The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1902-07-05
A PUBLIC OFFICE
IS A PUBLIC TRUST.

"a public Office is O public trust"
So wrote Grover Cleveland, and that
brief sentence made him famous.
II was the enunciation of a great
truth, a truth often lost sight of, bur
led in the slime of political intrigue
aud dishonesty, but a truth, neverthe-
less, dear to the heart of every true
American citizen.
Public offices are instituted for the
transaction Of public business. They
should be conducted strictly on bust
ness principles. promptly, honestly.
economically, in the interests of the
State and people. Those who conduct
them are public servants. or, if you
will, public employees. They should
be % competent as the employees of
we'll conducted business houses, should
work as many hours q day, aud should
receive equal compensation, no more, no
less. The correctness of this PROPOSE
ton should be self evident. No good
reason can be assigned why q person
employed by the Government, Ma
tional, State or municipal, should work
less hours or receive greater pay than
one doing like work for a private in-
dividual, OF for a private company.
As nominations for State offices will
soon be in order, it may not be amiss to
consider briefly the qualifications
which candidates for State offices
should possess. The duties of every
Office require certain qualifications for
their successful performance, which
every aspirant for Office should posses
in order to perform said duties with
credit to himself. satisfaction to the
people, and benefit to the State. The
duties or functions of different offices
differ widely, and require different
qualifications; hence each officer should
be adapted mentally and physically, by
nature and education, to the work re-
quired of him, that is, to the work he
is expected to perform while in Office.
The duties peculiar to different Of
fees and the qualifications, social,
moral and intellectual. necessary for
their faithful and creditable perform.
ance. are so numerous that only q few
can be considered in this article.
Speaking generally, it may be said
that every candidate for public office
should be honest, competent and in
corruptible. Nominating and voting
for men having these qualifications,
the people of Nevada will make no mis-
take, no matter to what political party
they belong; for one honest man is
worth a thousand corrupt, dishonest,
incompetent. intriguing, partisan poll
ticans.
What ann of man should the Gov
ernor of q great commonwealth be?
What sort of man should the Governor
of Nevada be? The Governor of Ne
vada. or of any other State, should be
one Of the best men in the State. He
is the chief executive officer OF the State
and should have special qualifications.
having special duties to perform.
Every one knows that to govern
means to rule. guide. direct or control
the person or thing governed; therefore
the Governor should be q broad minded
man, in sympathy with the people and
in touch with. and loyal to, the BUSH
ness interests of the State. He should
be 9 man Of education, culture and
refinement; Of sterling honesty, broad
gauge. and true as the stars to principle
and justice, He should have an init
mate knowledge Of the varied indus
tries of the people and the legislation
necessary to promote them, since as
chief executive he would have to ap
prove or disprove of all legislative acts
passed during his term of office. and to
execute them and all other acts then in
force.
Often, he has to entertain official Wis
itors from other States and to preside
at various public functions; hence he
should be q man of self -confidence and
self-poise, genial and urbane. so as to
acquit himself creditably under all cir
cumstances, and reflect honor upon the
State and people.
Above all, he should be q man Of
character. standing and responsibility;
having the ability to understand the
needs of his constituents, and the firm
ness to do justice to every section Of
the State. regardless of the wishes Of
scheming politicians, who seek to pro-