The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-07-10
ABOUr CREATING A FAVORED

NLAe
A correspondent calls our attention tc
the following case Of apparent abuse Of
the appointing power, whore a senator oi
the United States has appointed son OF
the minister 10 Argentine to West
Point cadetship without competitive ex.
animation. We do not know that the
criticism is we'll taken but we are glad to
have the matter called because Il reveals
"A growing abuse, and 10 we print the
communication
"Some time ago ! remember you were
opposing Congressman Tongue for ap-
pointing sons OF politicians and favored
friends ~ cadets 10 West Point without
competitive examination. la recent
issue OF your paper note that Senator
Simon has appointed son OF Ex.Gov-
ernor Lord as cadet 20 West Point, but
10 fer have been unable TO find criti.
cism thereon in your paper. Now this IN
a purely political appointment, made TO
the son OF q man who for twenty-five
years has been an oillce-holder Ia the
state OF Oregon, and IL still one. Ii
seems TO me that you might be consist
ent for just once"
TnE JOURNAL is not fully informed
about the matter nor about the law in
the case, II is either a Law or Il has
been long since custom that the pres.
ident and the United States senators,
and even congressman have the right in
certain cases 90 name candidates for
West Point and Annapolis, the military
and naval colleges, as personal right, a
political and official perquisite, without
competitive examinations. We do not
hnow that this has been the case In the
appointment of Minister Lords sou. Il
is probable that Senator Simon had the
right under the law to name a cadet TO
West Point, l0r he would not have done
30. II he had not that right he il subject |
tothe same criticism thatMr Tonguewas.
Mr.. Tongue never held a competitive ex-
animation until driven to do 40 by the
persistent hammering Of THE Journal,
and he has never to this day held such
an examination openly and free from POI
litical influences and had the result an.
nounced publicly and without juggling.
To come 10 the point, all such acts are
and would be tolerated no.
where else, and are tolerated nowhere
else that we know Of. lln all other states
open public competitive examinations
are held to which any mans son is eligi.
BILE, no matter what his politics, color,
or nationality. The result OF this eN-
animation, which is not conducted by
political strikers, but by a non partisan
professional board, is made public aud
the ones standing highest and next
highest are named as candidate and al.
'ernate, This is American, lawful, GUS
iomary, and will be the practice in OR.
agon whenever our people are emanci- =
pated from dirty aud scuryy political 4
methods now prevailing.
At present only the oiice-holdng class
laye any right TO appointment IN the
United States. Instead Of the checks y
md balances that grow oui OF the intro. =
luction OF Representatives fresh from "
he people, there is constant conges. =
ion Of power from the class who already !.
rave too much, aud who are constantly u
emptsd 70 think the state exists only to on
Fed them and give their children adyan. "
ages, and II this keeps on from Wash. a'
ngton down 10 our local Affairs the com. -
ION run will be shut out entirely OF :"