Show THE KESrOXSIBILTY Pui s VAXDEKVOOKT a blatherskite who gained some notoriety a few years ago through having been elected commanderin chief of the G A U has been made superintendent super-intendent of mails at Omaha much to the astonishment of a good many decent Republicans I Repub-licans of that city The newspapers are very severe in their denunciations of the I appointment and of all the journals the lice alone defends the President for the I selection though even the newspaper named does not like VAXDEKVOOKT The lice says it is not at all probable that the President knew anything about VAXDEKVOOKT or even heard of him and very likely the postmastergeneral if he had anything directly to do with the appointment ap-pointment did not seek information beyond those who urged it The fault is with the Nebraska delegation in Congress which endorsed en-dorsed the candidacy of VAXDEKVOOKT and labored to hoist him on the public service It is certainly unfortunate that the state has thus been humiliated before the country coun-try and it is just and necessary that the blame should be placed where it belongs If the President is not to be censured for this appointment should he be criticised for any bad appointment If we relieve the executive of the responsibility responsi-bility we should at the same time relieve him of the power and confer it on members I mem-bers of Congress or others who can be held accountable to the public which is imposed I upon As long as the President names the officials he ought not to be held blameless forbad selections Itis his duty to see that good men are put into office and it is not a valid excuse to say that the offensive person per-son was recommended by others That would be pi jading the baby act This case again forcibly illustrates the impropriety of the President appointing officers other than those under his immediate immedi-ate supervision and with which he has direct di-rect relations It is impossible that he can know even a tenth of the men he must commission and for whose efficient and faithful performance of duty he is morally responsible He must necessarily trust to others to make s31cc ions for him and those others being accountable to nobody recommend rec-ommend persons without regard to their fitness for the office and frequently without regard for the public as in the case of the man VAXDEKVOOKT There will be evils and abuses as long as the immense patronage is left with the President The quickest way to bring about a cure or reform re-form is not as the Bee suggests to excuse the executive but to make him responsible before the public for all his appointments and in that way to induce a sensitive President Presi-dent to ask to be Believed of the whole business busi-ness of appointing to office |