The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-11-13
ROOSEVELT BOWS TO THE MACHINE
Recent Appointment Shows That
the President is Not So Ardent
a Civil Service Reformer
as He Once Was.

as He Once Was.
Washington, Nov. 6.-President
Roosevelt has found the combined
pressure of Senator Platt and Gov.
Odell more than he could resist and
as result, it has been given out at
the Treasury chat Mr.. George N.
White head, now Collector of Customs
for Porto Rico, will be appointed to
the Appraisership of New York in
the place Of Mr.. Wilburn F. Wakeman.
the present incumbent. AS indicated
in these letters some weeks past, Sena-
tor Platt came to Washington for the
express purpose of getting Mr.. Wake
mans official scalp. On Investigation,
Colonel Roosevelt found that Mr..
Wakeman had sinned only by a fail
ure in subserviency to the New York
boss and he advised the Senator that
he found no excuse for removing him.
About this time Secretary Gage en-
dorsed Mr.. Whitehead for the place
and Senator Platt joined issue with
the Secretary of the Treasury and
wrote to the President, endorsing him
also. Still the President stuck to his
colors, but Platt came to Washington
again and so did Odell, and both rep
resented that the discipline of the
New York machine was at stake, and
that it was essential to the best inter
ests sof the organization that Wakeman
be made an example Of The matter
terminated by the President giving in
as above stated.
Another test of the Presidents
loyalty to his former principals is in
volved in the case of Commissioner
Rodenburg, of the Civil Service Com
mission. It will be recalled that Mr..
Rodenburg was appointed to the Com
mission after the adjournment of the
last Congress, which will necessitate
the presentation of his name to the
Senate, for confirmation, at the COM
ing session. Mr.. Rodenburg was not
a Civil Service reformer when he was
appointed by the late President, and
his appointment was concession to the
spoilsmen of the republican party,
who desired a friend at court. The
appointment was deplored by many re-
puplicans at the time, who believed
that however much the President
might see fit to restrict the authority
of the Commission, the Commission
itself onght to be kept free from any
one not in entire sympathy with the
purpose for which it was created.
Since his appointment, Mr.. Roden-
burg has not demonstrated any partic-
ular hostility, although the commits
sion has permitted some wide deyia-
tions from the spirit of the law, and
in favor of the spoilsmen. Mr.. Rod
enburg has a powerful republican
faction back of him and it will require
the utmost courage for the President
to signify desire for his resignation.
Although the address of Secretary
Wilson, delivered at Dysart, Iowa, on
Saturday, has been heralded as COM
ing pretty straight from the White
House, it is very weak production.
It goes back to the old-fashioned Re
publican doctrine, that the United
States ought to practically build
wall about its shores and conduct its
International affairs along lines that
the Chinese boxers would adopt if
they could. The Secretary held up as
sort of economic millennium the time
when, economically or otherwise, the
United States will produce everything
it uses in its own territory and ap-
pears to forget completely that only a
few months ago, the late President
made the sage remark that eve must
not expect to sell everything and buy
nothing
It is thought here that Mr.. Wash
burn, of Minneapolis, is rather COM
ing to the support of Representative
Babcock, of Wisconsin, in his fight
against the steel trust. In recent
interview, Mr. Washburn says that
steel rails can be made and sold in
this country at s17.50 per ton, and
that figure would give larger per-
centage of ploit than the millers can
make on their -four; but they are sold
at s28 per tor, and that the trust pays
handsome profit on capital stock
that is more ;;han half water, and in
order to enable the trust to do this,
Congress maintains the duty of $3.50
per ton. In conclusion, he says: '' If
this is not robbery, I would like to
find a stronger word to characterize
it.
There are rumors aaoat that the
O6nOCToGS WILL luVie6 t1Oull1dl SCu1Oy
to head their next Presidential ticket,
but they are regarded as mere rumors
by all of the democrats I have met in
Washington. AS matter of fact, no
one knows what Admiral Schley's poll
tics are, nor ii he is in sympathy with
any of the traditions of the party
beyond what may be inferred from the
fact that he is a Marylander. It is
even intimated that the rumors have
been started to hurt Schley, as it is
we'll known that the insignificant lit
tie presidential bee that got into Ad-
miral Dewey's bonnet, injured him:
The indications are that Admiral
Schley has too much good sense to
even listen to the siren voice of politi-
cal ambition.
4 prominent Democratic Senator
recently called my attention to the fact
that the old law which prohibits any
one from sailing, as an American ship,
any vessel which was not built in the
ua