Evening star., 1902-02-05
MUCH TIME WASTED
Consideration 6of Charges Against
Territorial Officers.
FIGHT BY DISAPPOINTED APPLICANTS
Opposition Renewed After Con-
fFnnation.
q
A C.H NGE p R o P o S E D

A change in the present method OF dis
posing of the political affairs of the terri
tories is seriously contemplated by the
administration. AS matters now stand the
territorial appointments and the considera-
tion of charges filed against territorial OF
fee holders occupy very large part OF the
time of the cabinet officers whose depart
ments are concerned and of the time OF
the President, who has the final say III all
such matters.
No one who has not been brought INTO
contact with territorial affairs at the ma
tional capital can have any Idea OF the
work and trouble which comes to the de-
partments from this source. The pressure
for appointments causes far less trouble
than the attacks made upon those already
appointed. There is hardly a territorial Of
fcer in the government blue book who has
not been charged at various times with the
most serious crimes, which charges upon
investigation are found to be without the
slightest foundation in truth.
The Fight for the Place.
AS soon as a vacancy is imminent IN
territory the rush for Washington begins.
and representatives are besieged for in
dorsement and urged to use their influence
not only for residents of their own states,
but for outsiders who were formerly the
residents of such states. or who have some
reason or other for claim upon the time
and attention of particular member OF
Congress. Delegations without number ar
rive in Washington and urge the claims OF
this or that applicant. Other delegations
almost equaling in number the first men
toned hurry east to protest against Ihe
appointment Of men urged by others. Inc
Secretary of the Interior and the Attorney
General hold continual levees for the ben
eft of those territorial aspirants and their
friends and hackers 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 following
very much in disfavor owing to some par
ticularly energetic attack upon his record
or his pull.
Fight on the AppOIntee.
With the most honest motives in the
world and the greatest desire to improve
the public service the President and his
advisers inevitably become confused as to
the names under consideration and in press
of public business are almost sure to get
a distorted view Of the merits or demer-
its Of the different candidates. After the
President has finally selected a man for
through the recommends tions of members
of his cabinet. the name is sent to the Sen
ate for confirmation and the forces of all
the disappointed office seekers are concen-
trated upon the one man who has been
favored Members of the Senate are i'm
portuned to hold up the confirmation 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
alleged
timony to prove that from the moment he
went into his office he showed himself I'M
fit for the position.
Some One Always Being Investigated.
Not day passes the year round that
some territorial office holder is not being
Investigated. Even under the present sys-
tenn Of appointment, however very few
Of the charges result seriously, for they
generally disappear in smoke when the evil
dence is called for and sifted down to- a
legitimate basis.
To Abate the Evils.
The President, the Secretary of the In
terror and the Attorney General have been
considering the possibility of eliminating
some Of these dsagreeable and offensive
features from territorial politics. 1t is be-
lieved that by exercising great care in the
matter of selecting territorial officeholders
and having once installed them, giving
them the earnest support Of the admins
tration, and not paying any attention to
the charges made except those Of most
serious character and fully substantiated by
reputable men in a manner which would
admit of no doubt as to their importance,
that some Of the present evils might be
abated.
One of the strongest arguments for state
hood for the territories Is found in
the weariness with which all terri
orto la1 h.
executive department Of the national capt.
tai. The affairs Of one territory occupy
more time and are more seriously disturb
ing in their political and administrative ef-
feet than are the affairs Of the greatest
states from Washington standpoint
Earnest Scrutiny of Candidates.
President Roosevelt has devoted earn
est attention and much time and investiga-
ton to the securing Of proper men to fill
the territorial offices which are or shortly
will become vacant. 1t is impossible for
one man, even the President Of the United
States, no matter how conscientious he
may be, to fill these scores Of Offices wise
iy in all cases, for he must in many Of
them depend upon the statements and the
Judgment Of others. In some Of these ap-
pointments already made he has been
guided by an impulsive desire to help his
friends who have served him Loyalty in the
past. Great care in the selection of men
for office and the hearty support and conf
dence of the administration. meaning a re-
fusal to consider charges based upon politi-
cal opposition or personal enmity, will do
much to relieve the present thoroughly bad
method of conducting this department Of
the government. 1t will be great day for
the members of the cabinet and probably
for the chief executive himself when terri
torial affairs take the position which they
should occupy in relation to their impor-
tance compared with the position they
now occupy. which is apparently one of
precedence before all others concerning the
nation.