The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-10-27
LET HIM BE ELECTED.

has stated it reasons therefor. 1t be-
lieves that the salary of such an o6i
cial would be much more thaq paid
by expenses which would be saved the
State directly in the conduct of its
legal business and that the advantages
to be derived from having special
attorney of competent ability TO adj
wise the State officials would be mani
fold. OF course, however. if the
Office is created, its real value will
depend to large extent, upon the
man who shall be chosen to fill the
position.
The bill now before the Legislature
provides that an encouragement
shall be elected by the General AS
sembly for d biennial term. AS the
bill originally read, he was to be APP
pointed by the Governor subject to
confirmation by the Senate, but the
Senate AMENDED it as above. The
Journal believes that this amendment
was proper and a wise one, and
hopes that the bill as it now reads
will become law.
The st. Adams Messenger disapproves
of the change from appointment to
election, in this case, and argues
against the acts of the Legislature
which it says "have stripped the office
[of Governorl of power, made the
governorship in most respects mere
rubber stamp, have taken gubernator-
ial functions over unto themselves,
and have even overridden the courts.
1t seems that the protest of the Mes
senger is not we'll taken, for even if
it be granted that some of the Govern
ors former powers of appointment
have been taken away, yet it is not
true that the Governor of this State is
rubber stamp '-unless he makes
himself one. Some of the Governors
may have come near to the rubber
stamp variety. not because Of the
Legis.a cure but from their own lack of
ability and initiative. Governors Of
that type would never be made any
thing else by giving them few more
officials to appoint Instead, the State
would be taking dangerous chances of
having incompetent or INSCRIPTIONS
men Iamed in important offices. The
Messenger says further:
Al appointing officer, having the
whole field TO select from and know
ing that the eyes of the whole State
are upon him while be makes his
choice and that the people will hold
him strictly to account for the way
in which he exercises that choice Will
think twice and make selection for
which he expects to be subsequently,
wiling to be held responsible. But
a bod of men in General Assembly
makes no selection of a candidate, the
candidates, whoever they may be.
preseIt themselves to them, and no.
body is afterward held accountable
for Ioor choice because there is no
personal responsibility to identify III
3 mas of 276 voters. "
Thee is a little something in what
the Messenger says about responsible
lily. Were every Governor of the
highetttype-of the type that honors
the State by efficient service and is
WORTH of higher position, the doc
trine would be all right The trouble
is that the Governor is frequently a
man who reaches the height of his
ambition when he seats hismelf in the
chair OF the Chief Executive of the
State, ald who has pulled all sorts of
wires AM made various promises in
order to ret there. He has political
debts to pay by appointment. Not
the probability of efficient service to
the State, but the knowledge of po-
litieal ssly.Gs in the aampdigns is apt
tt be the test by which candidates for
appointment are judged If he makes
pdor or unsuitable appointments, what
mhtrers 1T 10 him? He can't get a
reelection anyway.
r. GO temporary's suggestion thar
caul ats present themselves to the
Goul M Assembly, but that Govern
or, 0iogenes. goes about with a
lantern looking up men has the merit
of iuuoceuca if not of truth
A geuo.ul practice the Journal
won q rather trust to the good sense
and honesty Ct the Legislature, in the
matter Of choosing State officials, t tan
to the Governor. The members are
276, to- 5s sure, hut large majority
of those 216 feel the responsibilities Of
their offices aud VIII vote wisely foi
State officers The legislators will
not select an Encouragement because
he had charge of the Governor pre-
convention canvass in some section
and the Governor wants to give HIN
his reward for getting the delegates
They will look rather to his ability
Furthermore. is it not somewhat
violent contradiction of principle t'
declare that the body entrusted Will
making the laws OF "A State cannot-ol
ought not to-be entrusted with thu
duty Of choosing the officer to admin
lister those laws? There is safety II
the very numbeIs in which the Mes