The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-11
THE PRESIDENTS PREREQUISITES.

There shOuld be no surprise because the
President has announced that he intends 10
be informed of the qualifications and char
acter of an applicant for a federal office
before his appointment. That is the course
he pursued while Governor of New York.
He was urged and even threatened at long
range with direful consequences if he did
not reappoint a man for a high office whom
his predecessor. backed by a few influential
party men, had appointed in the face of
the protests Of all the Republican papers of
the State. Nevertheless. he would not re-
appoint the man, and appointed a party
man against whom no one could offer OBJ
lection and a party Senate could not
refuse to confirm. President Roosevelt
holds that the federal government should
have the services of the men who are quail
ihed for the discharge Of the duties of the
Offices for which they are named. and that
their records shall show that they are men
Of integrity. Character and qualifc2ti ion
are superior to all claims When an APP
plicant is deficient in either of these quail
ties, no claims are worth considering and
Will not be considered. No amount of in
huence or Endorsement will help a man who
is neither capable nor honest.
1t is not necessary to say that this is the
proper policy for the President TO adopt,
not only so far as the good of the public
service is concerned, but because of its
bearing upon public sentiment and opinion.
A man who is not qualified for a position
may get along by the assistance of others,
but the selection of such men creates a
sentiment that most any man who can get
a public position is qualified for it. Such a
practice causes many men who are not
qualified 10 be aspiIants for position when
they would not think of it If qualification
should be a prerequisite at the outset. Men
whose character in business affairs has
been shady and men concerning whom the
community believes that they should be
watched are about the last men who should
be appointed to public position, for the rea-
son that people will Judge the public service
by them. II the people in any community
should know of the appointment of a dis
honest or incompetent man, they would
assume that all the reports of corruption
and ineficiency were true. On the other
hand, to have il known that a dishonest
or a weak man has no right to receive pub
lie recognition will tend to elevate the pub
lie tone in regard to character and conduct.
The fact that the government places the
ban upan inefhciency and bad or shady
reputa 1on would have an elevating influ-
ence upon society at large
DefalcatiOn and irregularity are no I'M
common occurrences in county offices in
Indiana. II is because so little regard is
paid to the qualification and integrity of
candidates. Because they have influence or
have put many men under obligation 10
them. ~forceful men who have no business
qualification are elected to county offices
of trust. They cannot tell whether subordl-
mates transact the business properly or not.
Frequently the result is that subOrdinates
are unfaithful and disaster befalls a man
who is honest because he is ignorant. Other
men who are not of high repute for honesty
get county offices. They use money which
is not their own, and once in a while cannot
account for it. and punishment is averted.
It would. therefore, be an important meas
IRE of reform TO accept President Roose-
velt's proposition and nominate none but
men of integrity and ample qualification
for all offices.