The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-07
Letters to the Editor.
Candidates and Civil Service.

oo1untos ana Olvll SetVlce.
 Adtt1r The Advertiser:
 I IS to be regretted that MT. Julius sternfeid. for political considerations. or Tor the supposed benefit of any one, should have shown himself 90 injudicious as 10 permit a little clique of so-called nomination. even if regularly made. as a candidate for Representative in the Fifty-eighth Congrsss, to be pitted in the race against such q distin guished gentle mn as Col. A. A. Wiley It would be the even in the widest dreams of inflated egottsm. to suppose for . moment that he stood . ghost of a chance of being elected to Congress In this district NO member has been more useful to his con Colonel Wiley. He has sndeavored to serve the people faithfully and well, ir- respective of political affiliations The tree is known by the fruit it bears: and the good results, which he has already &C., complished. demonstrate his eminent fit- ness for the position he fills so honorably and satisfactorily. He deserves to be re- elected; and 1t would have been a grace ful recognition of his services to have re- turned him to Washington a second time
 This writer has nothing unkind to say of MT. Sternfeld's aspirations. Aside from his inexperience in public affairs and utter lack of fitness or preparation for seto RA&CO nD UCCABt Wit ipe toh " strike a dlsinterested public as being manifestly improper for him, holding, as he does, the position of Assistant United States District Attorney, to become a sandidste candida for Congress without first vIe re- lates the spirit. if not the letter, of the civil service law MT. Roosevelt was him self at one time civil service commits sioner, and since he became President has gone farther than any of his predeces- n daplarino q riR0rOnalY snfores s q, thi: Iaw RofD0'fs is fresh @ in the minds of the people that President Cleve- land refused to allow candidates for Con- gress in the States of Alabama, Misss- ern States to hold appointive offices Jin- der his administration, even for SO short a period of time as during the campaign preceding the election Of such incum- bents. For reasons of public. policy, which he gave out in his usual clear and cogent way, he put before these ambi- tous gentlemen, on that occasion. the all formative either to vacate their offices or to decline Congressional nominations. The same reason which impelled him. as Chief Executive of the nation, to adopt this course of conduct towards his own Democratic appointess, ought to apply in the present case; and if MT. Sternfeld Is foolish enough to run for Congress :.t this time in the Second District he ought first to be required Ito step down and out as Assistant United States District Attorney. What was good logic in 1895 Is better logic in 1902. The office of United States District Attorney is potential one, and the consequences flowing from its administration, either good or bad, are far-reaching. He Is the officiai des- ignated by the President, by and with the consent of the Senate" to prosecute, on behalf of the government, violators of the Federal statutes in all the pro- tean shapes which the lawless classes may assume, and that, too, faithfully, fearlessly and impartialiy, without pre- judice towards one criminal or affection ate consideration towards another. He should avoid all semblance of duress or coercion. He ought to be able to place himself on a high plane of courageous in derendence-free from the debasing temp tation to punish those electors who, in the excl else of their constitutional rights, would dare to vote against him, or to reward those who. through fear of per- sonal consequences, might choose to cast their ballots for him. Next to- the Judge on the bench it is of the utmost impor- tance that the United States District At torney and his assistants should stay out of partisan politics, certainly to the ex- tent at least of not becoming candidates for the suffrages of the very men who are under indictments in the Federal Court, or against whom criminal prose- cutions are either pending CT threatened. An official cannot faithfully and conscien- tiously serve two masters-God and Mamnon; the public and his own selfish interests. Self is tyrant who never fails, at the opportune time, to chain and en- slave his victim. The great Cleveland cut through the thin veneer. ep0sed the evil and put a stop to the nefarious practice. President Roosevelt ought to profit by the example and do likewise in Mr. Stern fields case. Consistency.