Arizona republican., 1902-02-06
TO SUPPRESS
 MALIGNERS
President Weary of Charges Against Territorial
 Officials
The Extent of the Nuisance Which the Affidavit Makers Have Be come-The Administration Plan to Discourage Them.

Washington. Feb. 5.-(Special)-A change in the present method Of disposing Of the political affairs O. the territories is seriously con templated by the administration. As matters now stand, the terri torial appointments and the considera- tica cf charges filed against territorial office holders occupy a very large part of the time Of the cabinet officers whose departments are concerned. and of the time of the president. who has the final say in all such matters.
 No one who has not been brought into contact with territorial affairs at the national capital can have any idea of the work and trouble which comes to the departments from this source. The pressure for appointments causes far less trouble than the attacks made upon those already appointed. There is hardly a territorial officer in the gov crnment blue book who has not been charged at various times with the most serious crimes. which charges upon in yestigation are found to be without the slightest foundation in truth.
 As soon as a vacancy is imminent in a territory the rush for Washington begins. Dozens of applications are filed, senators and representatives are beseiged for Endorsement and urged to use their influence. not only for resi- dents of their own states. but for out siders who were formerly the residents of such states. or who have some req son or other for d claim upon the time xfr If congress. Delegations without number arrive in Washington and urge the claims of this or that applicant. Other delegations. almost equaling in num- her the first mentioned, hurry east to protest against the appointment of. men urged by others. The secretary of the interior and the attorney general hold continual levees for the benefit of those territorial aspirants and their friends and packers, or their enemies, as the case may be. A man who may one day be in the lead in the race for an office will probably find himself the day foi- lowing very much in disfavor, owing to some particularly energetic attack upon his record or his pull.
 PRESIDENTS EMBARRASSMENT.
 With the most honest motives in the world and the greatest desire to inn prove the public service, the president and his advisers inevitably become con- fused as to the names under considera- tion and in the press of public business are almost sure to get a distorted view Of the merits or demerits of the differ ent candidates. After the president has finally selected man for territorial office, either personally or through the l recommendations of members of his 1 hi, iG tn ha fp ] for confirmation, and the forces of all 1 the-disaDpointed office seekers are con 1 ccntrated upon the one man who has been favored Members of the senate are importuned to hold up the con firmation until charges can be brought and testimony given to support them. ] After an appointee is confirmed and his commission issued the opposition is quiet for a time. but is in the mean ] time gathering real or alleged testi- | mony to prove that from the moment | he went into his office he showed him. self unfit for the position. The favorite ! charges are bribery, corruption, misuse 1 of the public funds. illegal procedure | in the conduct of his office, reinforced by an attack upon his private life. in- cludiug his morals, his family relations and his personal habits. With a reckless disregard for what may possibly be proved untrue, the men fighting the office holder formulate these charges in cold blood in detail, accompany them
 by affidavits, and they become a mat ter of record in Washington.
 CONTINUOUS INVESTIGATION.
 Not day passes the year round that some territorial office holder is not be- ing investigated. Even under the pres { ent system of appointment, however very few of the charges result seriously
 for they generally disappear in smoke
 when the evidence is called for and siited down to legitimate basis.
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