The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-04-15
The Duties of Senators and Repre-
seutatives.

The Baltimore SIM of April s;h had a
carefully worded editorial against the in
Auenee of Senators and Representatives
in federal appointments, 'sThe recon-
mendation of Congressman, says the
,Sua sin behalf Of constituent applying
FIR Office should have no more weight than
that of any private citizen Of equal charac-
ter and intelligence Further, the Sun
says-ssuch recommendations are beyond
the scope of the duties confidcd by the
neople and the laws to members OF Con-
eress. and they tend to interfere with and
embarrass. instead Of aiding, the freedom
of choice and discretion vested by the con-
stilution in the appointing power
Senators and Representatives do and are
expected to do many things which are not
"eon6ded" to them by law, and it they
should decline and act upon the advice ofthe
SIN they would be relegated TO private life.
They are not pension agents by law, but are
in fact. Inquiries concerning the status
of pension claims by Senators and Repre-
sentatives, upon request of applicants, are
so numerous that an answer is not received
until a week after the inquiry is made.
They 20 to the Interior Department tolook
after pension appeals; to the Post Office
Departl .ent 10 look after mail routes and
postal matters generally; to the War De
partment to look after records oil soldiers,
charges of deserlion, &c; to the Patent
Office to get specifications, AMI so on.
They are expected to do it, though these
matters are not included in the laws as a
mart of their duties. 1t is true that cItI-
zens themselves could attend To these mat
ters, but they do not want TO incur the ex-
nense and loss of time necessary, when
letter TO Il Senator or Representative Will
accomplish what they want. Besides,
member of Congress is familiar with all the
Departments and knows to whom to go,
whereas not one citizen in a thousand would;
and il person having business with any
of the Departments should go to Washing
ton he would most likely call upon his Re
presentaliye and ask him to go with him.
Senators and Representatives are regarded
as agents at Washington 10 attend to bust
ness there with all branches of government
for their constituents.
If the recommendations of Senators and
Representatives for appointments to otflce
we're not to be generally accepted, what
other mode could be adopted whereby APP
plicants could have their claims to appoint
ment presented and filed? Would the
SIN have every applicant for the more than
one hundred thousand positions 90 to
Washington and present his own claims?
Would it have applicants for fourth-class
posioffices in Maine, in Texas or California
goto Washington for this purpose? Would
it have aspirants for clerkships or watch
men do the same? Or does it think that
the procuring and filing of petition would
do? Then what would result if there were
a dozen applications and petitions filed?
Neither applicants nor signers in one case
ont of A thousand would be known to those
having the appointing power, and the Sc
lection of any one of the dozen would be
haphazard piece of business. If this were
the mode of procedure what guarantee
would the appointing power have that the
endorsements of applicants were genuine
Instead of the recommendations of Sena-
tors and Representatives being a hlndranee
and embarrassment to the appointing pow
or, they are an aid. Senators usually know
the NEST prominent citizens of their states
and Representatives are pretty generally
acquainted with their constituents. Where
they do not know aspirants for public posi-
ton they know those who present their
claims, and the appointing power knows
the Sen ators and Representatives. Through
Senators and Representatives the appoint
ing power has responsible persons to stand
as sponsors for those whose applications
they endorse, and congressman either per.
sonally know applicants or their endorsers-
Here is direct line of responsibility ex-
tending from the appointing power to the
people. Could Il better system be estab-
lished?
That the recommendation of Congress
man should have no more weight than that
of any other citizen of equal character,
might be true iI.the citizen were personally
known 10 the appointing power, as IS the
Congressman. Bat this is not the case.
Senator's and Representatives are elected
to represent the people in national affairs,
in obtaining public Office as well as in mat
tiers of legislation, and Senators are clothed
with share in the appointing power by
the constitution In order that a Presi-
dent may not abuse his office his selections
for public positions are subject to review
by the Senate. This was wise provisio n
in the fundamental law by the founder of
the republic. Unfit nominations can be
rejected. 1t also places power with the
Senate to check the schemes of an ambi-
tious President who should undertake to
use the patronage of the government to
build up a personal party to perpeiuate
himself in office.