The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-04

bition is to serve every section OF the
Commonwealth, has been chosen as
United States Senator as the success
or of Ransom. There abe other dis
tinguished Eastern men who are worthy
of high honors that are sure TO come to
them, but it would be political injustice
for Eastern Democrats to seek to elevate
any one Of their sons as the successor OF
Vance. We do not believe any such pur-
pose has ever been seriously entertained.
We know that it ought not to bel enter
tanned.
This paper does not believe in any cast
iron rules of sectional division of public
honors. There might be occasions when
| both Senators, the Governor, Chief JUS
tice and Member of Congress should
| reside in the same county. That has
| happened in North Cardinals history. 1t
may happen again. 1t Will happen and
should happen if any one county contains
| men who tower in brains, in character,
| in equipment for public service, in real
State. If today there lived in Raleigh,
| New Bern or Goldsboro a great man who
was incomparably greater than any man
in Western North Carolina, he ought to
| be chosen Senator. But it is absurd to
| say that any such conditions exist-that
we have such man. There are men in
! tie T@s- IS able, as distinguished, as
worthy O. TIE lie men who are candi-
.a-es the senatorial toga, but there
is M ~ IL me- East better equipped
far that nigh service than are found in
. III esteru North Carolina This being true,
the natural selection OF a resident of the
Western part Of the State is not only de-
manded by political wisdom but by a
spirit of just division of honors among
the brave men who won the glorious vic
tory of 1898 ard 1900, and made possible
the election of a Democratic Senator.
Mr.Jefferson, esteemed by North Caro-
linians one hundred years ago and to-
day as the wisesc and ablest public man
America has produced, has given some
light that may guide us now. Writing
in 1901 to Horatio Gates, the sage Of
Monticello said
'In our country, you know, talents
alone are not to be the determining cir
cumstance. but a geographical equilli-
brium is to certain degree expected
The different parts of the Union expect
to share the public appointments
Mr.. jefferson was met upon his access
sion to the presidency with flood of
applications from Virginia. 1t came to be
said before the War Between the States
that Virginia made its money chiefly
from monopolizing Feleral offices and
selling negroes TO the far South. Vir-
ginia has always thousht, being called
''the mother of Presidents that it ought
to- fill most Of the Offices.
Mr.. Jefferson was glad to appoint many
from his own State, lat he recognized
the justice of paying proper attention to
MIR. Gates, from which the above
extract was taken, Mr.. Jefferson said:
Virginia is greatly over her due pro
portion of appointments in the General
Government; and though this has not
been done by me, it would be imputed as
blamed to me to add to her proportion.
So that foc all general offices persons to
fill them must, for some time, be sought
from other States, and only Offices which
are to DC exercised within the State can
be given to its own citizens"
If Mr. Jefferson was right in taking
that position with reference to appoint
ments, Mr.. McCorl1le is right in taking
the position that North Carolina legis-
lators should likewise give consideration
to it. He has the best of authority for
the position he maintains.
Mr.. jefferson laid down rule for his
own guidance in making appointments
that might be observed by the North
Carolina Democracy in the election of
Senator, in anotn or aspect Upon his
inauguration he declared that il MAX
ing appointments he would not be
governed by political considerations, but
he would always Ask as to each candi-
date: us he fit, is he honest, is he
capabie?" Later on in his administration
the Federalists, who held nearly every
Federal office in tt young Republic, de-
clared that in NAL King appointments he
would not be governed by political con-