The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-20
Lap-Over Appointments

Ihat Governor Harmon's motives
are far above mere partisansbip in
asking the senate to reconsider its
action in confirming the lap-oyer
appointments made by Governor
Harris, is evidenced by that mart
OF his communication to the senate
setting forth the Vicious effect such
course is bound to have upon
future State administrations.
There can be no garbling or mis- &.
interpretation of this extract from
the argument made by Governor
Harmon to the senate: eff the only
governor to be affected were nv
self, | SHOULD hesitate to speak lest
! 1t be thought that my motive Is un q,
duly personal. But each and every
one Of my successors in office will
be handicapped the same as myself
Iif what has been done should be
allowed to stand and become a pre-.
cedent. II ! have to work with
Governor Harris appointees until
the close of my term, the next gov
ernor will have to work with mine,
and so on indefinitely. The outcome
is bound to be a lack OF unity and
discipline in every administration
and, consequently, of the best re-
suits. Each governor will be tempted
to resort to his power of removal
under conditions likely TO work in
justice in some cases and TO stir
up in all contentious which tend to
discredit political life and injure the
pubic interests 1t Is easier to pre-
serve the right system now than II
will be to restore 1t. later"
Some of the appointments made by
Governor Harris will do more than
lap over until near the close of
Governor Harmon's term
The term of state commissioner
Of insurance, for instance, which
would not expire until June. 1911,
would lap over Governor Harmon's
entire term and five months into the
term of the governor TO be elected in
1910. 1t was this very condition
ernor Nash that he required the
resignation of W. s. Matthews,
hold-over appointee OF Governor
Bushnell, so that he could appoint
Arthur /. Vorys to that Office.
Here we have the precedent of a
Republican governor compelling
Republican appointee to resign be-
cause he refused to be bound by
the appointment of the preceding
Republican governor notwithstanding
such appointment had been confirm
ed by a Republican senate.
The terms OF state superintendent
of banks and state highway commits
sioner extending into 1912, would
lap over the entire term of Governor
Harmon and almost the entire term
of the governor to be elected in
1910.
If the reappointment Of J. G.
Morris a month before the expira
tion of his term is permitted 10
stand 1t will lap over the entire
term of Governor Harmon, the en-
tire term of the governor to be elect
Ell in 1910 and the entire term Of
the governor to be elected in 1912.
Other appointments also will lap
over two and three full governor
ships but those cited show the in
justice and iniquity OF loading down
an incoming administration with ap-
pointeAs OF a retiring governor.
For lese and many other reasons
the peopfe of Ohio, who voted last
fall for a change in State admins
tration, bel We that Governor Har-
mon Is entitled to fair treatment
by a Republican Legislature and that
there Is nothing unreasonable in the
request with VIII "a ne closed his
letter TO the senatt 20 wit:
~ ask, for the iake Of good