The Washington times., 1901-10-16
Circulation Statement.
The President and the Offices.


larity with the "Old Guard" we hear,
and very audibly. that President Feose-
welt is not altogether meeting the
wishes Of politicians who daily throng
the audience chamber with lists in their
pockets and demands on their tongues
not wholly dissociated with desired ap-
pointments for their constituents.
We very much fear that when Mr..
Roosevelt, rising to the plane of great
as well as a solemn occasion, declared
that he would carry out his martyred
predecessors policy in letter and in
spirit, he did not realize some of the
shafts and assaults to which that
pledge would lay him open. He did not
and could not know what since he has
learned that there are few demands for
places of any Importance in relation
to which the people demanding are not
quite ready to assure him that they
had an understanding with the late
President, months ago.
Vigorous as Mr.. Roosevelt undoubted-
ly is in mind and body, there are per
haps few citizens who could more easily
acquire the tired feeling under that sort
to fatigue the place hunters are sorry,
and they are so especially because the
present incumbent of the White House
is indisposed to make dark secret Of
everybody's demand for a postoffice, a
consulate or gaugership. 1t is
mourned bitterly that, as often as not,
a dozen head of applicants for Execu-
tive favor are corrallec at one time in
the reception pen. UnGer such condi-
tions ii is obvious that the Presidential
ear cannot be ruminated in the strict
est privacy. Desperate but vain at
tempts have been made to overcome the
difficulty by tolling Mr. Roosevelt off
in.c a corner and sibilantiy kissing
whispered requests and arguments into
his brain. He listens courteously
enough, but when he blurts out in stem
torian tones some such remark as that
lit does not make the slightest differ
ence, Senator; l will not appoint man
OF that character, though he may have
yourself and your colleague, and your
whole delegation and State at his
back the silence in the chamber be-
comes profound.
invites three or four of his pertinac.ous
guests to present their claims at once,
and disposes of them out of hand in job
lots. The enclosure is the sooner
cleared in that way for the entrance of
another bunch who. meantime, have
been paving the earth outside. But the
process is not popular with the poll
ticians. although the country at large is
inclined to regard it with equaninity
not unmixed with enthusiasm 1t is
characteristic Of the American people
that they do not like their Chief Magis-
trate to be stick, or to be a man who
lives in hourly fear of offending the Of
fce-holding or controlling group in New
Orleans. Charleston. Muncie. or Kala-
mazoo. The masses understand better
than they have credit for understanding |
that the appointing power is vested by |
the Constitution in the President of the |
United States. that the fathers of the |
Constitution never intended that the |
Senate should meddle with that power
and authority save in strictly advis-
ory capacity. and that the contention
of recent years that members of Con-
gress have some prescriptive right to
control Federal patronage in their re
spective districts is Grass nonsense.
The people, therefore, are pleased
when they find President who will not
be dragooned into placing inefficient,
notoriously objectionable or vicious
men in office. and they may be depend
ed upon to support such an Executive
in his determination TO keep the public
service clean. Although they are not
at present aware of the fact, this Re
public was not created nor did it grow
TO greatness and the proportions and
position Of a world power for the sole
behoof and benefit Of machine poll
ticians.