled and made undemocratic II allowed 10
secure for himself reasonable opportunity LOT
good work and treated with the same courteous
regard for his comfort and convenience mat II
ordinarily shown to a private cltlZeh pun
liz officer is the servant of the people but he
Is not the servant Of any one of the people ana
that one has no right to trespass on the time
which belongs to all, and may best be USED Dy
nernitting the officer 10 do his work in his
own vav unhampered by miscellaneous visits
prompted by personal selhshness and vanity.
We should not advocate hedging about our
executive officers with any such etiquette as
places the French President in almost royal Sc
clusion Such system fits neither the temper
Of our people nor that of their officers. We 90
not need so TO persOnfy the State TO maintain
il in peoples respect. We already treat men
at the head of affairs with such ceremohiai
Difference as marks our appreciation of the Dig
nltv of our own institutions and of the regard
dine ourselves and those we have hOnored by
! making them our representatives. But we do
need 10 treat those officials with more consid
Grafton as human machines for the performance
of labor No man can properly serve the pub
lie if the individuals who compose the pubic
will not give him chance 10 do his best work
II IS q useful rule worthy of all obedience that
nobody shall come to the Governors presence
uninvited. We know Mr.. Roosevelt well enough
10 be assured that no person with business tha'
really needed attention would fail to secure II
at any hour of the day or night As for the
people whose business Is petty or merely sell
isb or actually non-exstcnt-and there are hun
drcds of these about every public man-the
more effectively they can be thwarted the pet
ter for the State