The Liberal, Volume I, Number 40, 28 January 1893 — TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT. [ARTICLE]

TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.

There is much difference of opinion among those who are well informed upon the American system of government, as to the merits of that branch of the system known as Territorial Government. The difference in question finds practical scope in the situation now confronting Hawaii, and induces discussion as to weather the application of such a system to our country would be a benefit or the reverse? The system was invented and first applied to secure a cheap and simple administration of the affairs of large extents of territory sparcely inhabited, during the pioneer stage of civilization within their borders. It was never claimed, even by its most ardent partisans, to be an ideal, or even estimable form of representative government. The most claimed for it has been that it combined the feature of cheapness with compactness and simplicity. - Nearly all of the States of the Union other then the original Thirteen, have passes through the throes of Traditional Government. In the case of some of them, their Territorial experience was fairly placid, especially during the earlier years of the Republic. But, as politics became more complex in their bearings, and as corruption crept into the public service, through the open recognition of the spoils system by the holy Democracy, under the lead of General Jackson, the system of Territorial Government came to be looked upon as a field wherein the jaded and discarded wheel horses of the party in power could be turned out to recuperate upon the loot and spoils which the system afforded. In fact, for more than sixty years past, it

has been generally recognized as the thing to be expected of the administration of the day that it should place one of the lately numerous Territories at the disposal of each political bandit whose sins had found him out at home, and needed a new field for their exercise. In this respect the modern American was analygous to the ancient Roman government. When Rome became Mistress of the World, with groups of European, Aslatie and African colonies chained like captives to her chariot wheels, she used them as objects of plunder, pure and simple. When one of her generals had made himself so popular as to be formidable at home, or a polititian had, by fraud, crime or cunning, won the gratitude of the administration, he was "given a Province" in Rome's remote possessions, with carte blanche to rob its people, loot its marts, and plunder its treasuries of art until, enriched by his spoil, and strengthened by the arms of his conscripted legions, he returned to Rome to subvert the government of the day, carry high carnival among the "Seven Hills," and, in turn, bestow Provinces upon his rivals or supporters, to be in turn deposed by them. The writer of this article, during a brief residence in the United States, obtained same insight into the comparatively recent workiug of the Territorial government system. It so happened that, from the clty and county wherein the wrlter held his residence for a time, there were selected about half a dozen politicians to "send west" to posts of power and -profit-in the Territories. With one exception they were all political "toughs." One of them, being down at the heels financially, out of a job, on too intimate terms with John Barleycorn, and generally, a political pauper, was sent as Secretary of a north-western Territory by President Arthur. The Secretary of a Territory is the Executive during the absence of the Governor. The Governor is usually absent, for the reason that an appointment to the Governorship of a territory is, by common consent, a mere gratuity, not requiring the presence of the incumbent upon the ground, but leaving him free to continue his lobbying at Washington, or his other business or pleasure. Wherefore the Secretary is generally the acting Governor. Another of the worthies "Sent west" from that city was a pettifogging police court attorney, familiar with the interior economy of every saloon in town, always impecunious and every ready to "strike" a friend for a small loan. Since the writer's departure from that city, the worthy in reference was appointed by President Cleveland to be Chief Justice of the Territory of Arizona. The nomination was so bad, and the man's reputation so mal-odorous that he was promptly rejected by the United States Senate. But in spite of those facts the "Stuffed Prophet" renominated him, and, pending a second rejection by the Senate, actually imposed him for a time, upon that helpless but protesting Territory, as the head of its judiciary. So, in the early history of Michigan, an arbitrary and pigheaded Governor, sent out from Virginia, nearly wrecked the government and precipitated civil war by running counter to the laws, the wishes and interests of the people. The quite recent history of Dakotah, under an arbitrary Governor, and incompetent Judges sent out from New Jersey has shown how life may be made a burden to the residents of a Territory.